Happy New Year, everyone! This past year saw a new administration, a rapid onslaught of AI news and some of the biggest deals in history across all media — and we’re just getting started. Here at Manatt Entertainment, we get the unique vantage point of how the market moves via hundreds of transactions. And rather than holding my opinion to our teams and those who pay us, I think there’s a benefit to sharing perspective and experience, so we can all approach our jobs to promote the arts in a better way. Here’s what I think we can expect to see more of in 2026.
The AI Bullet Train
Expect more rapid-paced shock and awe in the world of AI. We will see more “AI artists” making debuts, more market deals between content aggregators and AI companies, and more surprises that no one is expecting. As to the market deals with AI companies, I would caution knee-jerk reactions and underscore the importance of the three Cs as it relates to music creators: Clarity, Consent and Compensation. Shout out to the Music Artists Coalition for establishing the mandate, and many thanks in advance to the record labels and music publishers that adhere strictly to these guidelines.
In the world of name, image and likeness, as we saw in 2025, Sora 2’s launch led to thousands of videos embodying deceased celebrities. Watch for development on that front as these estates decide what to do about such rampant infringements. Also watch for progress on the NO FAKES Act in Washington, which would establish a much-needed federal right of publicity in the face of rampant deepfakes that erode trust in what you see. Shout out to SAG-AFTRA and the RIAA for working the Hill on behalf of all creators.
And as it relates to so-called AI artists, think about this: how far is too far? AI is an excellent tool for lyric workshopping and production amplification — it’s a tool to help a creator start when starting can be so hard. There is also freedom in artistry, where an artist can explore genres, ideas, delivery and artistry, all within moments, all at their fingertips. When does this process become inauthentic? There is no easy answer. There is no black and white, only shades of grey. I would encourage tolerance. At the end of the day, the fans will decide what they want to listen to. For every AI artist, there’s Harry Styles, Björk, The Postal Service, OutKast and The White Stripes to reckon with. If people look at these icons of art and decide robots make better music, we have bigger problems.
The Ticketing Battles Will Continue
Every year, we face an onslaught of state and federal bills attempting to strip artists of their right to control ticket pricing for their fans. These bills are funded by “consumer groups” backed by the secondary ticketing market. There is a jaw-dropping number of state and federal legislators who are duped by this astroturfing, failing to understand that protecting artists means protecting their fans. There is no consumer advocacy group greater than music artists, whose entire careers are focused on building and fostering a fan base.
On the other side of the coin is Live Nation/Ticketmaster, which this year will be presenting at trial against the DOJ, defending an ongoing FTC litigation, along with a handful of other private lawsuits. These astroturf groups use the false public view of Live Nation (more on this next) to turn lawmakers against the very people they’re trying to protect and ignore artists in the process. As it relates to Live Nation and its relationship with music artists, my personal experience — and those of my fellow artist representatives and advocates — is that it is and has been an excellent partner, oftentimes going out of its way to solve problems or provide non-contractual incentives to artists on tour. In a world where a lot of major multinational organizations prey on music artists, Live Nation, again and again, has exhibited an artist-first policy that resonates. Hopefully, there’s a way to better explain this to lawmakers in 2026.
The Revolution Will Not Be Televised
There is a growing, massive force of nature in media called the creator economy: People making content on their own with no gatekeepers, which, I dare say, was inspired by our small and mighty music business. It’s an industry that, according to a Goldman Sachs report, is expected to reach a value of $480 billion by 2027, and backed by social media giants like YouTube, Meta and TikTok. The ecosystem expands to concentric rings of streamers, consumer goods, video podcasts (which are back and bigger than ever) and native branded advertising. Where they aren’t is traditional television, which has been eclipsed in attention by all of the above.
These creators — from music artists, to stuntpeople, to chefs, to dancers — have changed the way people interact with media. It has changed the way media companies budget and measure success. It has changed how advertisers spend. Watch for this world to continue to evolve in 2026, and for savvy music artists to take advantage of this tidal wave of engagement. And here’s hoping that YouTube wakes up and decides to pay creators more.
Damn The Man
2026 brings another year of the Trump administration. You’ve probably seen the news of his White House trolling our national treasures like Jack White, Olivia Rodrigo and Sabrina Carpenter, destroying cultural institutions, and gutting funding for our bedrock cultural establishments. We started 2025 with a recoiling in reaction to the rapid-fire efforts of the Trump administration to do all the above, and for a moment, we wondered if anyone would speak up. And then we did. And, while celebrities have begun to realize that random statements do not turn the tide, what folks have also started to realize is that acting after speaking has tremendous collateral effect.
Look no further than Chappell Roan’s speech at the Grammys regarding healthcare for music workers, and her subsequent donation to Backline, which was followed by Noah Kahan and Charli xcx, among others. And then look at what Billie Eilish said at WSJ Magazine’s 2025 Innovator Awards, calling on billionaires to give money to “people that need it,” followed by her donating her entire tour profits (valued at over $11 million) to organizations supporting food access and combating the climate crisis. I see more of this coming in 2026, and welcome it with open arms.
So, what does 2026 bring? Change. Let’s embrace it as the constant, lock arms in artist advocacy and blaze through. Welcome to the future, everyone: it’s brilliant, beautiful, exhilarating and terrifying. The hallmarks of a timeless song.
Jordan Bromley leads Manatt Entertainment, a legal and consulting firm providing services to the entertainment industry for over 45 years. He sits on the Board of Directors for the Music Artists Coalition, an artist-first advocacy coalition established in 2019.
