Billboard's staff have outlined the music business stories they expect to shape the second half of 2026, following a first half marked by the BMG-Concord merger, the Live Nation antitrust trial verdict, and Casey Wasserman's departure from his agency, now rebranded THE•TEAM. Key themes include how the industry will continue adapting to artificial intelligence, whether dealmaking in mergers, acquisitions and catalogue purchases can sustain its pace from earlier in the year, ongoing legal disputes including Drake's defamation suit against his record label, and which suitor will ultimately acquire THE•TEAM.

One driver highlighted is the surge of capital raised by music companies through debt-backed securitisations, which analysts say is pressuring firms to deploy funds quickly, fuelling further deals. Ratings agency KBRA reports it has rated over 80 music asset-backed securities worth nearly $13 billion since 2020, while lawyer Michael Poster notes this cash glut, combined with strong buyer demand, is likely to push up deal pricing. Examples cited include BMG's joint ventures with Pophouse Entertainment, involving stakes in Tina Turner's and Iron Maiden's rights, alongside continued uncertainty over how streaming platforms will handle AI-related content policies and labelling.