GRAMMY-winning producer, Songwriters Hall of Famer, and cultural architect Jermaine Dupri releases his full-length album Magic City along with a video for the album’s focus track, “Atlanna” featuring CeeLo Green.
A true Atlanta anthem, the record captures the city’s spirit in Dupri’s signature style while cementing another staple in his legacy. With CeeLo’s powerful vocals and Dupri’s undeniable production, “Atlanna” speaks directly to the pride, grit, and soul that define the city.
“This album is more than music – it’s Atlanta’s story,” says Dupri. “From celebrating Rich Homie Quan to working with CeeLo on ‘Atlanna,’ this project honors the city’s past, present, and future. Releasing it on the same day as the docuseries finale felt like the perfect way to bring it all together.”
The album drops in tandem with the finale of the acclaimed STARZ docuseries, Magic City: An American Fantasy, executive produced by Dupri, creating a historic cultural moment where sound and storytelling collide.
The project builds on the momentum of standout singles “Turn Around” (featuring T.I., 2 Chainz & Young Dro) and “Magic City Money” (featuring JMoney, Sean Paul of the YoungBloodz, BunnaB & Bankroll Ni). Earlier this week, Dupri also released “This or That,” a deeply meaningful record with Rich Homie Quan, honoring the late Atlanta rapper whose impact shaped a generation. The track serves as both a celebration of Quan’s legacy and a heartfelt tribute to his lasting influence on the city and culture.
Sam Burchfield has shared a new single. Americana Highways premiered “Morning Light,” noting, “With hushed acoustic guitar and introspective reflective vocal style, this song is a daydream of pondering in the sunrise of the morning light. Strings crescendo like a true sunrise and the effect is subtle yet glorious.” Burchfield recorded the song at home in the middle of the night, stirred awake by an unnerving impulse. “I was dealing with a medical issue at the time, worrying about what it could mean for my family.” The song softly buzzes with the white noise of a sleeping household, Burchfield’s vocals hushed and heavy, delivering an unconventional lullaby. “I was writing a message of comfort to myself when I needed it,” he says. The Blue Ridge Mountains songwriter will release his new full-length ‘Nature Speaks’ on October 24 via Cloverdale Records.
Recorded in just five days at Studio 1093 in Athens, Georgia with co-producers Ryan Plumley and Jason Kingsland (Delta Spirit, Deerhunter), Sam Burchfield’s sixth album is his most stripped-down and spirit-forward to date. The songs came together during a momentous new phase of fatherhood, a reckoning with changing priorities, and a beautiful submission to a steadier, rooted life.
“Just before we recorded, I was in New York City on tour,” Burchfield shares. “My wife was at home, pregnant with our second child. I was taking a walk through Washington Square Park, feeling this hyper-vivid awareness of the beauty of the city, and at the same time, this intense pain of being away from my family.” Just then, a man sitting at a public space piano began playing the song Burchfield’s partner walked down the aisle to at their wedding. Coincidence or cosmic wink, it stirred Burchfield’s soul. “It felt like walking through a portal.”
For Burchfield, like many of us, it took a moment of poignant distance to illuminate his place of utmost belonging—back in the Blue Ridge Mountains, among his family. And with that radical clarity came a revitalized artistic confidence, a turning point in accepting and trusting his own musical intuition, the intuition from which Nature Speaks beautifully emerges.
Today’s release follows recent singles “Spirit of the Night,” “Stay (Betty Blue)” and “Holiday,” and “Make Change.”’ Burchfield’s career has spanned countless national tours, critical praise from The Bluegrass Situation and Creative Loafing among others, and opening slots for the likes of CAAMP, St. Paul & The Broken Bones, David Shaw of The Revivalists and more. Burchfield will share the new music on tour this fall; shows are detailed below.
TRACKLIST
1. Spirit of the Night
2. Make Change
3. Close
4. Stay (Betty Blue)
5. Holiday
6. Desert Springs
7. Nature Speaks
8. Morning Light
TOUR DATES
Sep 27 || Fernandina Beach, FL @ Tigre Island Room
Oct 16 || Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle
Oct 17 || Charlottesville, VA @ United States
Oct 18 || Washington, DC @ The Hamilton Live
Oct 19 || Nashville, TN @ The Basement East
Oct 23 ||Travelers Rest, SC @ Harvest Market Food Truck Rally & Music Fest
Oct 25 || Savannah, GA @ Isle Of Hope Art and Music Festival
This morning, Toronto International Film Festival announced that The Road Between Us: The Ultimate Rescue has won the People’s Choice Documentary Award.
The Road Between Us: The Ultimate Rescue follows retired Israeli general Noam Tibon, who on October 7, 2023, received a desperate text from his son: terrorists had stormed his home, and he, his wife, and their two young daughters feared for their lives. With no time to spare, Noam and his wife, Gali, embarked on a ten-hour mission across a country under siege to save their family. Relying only on his instincts and military training, Noam navigated ambushes, roadblocks, and a collapsing security system in a relentless race against time. Directed by acclaimed Canadian filmmaker Barry Avrich, the film retraces every step of that day, blending intimate firsthand testimony with the raw urgency of a survival thriller. Set against the backdrop of one of Israel’s darkest days, The Road Between Us: The Ultimate Rescue is both a gripping cinematic retelling of an extraordinary rescue and an unflinching look at the failures and resilience revealed on October 7. At its core, it is a profoundly human story about courage, family, and the power of love in the face of unimaginable terror.
The Road Between Us: The Ultimate Rescue will open exclusively in theatres across North America on October 3, 2025. The rollout includes the top 20 markets, among them New York, Los Angeles, Toronto, San Francisco, Chicago, Vancouver, Montreal, and West Palm Beach.
Nicole Scherzinger brings powerful presence to every song while Tom Francis adds striking emotion to the mix. Together they create a new spark that fills the room. The orchestra surrounds them with lush textures that make the moment unforgettable.
Sad songs are magic. They make you cry, they make you feel alive, they make you stare out the window like you’re in a movie no one else is watching. These aren’t just tracks to hear — they’re experiences that hit you right in the gut and leave you better for it. Put on your headphones, grab some tissues, and let’s dive in.
“Black” – Pearl Jam
Eddie Vedder pouring his heart out over lost love. A raw howl that never stops aching.
“Fast Car” – Tracy Chapman
A dream, a plan, and the crushing reality that life sometimes doesn’t let you escape.
“Hallelujah” – Jeff Buckley
A haunting voice, a spiritual sadness, a song that feels like it was sung by an angel already halfway gone.
“Hurt” – Johnny Cash
An old man staring down his life in three minutes. It’s not just a cover, it’s a confession.
“Nothing Compares 2 U” – Sinéad O’Connor
The kind of heartbreak that made the world stop for a moment. You can still feel it decades later.
“River” – Joni Mitchell
Loneliness, longing, and a piano that sounds like it’s crying right alongside her.
“Skinny Love” – Bon Iver
Fragile, fractured, and whispered like a secret you weren’t supposed to hear.
“Someone Like You” – Adele
That line — Never mind, I’ll find someone like you — is enough to turn a crowd into tears in seconds.
“Tears in Heaven” – Eric Clapton
Written for a child who left far too soon. Every note carries unbearable grief and unbearable love.
“The Night We Met” – Lord Huron
A ballad of regret so heavy it feels like you’re drowning in memories.
The State of Streaming Payouts in 2025 (And How to Maximize Them)
For independent musicians, streaming is not optional—it’s foundational. But in 2025, understanding how streaming translates into revenue is just as important as getting the streams themselves. With shifting royalty policies, varied platform formulas, and changing listener habits, artists who know the rules have a serious advantage.
Current Landscape
Here are the most up-to-date figures (or best estimates) for streaming-platform payouts per stream, plus context. These are averages; your own earnings may differ based on contracts, listeners, geography, etc.
Platform
Approximate Payout per Stream (USD)
Notes / Key Variables
Spotify
~$0.003 to $0.005
Premium-user streams pay more; streams must be at least 30 seconds; Spotify requires a minimum threshold (1,000 annual streams for a track) to trigger royalty payments.
Apple Music
~$0.006 to $0.01
All Apple Music is (mostly) premium (paid subscription) so no ad-supported free tier; payout depends on subscription plan and country.
YouTube Music / YouTube
Around ~$0.002
Monetized video/content ID views often pay less. Official channel and premium streams do better. User-generated content, ad revenue shares, and region make a big difference.
Tidal
~$0.012 to $0.015
Fewer users but higher per-stream payout; premium quality tiers matter.
Amazon Music
~$0.004 to $0.008
Paid subscription type, region, and distribution agreements affect the payout.
A 2024 industry report also noted that across platforms, per-1,000-stream payments for indie recording royalties averaged about US$3.41 globally, with Amazon Music leading (about US$8.80 per 1,000), then Apple Music (~US$6.20), YouTube (~US$4.80), and Spotify (~US$3.00).
The Variability Factor: Why No Two Songs Earn Alike
Even with “average payout” figures, many variables make each song’s revenue profile unique. Here are the main levers that cause big differences, often in ways independent artists can influence (or at least anticipate):
Listener location (country / region)
Streams from the U.S., UK, Germany, and Scandinavia tend to pay more because subscription fees are higher and ad revenue is stronger.
Streams from lower-income countries or free/ad-supported tiers often yield much less per stream.
Subscription tier vs. free / ad-supported listener
Premium / paid streams almost always deliver higher payouts. Platforms like Spotify have a large number of free / ad-supported users; those streams are monetized differently.
Some platforms (e.g. Apple Music) are entirely or almost entirely paid tiers, which boosts their per-stream average.
Platform royalty formula and policies
Some platforms use a pro rata / market-share model (you get a slice of the global revenue pool based on your share of streams). Others are exploring or using listener-based models.
Minimum thresholds exist: e.g. Spotify requires at least 1,000 yearly streams on a track to generate master-recording royalties.
Special programs or promotional features (Discovery Mode on Spotify, playlist boosting, etc.) may influence visibility but sometimes trade-off payouts.
Song length / completion / what counts as a stream
Many platforms count a “stream” after a listener has played 30 seconds. If listeners drop off before that, it may not register.
For very short tracks (or “functional noise”), some platforms now have policies that reduce payouts or change thresholds.
Rights ownership / distribution agreements
Who owns the master? Who owns the publishing? What share does the distributor or label take? If you’re independent and own your rights, more of what the platform pays comes to you.
Some platforms require or offer fees, or have tiers of distribution that reduce net payout.
Streaming volume + audience behavior
More streams = more total revenue, but marginal return can decrease (if more streams come from free users or from low-payout regions).
Listener repeat rate, completion, saves, playlist adds, and video/audio versions all contribute to algorithmic ranking, which then influences further streams.
5 Actionable Tips: How to Maximize Streaming Revenue in 2025
Here are concrete strategies you can use to improve both your per-stream rate and your total streaming revenue.
Release Strategy Optimization
Time releases to maximize initial momentum: drop on Fridays, align with local or regional events, use pre-save campaigns.
Release singles leading up to an album rather than dropping everything at once to keep consistent streaming activity.
Consider regionally targeted releases: push in high-payout markets first or focus on where you already have engaged listeners.
Playlist Pitching Techniques
Build relationships with curators (both editorial and independent). Tailor pitches: show stats (streams, listener demographics), explain why your track fits their playlist theme.
Use platforms’ built-in pitch tools properly (Spotify for Artists, Apple Music for Artists, etc.) well in advance.
After placement, promote heavily to sustain playlist momentum (share on social, encourage saves, adds). The more engagement after placement, the more algorithmic weight.
Platform-Specific Content Approaches
For YouTube and other video-enabled platforms: produce visuals, lyric videos, behind-the-scenes content, performance videos. These open additional revenue streams.
Consider high-quality audio formats that pay more (e.g. lossless or HiFi tiers).
Adapt content to local tastes and languages when possible; localized versions or remixes can expand reach into higher paying territories.
Audience Engagement Methods
Cultivate a direct fan base: email lists, Patreon, merch, live-streams. The more fans you can convert to premium subscribers or paid supporters, the better.
Encourage saves, shares, and follows — platforms track those signals, and they feed into discoverability.
Consider fan challenges or remix contests to boost user-generated content, which often extends reach on platforms like YouTube.
Data Analysis Practices
Track where your streams are coming from (geography, platform, playlist source, free vs premium) so you know which markets and platforms to prioritize.
Use the built-in analytics tools to spot patterns: which songs retain listeners, which tracks lead to followers, etc.
Test and iterate: try different release times, different types of content, even different artwork or metadata, and compare performance; double-down on what works.
Understanding streaming payouts in 2025 means seeing beyond “streams = dollars.” The per-stream rates you see quoted online are useful as benchmarks, but your actual earnings depend heavily on listener location, platform, subscription type, how many people stick around, what rights you own, and how you manage your releases and promotion.
If you apply the right strategies—focusing releases smartly, getting onto playlists, tailoring content for platforms, engaging your audience, and keeping a sharp eye on your data—you don’t need millions of streams to make streaming a meaningful income source.
Looking ahead, more platforms are exploring listener-based payout models, transparency around free vs premium splits is increasing, and reforms to threshold rules may come. For independent artists, adaptability, data literacy, and rights ownership will remain more important than ever.
Some songs feel like the moment everything changes. For Madonna, “Borderline” was that song, the track that took her from rising talent to undeniable star, proving that pop could carry both soul and swagger.
Every so often an artist walks into a room and changes the air around them. Katie Gavin does it with honesty, switching from violin to piano to guitar as if they were extensions of her own voice. At the Tiny Desk, vulnerability becomes electric.
The rarest artists are the ones who can make silence feel alive. Beth Gibbons does just that, every note quivering with both pain and light, every lyric inviting you closer. At the Tiny Desk, her music feels less like performance and more like confession.
There’s something magnetic about a performer who can turn a small space into an entire universe. Carín León does exactly that, letting brass, strings, and raw emotion collide in a set that proves why Regional Mexican music is thriving right now.
