Vibes Weekly #1 | 2025 Year in Review + What's Next! 🎵

EDITION #1 | January 5, 2026

Your weekly dose of music news + VibesXS updates

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Welcome to the first edition of Vibes Weekly for 2026! 🎵

As we step into a new year, let’s celebrate the incredible artists, breakthrough moments, and musical milestones that defined 2025. From chart-toppers to emerging talents, 2025 was a year that reminded us why we love music.

🏆 2025: THE YEAR IN MUSIC

The Artists Who Dominated

Bruno Mars closed out 2025 as the most-streamed artist globally with 150.91 million monthly Spotify listeners. His fusion of funk, R&B, and pop continued to captivate audiences worldwide.

The Weeknd maintained his reign with 126.15 million monthly listeners, while Lady Gaga (124.24 million) proved her versatility across music and film continued to resonate with fans.

Taylor Swift once again demonstrated why she’s a cultural phenomenon. Her album The Life of a Showgirl became the UK’s top-selling album of 2025 with impressive sales since its October launch.

Female Artists Lead the Charge

2025 was undeniably the year of female empowerment in music. The UK music industry saw unprecedented growth driven by breakthrough British talents:

Olivia Dean – Breaking into US Billboard charts and earning a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist
Lola Young – Following a similar trajectory with Grammy recognition
Sabrina Carpenter – Reaching 71.83 million monthly listeners and winning the Global Success Award at the 2025 Brit Awards

These artists helped push UK music sales to surge by nearly 5%, reaching 201 million albums sold or streamed.

📰 FEATURED STORY: The Oasis Phenomenon

How a Reunion Became 2025’s Biggest Music Story

When Liam and Noel Gallagher announced their Oasis reunion, skeptics wondered if the notoriously feuding brothers could actually pull it off. Not only did they succeed—they shattered expectations.

The numbers tell an incredible story:

41 shows across 5 continents
2.89 million fans in attendance
$734.8 million in box office revenue
1+ million albums sold during 2025

The Wembley Record: During their seven-show Wembley Stadium run, fans consumed an average of 250,000 pints of beer per night—worth over £2 million. The reunion proved that nostalgia, when done authentically, can create magic.

Key Takeaway: The Oasis reunion demonstrated that authentic artist connections and legendary music transcend time. Their compilation album Time Flies ranked as the 4th best-selling album of 2025, while (What’s The Story) Morning Glory secured the 7th spot—decades after its original release.

🎵 LOOKING AHEAD: VIBESXS IN 2026

We’re excited to announce that VibesXS is gearing up for an incredible 2026! Keep your eyes on our channels for some major announcements coming soon. We’ve been in the studio crafting new sounds that blend the innovation of 2025 with our signature vibe.

Stream our latest:
🎵 Spotify
🎵 Apple Music
🎵 TikTok Music
🎵 SoundOn

📈 MUSIC INDUSTRY MILESTONES OF 2025

Streaming Evolution

Streaming dominance: 89% of total music market
Vinyl resurgence continues: Vinyl outsold CDs by 200,000 units for the second consecutive year
Global expansion: British artists became the second-largest music exporters globally

Top Collaborations

Some of 2025’s most memorable moments came from unexpected partnerships:

Rosé & Bruno Mars – “APT.” became a global phenomenon
Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars – “Die With A Smile”
Kendrick Lamar & SZA – “Luther”

Breakout Moments

Wired headphones made a comeback – A fashion statement showing intentional disconnection from the digital world
AI in music production – Independent artists embraced AI tools while maintaining authenticity
Genre blending – Electro pop, hyperpop, and House music dominated charts

🔥 2025’S MOST IMPACTFUL SONGS

Tracks That Defined the Year:

Kendrick Lamar – “Not Like Us”
Hozier – “Too Sweet”
Sabrina Carpenter – “Espresso”
Shaboozey – “A Bar Song (Tipsy)”
Post Malone feat. Morgan Wallen – “I Had Some Help”

🎬 INDUSTRY TRENDS SHAPING 2026

The Touring Renaissance

Coldplay continued their record-breaking Music of the Spheres tour, solidifying their position as one of the highest-grossing touring acts of the millennium.

The Indie Revolution

With lower barriers to entry through streaming platforms and AI-powered production tools, 2025 saw more diverse voices and experimental sounds than ever before. Independent artists proved you don’t need a major label to reach millions.

What’s Next?

Look for these trends to explode in 2026:

Monthly royalty payments (PRS pilot launching March 2026)
Lossless audio streaming adoption
Virtual concert experiences
Gen Z-driven genre evolution

📅 UPCOMING IN 2026

Mark Your Calendars:

February 2026 – 68th Grammy Awards
March 2026 – PRS monthly royalty payments pilot begins
May 26, 2026 – 52nd American Music Awards (Las Vegas)
Throughout 2026 – Major festival lineups to be announced

💎 EXCLUSIVE FOR VIBES WEEKLY SUBSCRIBERS

As a thank you for joining us on this journey, Vibes Weekly subscribers will get:
✅ Early access to all new VibesXS releases
✅ Behind-the-scenes studio content
✅ Exclusive downloads and bonus tracks
✅ First dibs on merchandise and event tickets

Make sure you’re subscribed at vibesxs.com/newsletter to never miss an edition!

🚀 STAY CONNECTED WITH VIBESXS

🎧 Streaming Platforms:

📱 Social Media:

Thank you for making VibesXS part of your 2025! Here’s to an even more vibey 2026. We’ll be back next week with more music news, industry insights, and exclusive content.

Stay tuned, stay vibey! ✨

📧 Got feedback or topics you’d like us to cover? Drop us a message on social media!