It’s very impressive how the NFL has been able to dominate the entertainment landscape in recent years. Last year, four of the five most-watched TV shows were NFL-owned. The blockbuster deals the league has done with Netflix, Amazon, and YouTube have made the NFL one of the most powerful entertainment brands in America.The Super Bowl will be the most watched event of the year (again) with over 120 million expected to watch live. With so much attention on the event – and so much noise – who will cut through, and why!?There’s no question that music will be an integral part of the big game. This halftime show will take hip-hop beef to the biggest stage of all time and cement Kendrick’s legacy even further. I can’t wait to see how he and his team do it. Apple Music already won with this partnership which Forbes breaks down well. The new Kendrick merch drop is going to be super collectible, too.The commercials cost $8 million for a 30-second slot this year, which is crazy but…entirely worth it? In the attention economy where we all have so many distractions, this type of premium, exclusive viewership is tough to put a price on.We know there are 59 commercials airing during the game and we have a pretty good idea of what’s coming as most of them are already online. It’s wild to see the world’s largest brands take the ‘emerging artist on TikTok’ approach to rolling out their biggest annual ad spend.There’s even a real-time ad tracker from Adweek. Here are some very cool, music-related selects:
With so much action and so many eyeballs around SBLIX, brands are popping up campaigns and stunts from every direction. In the condiment aisle, I love how Heinz jumped in with Mustard and Frank’s dropped a Paris Hilton “hot” sauce. Right on the nose! I guess bedazzled squeeze bottles are going to be a thing now. Cue the Salt-N-Pepa shaker collection ;)This is one of those situations where no matter who wins the game, everyone wins culturally. But the biggest winner of the night could be Travis Kelce, who could get his three-peat (we owe you for that phrase, Pat Riley, you trademarking genius) and propose to Taylor on the field. I’m speculating, of course. But talk about a love bomb…
BEATS
Fabolous, Lexa Gates & Jadakiss Rep The East Coast With Great Pride On Kith's "New York To The World" SingleAlmost one year ago on the dot, New York streetwear and lifestyle brand Kith launched their very own record label. Alongside their foray into the music world, a single was shared to kick things into gear (HotNew HipHop)
Roblox x Chappell Roan1 iconic artist, 4 signature looks. Now you can style your avatar like the one and only Chappell Roan.
How E.l.f. balances entertainment, purpose to tap into a TikTok trendE.l.f. Cosmetics has reteamed with Meghan Trainor for its latest campaign, turning the pop star into a pilot for a twist on traditional in-flight safety videos. The effort, in support of limited-edition complexion bundle Cloud Skin, is the brand’s third collaboration with Trainor and is timed to the tenth anniversary and re-release of her album “Title,” (Marketing Dive).
FireAid Has Raised More Than $100 Million So Far for L.A. Fire Relief EffortsFireAid brought in more than 50 million viewers across 28 streaming platforms with performances from Lady Gaga, Billie Eilish, Joni Mitchell, Dave Grohl and more on Jan. 30. These artists played short sets of one to three songs at two venues, Intuit Dome and the Kia Forum, simultaneously (Variety).
Post Malone Named Record Store Day 2025 Ambassador: ‘Keep Supporting Y’all’Post Malone was bestowed the title of Record Store Day Ambassador for 2025. The singer has previously collaborated with the annual event, contributing “White Iverson”/”Too Young” 12-inch single in 2016 (Rolling Stone).
BRAT on VinylCharli xcx has released a limited edition vinyl for the ‘BRAT’ remix album, filled with white powder… (Pop Base),
UMG: The Show Me StoryWill the Majors be able to grow streaming revenue inline with Wall Street expectations? Has the balance of power shifted away from the Majors to streaming platforms? Do artists even need Major labels to achieve superstardom anymore (Leveling Up)?
21 Questions And They're All About RapThe accuracy isn’t as important to me as is seeing the mills of a mind turning. Getting a glance of what pieces of info someone is gravitating toward to make a proclamation can be fascinating (Backstreet Freestyle).
Mastercard helps Lady Gaga fans sow ‘Mayhem’ in music culture playMastercard is supporting the launch of Lady Gaga’s new album “Mayhem” with exclusive fan experiences tied to the singer’s latest single, “Abracadabra,” according to a press release (Marketing Dive)
Heinz teams with hip-hop hitmaker Mustard for new product, campaignHeinz has teamed with award-winning producer Mustard for a new campaign, per details shared with Marketing Dive. The effort debuted during the Grammy Awards on Feb. 2 with a 30-second ad that plays off a 2018 Heinz Ketchup ad and promotes a new limited-edition flavor, the brand’s first co-created product in the U.S. (Marketing Dive).
Fuel Your Body with Kacey Musgraves' "Deeper Wellness" Erewhon SmoothieFresh off her latest Grammy win, Kacey Musgraves is expanding her influence beyond music with the launch of her “Deeper Wellness Smoothie” at Erewhon. More than just a health-conscious creation, the smoothie supports a meaningful cause, with proceeds benefiting Altadena Girls, a charity aiding teens displaced by the Eaton Fire (Hypebeast).
BYTES
Behind Spotify's promise of infinite music lies a carefully engineered system that shapes not just what we hear, but how music itself gets made. Journalist Liz Pelly's explosive new book "Mood Machine" rips away the curtain on streaming's biggest player, revealing how its algorithms and backroom deals dictate the soundtrack to our lives.
The effects of last summer’s rap feud between Kendrick Lamar and Drake continue to reverberate through the music industry, and the careers of its two combatants. Earlier this month, Drake made headlines for bringing a defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group for its role in the back-and-forth, while Lamar prepares for the biggest gig of his life—headlining the halftime show at Super Bowl LIX on February 9 (Forbes).
After generating buzz in the tech industry, Chinese AI app DeepSeek is now making its way into Bollywood. Music composer Santhosh Narayanan says that he used the AI tool to create music for two upcoming films—Sikandar, starring Salman Khan, and Retro, featuring Suriya. In a post on microblogging X (formerly Twitter), Narayanan shared that DeepSeek significantly reduced his workload, especially in exporting music stems (MSN).
DJ Khaled is taking it to the next level when it comes to new album drops. Taking to social media to reveal his 14th album Aalam of God, slated to release later this year, the artist reveals a star-studded and action-packed film trailer starring Mark Wahlberg and Anthony Ramos (Hypebeast).
This week's newsletter was carefully curated by the Nue Agency staff and our editor Rachel Meisner If you think we missed something this week or have any suggestions/comments for next week's newsletter, let us know!