Reservoir Media, the New York-listed music publisher and recorded-music owner, is at the centre of a takeover tussle after activist investor Irenic Capital disclosed an unsolicited bid valuing the company at roughly $1.1–$1.2 billion (about $10–$11 per share) in late February. Irenic, which holds about 9.2% of Reservoir, has been exploring financing that could include catalog-backed loan structures. Days later (March 4–5) two existing shareholders, Wesbild Inc. and Richmond Hill Investments, submitted a rival unsolicited joint proposal to buy all outstanding shares they do not already own for $10.50 per share. Wesbild and Richmond Hill together control roughly 65% of the stock, with Wesbild holding about 44% and Richmond Hill about 21%, posing a structural hurdle for any third-party bidder. Reservoir’s board has formed a special committee of independent directors to evaluate both proposals and other options; the company said it will not comment further unless required. Reservoir, which went public via SPAC in 2021, owns about 150,000 copyrights and 36,000 master recordings and reported $45.6 million revenue and $19.2 million adjusted EBITDA for the quarter to Dec. 31, 2025. Shares surged after the initial bid and again on the competing offer news.

Madonna on April 15 confirmed Confessions II, a long‑teased sequel to her 2005 dance‑pop landmark Confessions on a Dance Floor, and set its release for July 3, 2026 via Warner Records. The 67‑year‑old pop star shared cover art and a short visualiser previewing opening material — billed as “I Feel So Free”/“One Step Away” in different outlets — and reunited with original Confessions producer Stuart Price. Madonna released a manifesto framing the record around the dance floor as a ritualistic, spiritual space and has begun global promotional activity, including posters in city centres and online teases after wiping her Instagram. The 15th studio album is her first full LP since 2019’s Madame X; details such as full tracklist, collaborators and tour plans have not been announced. Media coverage notes speculation about guest appearances (including Sabrina Carpenter and unconfirmed outreach to Britney Spears) and possible festival tie‑ins. Warner is positioning the project as both a return to a signature sound and a major commercial push across streaming, physical formats and festival promotion.

Spotify and the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) announced a year-long partnership on April 15-16, 2026, aimed at increasing exposure for independently owned live-music venues across the United States. The deal will expand discoverability of indie shows on Spotify through enhanced venue pages, the Live Events Feed and other concert-discovery features, and will display NIVA’s “Certified Live Independent” seal on participating venue pages. This summer Spotify will launch an Independent Booker Spotlight editorial playlist series in which a NIVA-selected booker will co-curate a monthly playlist with Spotify’s editorial team. The initiative names dozens of venues in markets such as Los Angeles (including the Troubadour, Teragram Ballroom and Bellwether) and builds on prior Spotify efforts such as Concerts Near You, venue-following, past pandemic support for NIVA’s #SaveOurStages fund and integrations with ticketing partners. Spotify framed the pact as part of a longer-term push to support grassroots scenes at a time when the live sector is consolidating under major promoters.

Ukrainian-Canadian DJ and producer Isabelle Rezazadeh, known professionally as Rezz, has canceled her Coachella performance scheduled for the festival’s second weekend on April 18, citing health concerns and the need for a break. After performing in the Sahara Tent on April 11 during weekend one, Rezz posted on social media on April 14 that she had been ignoring signs from her body and must now “put my health first” to address unspecified issues. She apologized to disappointed fans, said her weekend-one set — which she is “super proud of” — will be uploaded to YouTube, and described recovery as a process. Rezz released the EP A Shift in Perspective earlier this month and remains listed on other 2026 dates, including Breakaway in Columbus on May 30 and Tomorrowland in Belgium in July, though she has not clarified whether those shows will proceed. The move joins several other lineup changes at this year’s Coachella; festival organizers have not announced a direct replacement for her slot.

Rock icon Jack White delivered a sharp rebuke of President Donald Trump after the president posted — then deleted — an AI-generated image on Truth Social that appeared to depict him as a Christ-like healer. White reposted the image on Instagram on April 13–14, 2026 and called on evangelical Christians and Catholics to reconsider their support, calling Trump the "Worst American of All Time" and listing a string of alleged offenses. Trump later said the image showed him as a doctor with the Red Cross and removed it after widespread criticism, including from some conservative figures. The episode followed an inflammatory Truth Social tirade by Trump attacking Pope Leo XIV, who had criticised the president’s warmongering; the pope publicly condemned violence and urged peaceful dialogue. Media outlets from Rolling Stone to Billboard and Louder Sound widely reported White’s post and the backlash, which has resonated with fans and religious leaders. The exchange underscores tensions between a prominent artist, a sitting U.S. president and faith communities amid heightened political polarization.

Usher and Chris Brown will co‑headline a 33‑date North American stadium tour beginning June 26 at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver and concluding Dec. 11 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. The Raymond & Brown — promoted as The R&B Tour — visits major markets including Detroit, Minneapolis, Washington, D.C., Toronto, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, New Orleans and Miami. Citi cardmember presales open April 21 (12 p.m. local) with a Citi presale window through April 22; the tour presale for registered fans runs April 23 (fans must sign up by April 21 at 10 p.m. ET); general public on‑sale begins April 27 at 12 p.m. local time via Ticketmaster and the tour website. The announcement follows a cinematic Instagram trailer posted April 10. Both artists arrive to the run off the back of blockbuster solo campaigns — Brown with new album BROWN due May 8 — and the pairing comes amid widely reported past tensions between the two performers.