Vinyl sales rose 14% and CD sales 22% at wholesaler Alliance Entertainment in the September quarter
The wholesaler's quarterly revenue rose 9.8% to $278.8 million as physical music, films and collectibles grew while video game sales fell 40%.
Culture and trends, and the data behind them
News Trend covers music, TV and streaming, gaming and internet culture, with the industry data behind each trend, checked before we publish.
The rundown
By the scene
Music
MusicExplainer
The Copyright Office's 2026 decision keeps the MLC running the U.S. blanket mechanical license
In June 2026 the U.S. Copyright Office closed its first five-year review by continuing the MLC and DLC designations, with five recommendations for the MLC.
TV & Streaming
Cineverse's quarterly revenue more than doubled on ad tech as streaming minutes rose 8% to 4.05 billion
Ad-tech and media-services businesses bought last fiscal year brought in 55% of revenue in the September quarter. Streaming revenue rose 1% to $9.7 million.
Angel Studios' paying Guild members rose to 2.94 million as its quarterly revenue doubled
The streaming and film company added about 335,000 net members in the third quarter as revenue rose 107.7% to $159.0 million, helped by Young Washington.
Gaming
Gravity's third-quarter revenue rose 41.9% year over year, which it credits to new Ragnarok mobile games
Mobile games brought in 85.9% of the Korean publisher's KRW 197.1 billion quarter (our calculation); it credits mainly Ragnarok launches made this year.
GamingExplainer
The FTC ended its Microsoft-Activision case in 2025 after losing its appeal for an injunction
In May 2025 an appeals court upheld the refusal to halt the $68.7 billion deal, and the FTC then dismissed its own case, closing the U.S. challenge.
Internet Culture
Internet CultureExplainer
New York's SAFE for Kids Act takes effect January 25: what changes for teen feeds and night alerts
From January 25, 2027, large platforms must confirm a New York user is an adult, or get parental consent, before serving algorithmic feeds or late-night alerts.
IZEA's creator-marketing bookings nearly doubled in the third quarter as its revenue fell 23%
The influencer marketing firm booked $7.0 million of new campaign work, and three clients brought in about 69% of its revenue, by our count.
Trend Data
Trend DataExplainer
A third of EU internet users paid for film, series or sports streaming in 2025, Eurostat survey shows
In 2025, 32.7% of EU internet users paid for film, series or sports streaming and 23.0% for music, Eurostat says. Ireland led for film; Bulgaria trailed.
Licensing, including AI data deals, brought in 57% of CuriosityStream's third-quarter revenue
Subscriptions fell to 42% of the factual streamer's revenue from 51% a year earlier, as licensing revenue rose 35% and total revenue 13% to $20.7 million.
Latest from official sources
Headlines as each source published them, with links to the original releases.
- National Television Multiple Ownership RuleFederal Register: FCC documents on video programming ·
- Commission preliminarily finds TikTok’s ‘For You’ feed in breach of Digital Services Act for harmful ‘rabbit holes’ effectEuropean Commission digital strategy news ·
- Unlimited Miles: The Ever-Evolving Sound of Miles DavisLibrary of Congress: In The Muse (Music Division blog) ·
- Google's general search and search advertising servicesCMA cases: digital markets (GOV.UK) ·
- Apple’s mobile platformCMA cases: digital markets (GOV.UK) ·
- Google’s mobile platformCMA cases: digital markets (GOV.UK) ·
- DCMS sector Economic Estimates: Productivity 2024 (provisional)DCMS research and statistics (GOV.UK) ·
- Economic Estimates: Employment January 2025 to December 2025 for DCMS SectorsDCMS research and statistics (GOV.UK) ·