The biggest music industry news | July 2025
Instagram song previews, new tools for songwriters, and Meta’s push for original content. Plus, Spotify’s audiobook add-ons and a crackdown on uncompetitive behaviour.
Instagram adds Spotify song previews to Stories
Instagram users can now share Spotify tracks directly to their Stories, with automatic 20–30 second audio previews. The feature includes album artwork and a link to listen in full on Spotify, helping artists reach new fans organically. This update strengthens the link between music discovery and social sharing on both platforms.
Spotify investigated for competition concerns in Türkiye
Türkiye’s Competition Authority has launched an investigation into Spotify, focusing on its licensing agreements and free vs Premium policies. Officials are reviewing whether the platform’s market position and practices limit competition. Additionally, Türkiye’s government has voiced displeasure at Spotify’s handling of certain playlists, claiming they insult the country’s religious beliefs and political figures. The outcome of the investigation could have wider implications for Spotify’s global operations and licensing models.
Threads catches up with X for daily active users
Threads is closing the gap with X, reportedly hitting 40 million daily users in July. Meta continues to add new features like a trending topics feed to boost engagement. The app’s steady growth suggests a real shift in where users are turning for short-form text updates.
YouTube removes Trending tab
YouTube has removed its long-standing Trending page and Trending Now list and is replacing it with categorised charts. In addition to Charts, discovery will be driven through personalised recommendations, the Explore menu, creator channels, and the subscription feed. The change reflects YouTube’s focus on tailored recommendations over general popularity. It could affect how emerging artists and viral videos are surfaced to new viewers.
Meta cracks down on unoriginal content
Meta is changing how it ranks and monetises reused content across Facebook and Instagram. Content that’s reposted without meaningful edits will see reduced reach and may not qualify for monetisation. The move targets meme pages and low-effort aggregators to prioritise original creators.
Facebook adds music to text posts
Facebook now allows users to add music to text-only updates, combining written posts with a soundtrack. The feature offers a new way to express mood or meaning without needing visuals. It also helps bring music into more corners of the Facebook experience, potentially boosting discovery.
TikTok launches new tools for songwriters
TikTok has launched “TikTok Songwriter Features” – a new set of tools designed to give credit to songwriters and boost their ability to showcase their work. Official Songwriter accounts are now available, which attributes a “Songwriter” label to profiles. Plus, a “Songwriter Music Tab” will live on Songwriter profiles, to highlight tracks users have written or co-written, increasing visibility further. These changes come off the back of direct feedback from the songwriting community, and give these often hidden artists a greater spotlight.
Spotify offers flexible audiobook add-ons
Spotify Premium users can now top up their 15 free audiobook hours with paid add-ons, offering more flexibility. Premium Individual users and Family/Duo plan managers can get an additional 15 hours with “Audiobooks+”, while “Audiobooks+ for Plan Members” enables plan members on Premium Family or Duo accounts to request Audiobook access for the first time. This update helps Spotify better monetise its audiobook catalogue while giving users more control, and reflects the platform’s push into non-music audio content.
YouTube Shorts gets photo-to-video AI feature
YouTube Shorts has launched a suite of new AI-powered features to help creators turn images and ideas into engaging video content. Users can now transform photos into six-second Shorts, apply AI effects that turn selfies and doodles into animations, and explore a new “AI playground” for creative prompts. Built on Google’s Veo models, the tools aim to inspire original content – but YouTube is also labelling AI-made videos to keep things transparent.