The Recording Academy has announced its Special Merits Awards for 2026, observing the Lifetime Achievement Award, Trustee Award and Technical Grammy Award recipients: Carlos Santana, Chaka Khan, Cher, Fela Kuti, Paul Simon, and Whitney Houston are the Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award honorees; Bernie Taupin, Eddie Palmieri and Sylvia Rhone are the Trustees Award honorees; and John Chowning is the Technical Grammy Award honoree. The ceremony will be held on will be held on Jan. 31, 2026, at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre.
“It’s a true honor to recognize this year’s Special Merit Award recipients — an extraordinary group whose influence spans generations, genres and the very foundation of modern music,” said Harvey Mason jr., CEO of the Recording Academy. “Each of these honorees has made a profound and lasting impact, and we look forward to celebrating their remarkable achievements on the eve of Grammy Sunday.”
+ The Songwriters Hall of Fame has announced the posthumous induction of Jerry Ragovoy, a prolific songwriter and producer whose hits include “Time Is on My Side,” “Piece of My Heart,” “Try (Just a Little Bit Harder),” “Cry Baby,” “Get It While You Can,” “Ain’t Nobody Home,” “A Wonderful Dream,” “Stay with Me,” and many more; several of those hits were written under the pseudonym Norman Meade.
Ragovoy, who passed away in 2011 at age 80, was honored during an intimate ceremony last week in New York.
+ Pioneering independent music company Beggars Group secured a majority stake in XL Recordings in 2024, according to newly released documents reported by Music Business Worldwide.
Beggars had long held a 50% stake in XL, but its most recent annual earnings filing with the UK’s Companies House confirms that it paid a $3.3 million consideration to XL Recordings’ “other shareholder” in October 2024 to acquire a majority stake — who would be XL co-owner Richard Russell. Following the transaction, Beggars Group’s ownership share of XL Recordings rose to 51%. XL, known for releasing Adele’s first three albums as well as major hits by the Prodigy, Fontaines D.C, and others, is now listed as a subsidiary of Beggars rather than a joint venture.
+ Island Records has promoted Caroline Ellis to Vice President, A&R. Based in Los Angeles, she will report to Jackie Winkler, Senior Vice President, Head of A&R, Island Records.
Ellis will continue to handle A&R for artists across the label, including Chappell Roan and Suki Waterhouse. Ellis recently signed the Platinum-certified and acclaimed actress, Waterhouse, who is currently in the studio working on new music.
“Caroline has impeccable taste and a rare ability to connect with artists, building the kind of trust that fuels great music,” said Winkler. “Her exceptional ear and steady temperament are true assets to the team, and I’m thrilled to see her step into this richly deserved role as VP of A&R.”
Ellis joined Island Records in 2020 as Senior Director, A&R after a stint at Interscope Records, where she worked with the 1975, Japanese House, Jack Garratt and Pale Waves.
+ BMG has renewed and expanded its direct music publishing agreement with TikTok. According to the announcement, the new agreement strengthens BMG’s leadership in modernizing publishing deals by raising reporting and attribution standards across digital platforms and introducing improvements to how publishing rights are managed and promoted.
Tracy Gardner, Global Head of Music Business Development, TikTok, said, “BMG truly understands the power of TikTok and the opportunity it creates for songwriters today. They understand the platform, they embrace innovation, and they work with us hand-in-hand to strengthen rights management and unlock meaningful value. This expanded partnership reflects the trust and momentum we’ve built together — and we’re excited to continue driving growth for the songwriters at the heart of music discovery on TikTok.”
Celine Joshua, EVP, Global Marketing and Streaming, said, “This agreement underscores our focus on building scalable, forward-looking partnerships that elevate the role of songwriting in today’s music economy. We continue to invest in systems and structures that protect rights, ensure attribution, and add value for creators across the digital landscape.”
+ Universal Music Group and Splice have agreed to collaborate on joint exploration of the next generation of AI-powered music creation tools for musical artists. The agreement builds on Splice’s suite of AI-enabled creator tools and will also explore AI-powered virtual instruments and tools that enable UMG artists to bring their own sounds into Splice’s AI workflows.
Michael Nash, EVP & Chief Digital Officer, Universal Music Group said, “We’re excited to form this alliance with Splice to promote the alignment of innovation and ethicality in addressing the interests of the creative community to leverage cutting-edge AI-enabled tools to further their artistic expression. We look forward to partnering with Kakul Srivastava and her team on this critically important strategic technology front.”
“We’ve spent time building AI tools designed to fairly compensate creators and keep them in control,” said Kakul Srivastava, CEO of Splice. “We’re thankful for Universal’s continued support, and excited to work together to put these commercial tools in the hands of artists everywhere, knowing they can trust the end result.”
Monday, December 15
HYBE has announced a significant expansion into the rapidly growing African music market through a new global management partnership with two influential voices shaping African and diaspora music: Brandon Hixon and Colin Gayle.
Together, they are launching a global management initiative designed to amplify African artists, develop cross-cultural storytelling, and build long-term creative pathways across the U.S., Asia, and the world, according to the announcement. Under this partnership, HYBE will establish a pipeline of emerging and established talent and sign new artists. Tyla — honored at Variety‘s Young Hollywood event last summer — will be the first artist supported under this expanded vision. She will continue to be guided by Hixon and Gayle, with HYBE providing additional global reach.
“We are thrilled to partner with cultural architects like Brandon Hixon and Colin Gayle, whose vision is essential to driving the powerful momentum of African artistry onto the global stage,” said Jason Jaesang Lee, CEO of HYBE. “This partnership represents a pivotal moment in HYBE’s global expansion strategy. By combining their expertise with our global network and resources, we will establish a strategic, sustainable bridge designed to amplify authentic African voices and artistry to fans across the world.”
Hixon said, “Our work has always been about connecting great artists with the world in the right way. HYBE brings a global perspective that complements how Colin and I build. Together, we can help artists move freely and tell their stories on the biggest stages.”
Gayle added, “We’re entering a moment where African artists have unlimited potential. With HYBE’s collaborative support, we can help them expand their reach while staying true to the roots that make this music extraordinary.”
+ The ASCAP Foundation, the charitable organization dedicated to supporting American music creators, today announced that Patricia Leonard has been appointed to serve as executive director. She succeeds Nicole George-Middleton, who was recently promoted to executive vice president, head of creative membership at ASCAP.
“For 50 years, The ASCAP Foundation has succeeded by providing recognition and support so that developing music creators of all kinds can flourish,” said The ASCAP Foundation President Paul Williams. “We are elated to have Patricia Leonard take over the Executive Director role and confident that her love of music and her deep background in the arts and philanthropy will enable the Foundation to continue to thrive for years to come.”
Leonard joins the ASCAP Foundation with more than two decades of experience in arts and philanthropy. She was formerly chief philanthropy officer with the Princess Grace Foundation, where she led the planning and execution of charitable events and sponsorship opportunities and created new programs such as the Crown Patrons Society for high-value donors. Prior to that, she served as the director of institutional giving for the Manhattan Theatre Club and as director of institutional relations for the Metropolitan Opera. She serves on the boards of the New York New Music Ensemble and New York Women Composers, is a founding member of the New York Composers Circle, and is the composer of “My Dearest Friend,” an opera inspired by the letters of John and Abigail Adams.
Founded in 1975, the ASCAP Foundation has supported American music creators through music education, talent development and humanitarian programs. In 2024 alone, its programs reached more than 300,000 individuals, including 60,000 K–12 students, through scholarships, mentorship initiatives and educational programs.
+ Nick Hartley, [PIAS]’ longtime chief operating officer and chief financial officer, has announced his retirement and will step down from both roles and his position on the company’s board, effective December 31st, 2025.
Hartley started his career as a chartered accountant before moving from the UK to Australia in 1984 to take up his first music industry role with EMI Australia, where he quickly rose to become finance director. He then moved to PolyGram Australia in 1990 as CFO and was promoted to the role of PolyGram U.K. Group CFO in late 1995 after returning to the UK. He left PolyGram in late 1998 after its acquisition by Universal and joined [PIAS] in January 2000. Under his guidance, the company has expanded its global operations, enhanced financial performance, and continued to foster successful partnerships with artists and labels. He also played an important role in the acquisition of [PIAS] by Universal in 2024.