Streaming round-up – December 2025

by IDOL
News
17.12.25
Stay up to date on the latest in streaming news with our monthly round-up. This month, Apple Music is coming to ChatGPT, Instagram is revamping its Reels features, and Spotify is letting you take control of the playlist algorithm.

The figure of the month: 3 billion. That’s the number of tracks saved on platforms thanks to TikTok’s Add to Music app. More info on Music Business Worldwide.

Economy

Apple Music
OpenAI announced a partnership between Apple Music and ChatGPT. More info on 9to5Mac.

Eventbrite
Bending Spoons acquires ticketing platform Eventbrite. More info on Complete Music Update. What is Bending Spoons? TechCrunch responds..

Merlin
Merlin has concluded a licensing deal with karaoke technology company Singa. More info on Music Week.

Qobuz
Qobuz partners with independent music magazine Drowned in Sound to produce six months of artist-first podcasts. More info on TechRadar.

Songkick
Suno acquires events platform Songkick as part of an AI licensing deal with Warner Music. More info on Complete Music Update.

Soundcloud
SoundCloud partners with Auracles, a digital identity platform founded by artist Imogen Heap. More info on Music Business Worldwide.

Spotify
Spotify announces that Wrapped 2025 is its biggest success yet, with over 200 million users engaged on day one. More info on TechCrunch.

TikTok
The deadline for the sale of TikTok in the United States is once again postponed by the US President. More info on USA Today.

Tuned Global
Tuned Global renews partnership with Twist Music as part of expansion strategy in MENA region. More info on Music Business Worldwide.

New Features

Instagram
Instagram’s latest update focuses on optimizing Reels. More info on Music Ally. Instagram is testing early access to Reels to help drive audience growth. More info on Social Media Today. Instagram is using AI to generate SEO summaries for posts. More info on Social Media Today. Meta launches Reels algorithmic controls for US users on Instagram. More info on Social Media Today. New: you can now share public stories on Instagram. More info on Music Ally.

Spotify
Spotify rolls out music videos in the US and Canada for Premium users. More info on Music Week. Spotify will let users ‘steer the algorithm’ by personalizing their playlists with AI-powered prompts. More info on Music Business Worldwide.

TikTok
TikTok adds a space for organizing content with close friends and unveils ‘Shared Feeds’. More info on TechCrunch.

YouTube
YouTube expands its pre-publish checks to cover more violations. More info on Social Media Today. YouTube expands access to some of its experimental generative AI features. More info on Social Media Today.

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