In this week's newsletter

  • Quick News: Billie Eilish upsets Forbes, London Venue Fundraiser, Bondi reaction, King Gizzard's AI clone, and more
  • Big News: Venues vs UK Govt
  • Good News: Arena Once Known As The Millennium Dome to Support Grassroots Music
  • Cosy Watch: Hayley Williams and her Grandpa
  • New Podcast: Running down the year that was + our albums of 2025
  • Track of the Week: Could it be Xmas number one?
  • Hopeful story: Hardcore Kids Are Alright
  • Must Read: A fantastic essay from our archive

In This News This Week

Music Venue Trust vs. the Treasury

Nobody needed arena ticket prices to rise more than they already have, but a huge jump in business rates means that will likely be the case. In fact, some arenas will have to pay double their usual rateable values (RVs) as previous valuations were based on the COVID-19 period, when live music was on ice, whereas they are now based on 2024's operating conditions.

Music Venue Trust CEO Mark Davyd teamed up with  LIVE Music, National Arenas Associate, The Concert Promoters Association, Musician’s Union, the FAC, British Association of Concert Halls and more to call the new rates “disproportionate, inappropriate, and unjustified” in an open letter to Keir Starmer. They proposed as a solution implementing “immediate 40 per cent Business Rates Relief”, similar to film studios, and a “fundamental reform of the valuation system”.

A spokesperson for HM Treasury told NME that there is a cap in place with a £4.3billion support package. They also said they are attempting to help by keeping corporation tax at 25 per cent, relaxing temporary admission rules to reduce costs of bringing in equipment for gigs, providing 40 per cent Orchestra Tax Relief for live concerts, and supporting venues with an investment of up to £10million.

For the MVT, this didn't wash. In response, they told NME that the government needs to stop “flim-flaming the public with irrelevant statements about corporation tax”, and instead “get serious about this problem”.

“The Treasury response to these issues is highly illustrative of the reason the new Rateable Values are such a huge issue,” Davyd said. “Treasury officials are fully aware that the revaluations by the Valuation Office Agency are not some minor error that can be corrected with lower multipliers or transitional relief.”

If the Treasury doesn't change tack, he said, 91 grassroots venues could close between April 2026 and April 2029.

 “We strongly suggest the Treasury get serious about this problem and get involved in sorting it out. We certainly celebrate the existence of Orchestral Tax Relief, but as the Treasury knows GMVs don’t get that relief, so it’s not going to do much for your local grime or rock night.”

The O2 steps up for grassroots venues

In better venue news, The O2 has pledged to funnel money back into the grassroots pipeline. It has donated an undisclosed sum to the MVT and will make further donations over the next three years every time a new artist plays the venue. This year, there were 50 first-time headliners.

It's a hugely positive step recognising that arenas would have nothing without the grassroots venues acting as the industry's research and development arm. The next step is for more large venues to do the same, whether in this format or by implementing the £1 grassroots levy as standard like the Royal Albert Hall has done.

Wholesome content from the Williams family

Hayley Williams has had a massive year, but she's also passed the mic to her grandfather Rusty to have his moment to shine after she discovered his long-lost recordings from the 1970s. He'd helped her with her music career by teaching her drums and piano and now she's helping his, by bringing attention to his debut album Grand Man. They spoke to BBC World Service about how they made it happen, and why Rusty is releasing his debut album at the age of 79.

Hayley Williams also gave us our Album Of The Year in the form of Ego Death At A Bachelorette Party. You can find our entire end-of-year countdown below:

Drowned in Sound’s 25 Favourite Albums of 2025: 10-1
Our countdown continues with our 10 favourite albums of the year.
Drowned in SoundSean Adams

Sean and I recap 2025 on the podcast

Sean and I had a fun time in London's Shure studio chewing over the past 12 months, which included a dive into some of the year's best music. You can listen to the full episode wherever you get your podcasts, and check out some clips here where we talk about the aforementioned Hayley Williams album and my picks from the rock and metal world.

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Track of the Week

'Lullaby' by Together For Palestine, Nai Barghouti, Leigh-Anne and Neneh Cherry

The first mention of Palestine many of us in the West will have heard will have been in connection to the birth of Jesus. Together For Palestine, who put on the well-publicised benefit concert in Wembley Arena in September, are aiming for Christmas Number One with an awe-inspiring all-star rendition of a Palestinian lullaby.

The song brings together artists from both the UK and Palestine, includnig Amena, Bastille, Brian Eno, Celeste, Kieran Brunt, Lana Lubany, London Community Gospel Choir, Mabel, Nadine Shah, Sura Adabo, Tyson, Yasneen Ayashi and Ysee.

All profits will go to the Together for Palestine Fund, held by Choose Love to support Palestinian-led organisations Taawon, Palestine Children's Relief Fund and Palestine Medical Relief Society. You can buy the digital album from Bandcamp here.

Hopeful story

Hardcore helps children and refugees at Christmas

Hardcore is about taking care of each other - yes, even when killing each other in the mosh pit. That ethos has been channeled into some incredible Christmas fundraisers to help those who need it most.

The hardcore-oriented organisation For The Children, which organises toy drives at shows in the US, had its first UK event at the end of November at Boom Leeds. Attendees buy a ticket and come to the show with a brand new toy to donate to underprivileged children, and this event raised thousands of pounds for low-income families across Leeds.

Australian hardcore band SPEED also went the extra mile at their Christmas show in Sydney, asking fans to bring new toys and unperishable food to donate to local organisation Project Kindness. (Vocalist Jem Siow also took some very good selfies to give some examples of what they needed). They also raised an incredible $10,000 for Palestinian refugees looking to relocate to Australia.

From the Archive

Nina Cresswell wrote a fantastic essay for us on how to speak out, responsibly. And as she's now taking on the police for their failings, we're briefly removing the paywall from this piece so you can have a read and support her crowdfunder

Why we need to talk about speaking out
Speaking out, reasonably and responsibly, must be made safer. Until then, it needs to be done carefully.
Drowned in SoundNina Cresswell
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