Vietnamese producer Zrtee invites listeners into a vibrant world of imagination with the release of his latest single, Daydream, a light house track inspired by a quiet moment of reflection beneath a golden evening sky.

Filled with uplifting melodies, warm rhythms and an unmistakable feel-good energy, Daydream is a celebration of those fleeting moments when reality fades into the background and the mind is free to wander. The track offers a colourful sonic escape, blending bright electronic textures with an infectious groove designed to lift spirits and spark the imagination.

The inspiration for Daydream arrived during a peaceful late afternoon, as Zrtee watched the sky gradually transform with the setting sun. Lost in his thoughts, he experienced a sudden burst of creativity that would become the foundation of the single. That sense of calm, optimism and limitless possibility is woven throughout the track, creating a listening experience that feels both uplifting and deeply personal.

Built around memorable melodies and smooth, flowing production, Daydream reflects the lighter side of electronic music. Rather than chasing intensity, the single embraces warmth and positivity, making it equally suited to relaxed afternoons, scenic drives or moments of quiet reflection.

Based in Hanoi, Vietnam, Zrtee began his music production journey in 2020, quickly developing a passion for creating melodic electronic music centred around the light house genre.

His productions focus on crafting accessible, feel-good soundscapes that combine clean production with emotional melodies, offering listeners a sense of freedom and escape. Drawing inspiration from everyday experiences and simple moments of beauty, Zrtee aims to create music that resonates through atmosphere as much as rhythm.

With Daydream, he continues to refine that approach, demonstrating an ability to transform a single moment of inspiration into an engaging musical journey.

The result is a track that lives up to its title, bright, optimistic and full of wonder. As the melodies unfold, Daydream encourages listeners to pause, breathe and embrace the power of imagination, if only for a few minutes.

For fans of melodic electronic music and light house, Daydream is a refreshing reminder that some of the most memorable journeys begin with nothing more than a passing thought and a beautiful sunset.

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BTS have announced they will not submit their music for consideration at the 2027 Grammy Awards, despite releasing one of the year’s biggest comeback albums.

The decision comes just weeks after the Recording Academy unveiled a new Best Asian Pop Music Performance category, which will debut at the 69th Grammy Awards. While the category was introduced to recognise the growing global influence of Asian pop music, BTS say they believe their music should be judged without being separated by language or region.

In a joint statement shared across the members’ social media accounts, the group explained: “We have decided not to submit for Grammy consideration this year. We hope our music can be heard and loved for what it is, rather than being defined by where it comes from or what language it is sung in.”

BTS’ decision is significant given the group’s long and complicated history with the Grammys.

Since becoming the first K-pop group to receive a Grammy nomination, BTS have earned multiple nominations but have never taken home a trophy. Their success helped open the door for Korean artists at one of music’s biggest award ceremonies, making them one of the most influential acts in the global expansion of K-pop.

Many had expected 2027 to be their strongest opportunity yet. Following the release of their comeback album Arirang, industry observers suggested the group could have been among the favourites in several categories, particularly with the addition of the new Asian Pop award.

Instead, BTS have opted not to participate at all.

The Recording Academy announced several new Grammy categories for 2027, including Best Asian Pop Music Performance, intended to recognise artists performing K-pop, J-pop, C-pop and other Asian pop genres.

While some welcomed the move as long-overdue recognition, others questioned whether creating a separate category risks isolating Asian artists rather than encouraging them to compete across the main awards.

BTS appear to share those concerns.

Rather than submitting their music for the new category, or any Grammy category, the group have chosen to step away from the awards altogether this year, saying they want their music to be appreciated on its artistic merits rather than its origin.

The announcement has sparked widespread discussion among fans and across the music industry.

Many members of BTS’ global fanbase, ARMY, praised the group’s decision, arguing it sends a strong message about equality and representation within international music awards. Others expressed disappointment that the band’s latest music won’t be in contention for Grammy recognition after such a successful comeback.

The Recording Academy has not publicly responded to BTS’ statement.

Despite stepping away from Grammy consideration, BTS’ momentum shows no signs of slowing down.

The group’s comeback album has enjoyed major commercial success following their return from military service, and their world tour continues to attract huge audiences around the globe.

Whether their decision prompts wider conversations about representation at the Grammys remains to be seen. What is certain is that BTS have once again found themselves at the centre of a discussion that extends far beyond music, raising questions about how global artists are recognised on one of the industry’s biggest stages.

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Dance and electronic music is having a standout year. According to Luminate’s 2026 Midyear Report, Dance/Electronic recorded the biggest year-over-year growth of any music genre in the first half of 2026, gaining half a share point compared to the same period last year. While R&B/Hip-Hop remains the most-streamed genre overall, electronic music is currently growing faster than any other genre in the US.

The report suggests this isn’t simply another nostalgia wave. Although classic EDM continues to perform well, listeners are increasingly streaming brand-new releases, with younger artists attracting audiences through fresh music, viral moments, and relentless touring schedules.

For independent producers and DJs, it’s another sign that there’s never been a better time to release electronic music.

New electronic music is driving the genre forward

One of the biggest takeaways from Luminate’s report is that Dance/Electronic stands apart from many other genres because listeners are actively consuming new releases.

According to Luminate, the majority of US on-demand audio streams for Dance/Electronic now come from tracks released within the past 18 months. That’s a higher share of current music than genres like Pop and Rock, where catalogue listening still dominates, and it’s also above the average across all genres.

That’s particularly encouraging for independent artists. Instead of competing primarily against decade-old hits, new electronic releases are finding audiences quickly, suggesting fans are actively looking for fresh sounds rather than simply revisiting old favourites.

New artists are leading the charge

Several rising names helped fuel the genre’s growth. Luminate highlights Disco Lines, whose remix of Tinashe’s No Broke Boys became the biggest Dance/Electronic track of 2026 so far with 120.6 million US on-demand audio streams.

Meanwhile, John Summit continued his rapid rise, generating 295.1 million US streams during the first half of the year, which was a 59% increase year over year.

Both artists represent a wider trend. Electronic music’s current momentum isn’t being driven solely by legacy acts from EDM’s previous boom, it’s also coming from a new generation of producers building audiences with consistent releases, social media exposure, and packed live shows.

Live performances remain one of electronic music’s biggest advantages

Electronic music has always been closely linked with festivals, clubs, and live events, and Luminate’s research suggests that’s still a major growth driver. According to the company’s Q1 2026 Artist + Genre Tracker, 31% of Dance/Electronic listeners attended a live event in the previous three months, 13% higher than the general US population.

That relationship between streaming and live performance appears stronger than ever. Luminate points to John Summit as an example. His team’s “Be Everywhere” touring strategy focused heavily on international shows, with around half of his 2025 performances taking place overseas. By the first half of 2026, roughly half of his on-demand streams were coming from outside the US, suggesting international touring helped build a long-term global audience.

For emerging electronic artists, it’s another reminder that streaming and live music often work best together. Every gig, DJ set, support slot, or festival appearance creates another opportunity to convert listeners into long-term fans.

Streaming continues to grow and electronic music is benefiting

The report arrives during another period of overall streaming growth. Luminate found that US on-demand audio streaming increased 4.8% year over year during the first half of 2026. At the same time, Spanish-language music continued expanding its share of listening, while UK artists also gained ground in the US market.

As Luminate’s Vice President of Music Insights & Industry Relations, Jaime Marconette, explained, today’s music landscape is becoming increasingly global, with success no longer tied to a single country or language. That’s particularly relevant for electronic music.

Dance tracks often travel well across international audiences thanks to their focus on production, rhythm, and club culture rather than language alone. Viral moments on TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts can also introduce tracks to listeners around the world almost instantly.

What this means for independent artists

While not every producer will become the next John Summit overnight, Luminate’s findings highlight several encouraging trends for independent musicians.

Listeners are embracing new electronic releases rather than relying solely on catalogue favourites. International audiences are becoming increasingly important, and touring continues to amplify streaming success.

For artists releasing electronic music, that makes consistency more valuable than ever. Releasing music regularly, pitching tracks to DJs and playlists, building an audience on social media, and making your music available across every major streaming service can all help maximise opportunities as the genre continues to grow.

If you’re preparing your next release, distributing your music through RouteNote ensures your tracks are available on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, TikTok, YouTube Music, Deezer, and dozens of other platforms worldwide, helping you reach fans wherever they’re listening.

Dance music’s momentum shows no signs of slowing

Electronic music has experienced multiple waves of popularity over the past two decades, but Luminate’s latest data suggests this resurgence is different.

Nostalgia may have helped reignite interest, but new artists, fresh releases, and international fanbases are now sustaining that momentum. Combined with continued growth in streaming and a thriving live scene, Dance/Electronic looks well positioned for the rest of 2026.

For independent producers, DJs, and labels, that’s welcome news, and perhaps the perfect time to release your next track.

You can read Luminate’s full 2026 Midyear Report here.

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Bad Bunny’s Debí Tirar Más Fotos World Tour grossed $467.5 million and sold 3.1 million tickets across 55 shows, according to Billboard Boxscore. Music Business Worldwide reports that the tour is now the highest-grossing ever by a male Latin artist, despite not including a single ticketed show on the US mainland.

The tour instead visited stadiums across Latin America, Europe, Asia and Australia, ending in Brussels on the 22nd of July after opening in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, in November 2025.

A world tour without US mainland dates

While the US remains one of the biggest live music markets, Bad Bunny chose not to include mainland dates on this tour.

As MBW notes, Bad Bunny spent part of 2025 performing his No Me Quiero Ir de Aquí residency in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He also appeared at the Super Bowl LX Halftime Show in California earlier this year, although that performance was separate from the world tour.

Bad Bunny previously said he chose not to include mainland US dates because of concerns that ICE agents could target fans attending his shows.

The numbers behind the tour

According to MBW, citing Billboard Boxscore, the Debí Tirar Más Fotos World Tour grossed $467.5 million, surpassing Luis Miguel’s 2023-24 tour ($409.5 million) to become the highest-grossing tour by a male Latin artist. It also overtook Bad Bunny’s own World’s Hottest Tour, which earned $314.1 million in 2022.

The tour is also the highest-grossing and best-selling in Billboard Boxscore history to skip the US entirely, ahead of previous records held by Take That and The Rolling Stones. While it set a new benchmark for a male Latin artist, it fell just short of the overall Latin touring record, with Shakira’s Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran tour having grossed $479.2 million through July 14 while still on the road.

Backed by a record-breaking album

The success of the tour followed the release of Debí Tirar Más Fotos, which became one of the biggest albums of 2025.

The album generated 36.95 million Spotify streams on its first day, with all 17 tracks entering the Billboard Hot 100. It also made history at the 68th Grammy Awards, becoming the first Spanish-language album to win Album of the Year.

Earlier this year, Billboard also reported that Bad Bunny became the first Latin artist – and the first artist who does not primarily perform in English – to surpass $1 billion in career touring grosses.

What independent artists can take from it

Global audiences are more accessible than ever. Streaming platforms allow artists to release music worldwide from day one, helping them understand where listeners are discovering their music and where new opportunities may emerge.

Bad Bunny’s tour is an extreme example, but it shows the value of knowing where your audience is. Streaming data can reveal which countries and regions are responding to your music, helping you decide where to focus your next release, marketing budget or even future live performances. Sometimes your biggest opportunities might not be where you first expect.

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The debate over AI and copyright has taken another step forward, this time in Canada.

Music Publishers Canada (MPC) has formally intervened in a landmark Federal Court case concerning AI-generated artwork, arguing that only humans should be recognised as authors for copyright purposes. While the case centres on a visual artwork rather than music, its outcome could have significant implications for musicians, songwriters and publishers using generative AI tools.

Importantly, this isn’t a court decision or a change in Canadian law. Instead, it’s Music Publishers Canada’s view on how copyright should apply as the courts begin to tackle questions surrounding AI-assisted creativity. According to the organisation, the case could help establish an important framework for future music copyright disputes.

Why is Music Publishers Canada getting involved?

The case revolves around an AI-assisted artwork called SURYAST, created by Ankit Sahni using an AI tool called RAGHAV.

In 2021, Canada’s Intellectual Property Office granted copyright registration for the image, listing both Sahni and the AI system as co-authors. That registration has since been challenged by the Samuelson-Glushko Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic (CIPPIC), which argues that AI cannot legally be recognised as an author and questions whether the work meets Canada’s originality requirements.

Although the dispute concerns visual art, Music Publishers Canada says the court’s reasoning could extend well beyond images.

The organisation believes the ruling is likely to influence how Canadian law determines whether music created with the assistance of generative AI qualifies for copyright protection, and if it does, who should be recognised as its author.

Music Publishers Canada’s position

In its submission to the Federal Court, Music Publishers Canada argues that only a human can be an author for copyright purposes. However, the organisation isn’t suggesting that works created with AI should automatically lose copyright protection.

Instead, it draws an important distinction between AI-generated works and AI-assisted works.

According to Music Publishers Canada, copyright may still apply where a human has exercised meaningful creative skill and judgement while using AI as a tool. What it opposes is recognising the AI system itself as a legal author.

The organisation is also encouraging the court to avoid a blanket rule for every AI-created work. Instead, it recommends a flexible, case-by-case approach that examines how much creative contribution came from the human creator.

Why this matters for musicians

While this particular case isn’t about music, it raises questions that many artists are already asking. 

If you use AI to help write lyrics, generate ideas, create melodies or assist with production, who actually owns the finished work? And how much human creativity is needed before copyright applies? Those questions don’t yet have universal answers.

Across much of the world, copyright authorities have generally taken the view that fully AI-generated works are unlikely to qualify for copyright protection, while works that involve meaningful human creative input are more likely to receive protection. Exactly where that line sits, however, remains one of the biggest unresolved issues facing copyright law.

For independent artists experimenting with AI, that means keeping creative control firmly in your own hands remains the safest approach.

Part of a wider global conversation

Canada isn’t tackling these questions in isolation. Similar debates are taking place in the US, across Europe and the UK as governments, courts and creative industries attempt to balance technological innovation with creators’ rights.

Meanwhile, many music organisations continue to support responsible AI development while pushing for stronger protections around authorship, consent and creator compensation.

Recent initiatives, including collaborations focused on improving attribution and remuneration for creators in AI systems, show that the industry is increasingly looking for practical ways to embrace AI without weakening the rights of songwriters and artists.

The bigger picture

Perhaps the most important takeaway is that this case isn’t deciding whether artists can use AI.

Instead, it’s helping answer a more fundamental question: what role should AI play in the creative process, and where should copyright draw the line?

Music Publishers Canada’s intervention reflects a growing consensus across much of the music industry that AI can be a valuable creative tool, but that legal authorship should ultimately remain with people, not software. Whether the Canadian courts agree remains to be seen.

For independent musicians, the discussion is a reminder that AI is becoming another instrument in the creative toolkit rather than a replacement for human creativity. As copyright laws continue to evolve, documenting your own creative contributions and maintaining meaningful artistic control may become increasingly important.

Whether you’re creating music entirely yourself or experimenting with AI-assisted workflows, distributing your releases through RouteNote makes it easy to get your music onto the world’s biggest streaming platforms while keeping control of your catalogue as the industry continues to evolve.

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