Welcome back to the MMBC Newsletter!
January was a huge month for the industry and the club. We started the month by kicking off our winter recruitment cycle, hosting kickbacks and speed-dating events for prospective members. Interviews are underway in the next week. The team is looking forward to welcoming our new Member Class! From active members' own releases to a speaker session with Tyler Semerdijian, January showcased the creativity, momentum, and community that continue to define our club. Not to mention the grammy’s where just last night, with highlights included later in this edition.
Go Blue!
Monthly Club Recap
January was a big month for the MMBC, as we kicked off the semester with exciting member highlights, industry insights, and recruitment momentum.
This month, we had Tyler Semerdijian, Director of Marketing at Royalty Exchange and Family Quest Entertainment, come speak to the club. He shared his path into working with royalty rights, explained what music royalties actually involve, and broke down parts of the industry that can feel confusing or opaque to students just starting out.
Recruitment is still underway, and it has been great meeting so many new faces. Earlier this month, we held a mass info session, a recruitment kickback, and speed dating, which gave us the chance to connect with prospective members and share more about what the club is all about. We are really looking forward to bringing a new group of members into the club and seeing what the semester brings!
Monthly Music Recap
Here are some of the most notable album drops of January!
Looking Ahead
February is projected to maintain that momentum with genre-spanning releases that highlight how fluid the current music landscape has become. Charli XCX’s cinematic Wuthering Heights leans into futuristic pop and emotional intensity, while BLACKPINK reunites for Deadline, a project already sparking global conversation.
After nearly a decade without a solo album, Bruno Mars returns with The Romantic, bringing classic grooves back into the spotlight. Meanwhile, Mitski’s Nothing’s About to Happen to Me offers a deeply personal, introspective counterpoint that resonates strongly with younger listeners.
Job Postings
Los Angeles
Contemporary Music Intern @ WME
Los Angeles
A&R Research Consultant @ Hallwood Media
Artist Spotlight
Harry Styles: Year of the Fan-girl
When I think of a fan girl, nothing comes to mind more than a young twenty-something-year-old girl in college who has been listening to and following Harry Styles’ journey since his time on The X Factor. With Harry Styles announcing new music and entering another era, college campuses seem to be bubbling with anticipation. Harry Styles famously went from working in a small bakery in England to becoming one of the world’s biggest pop stars.
His industry journey began at 16, when he competed on The X Factor UK. There, he was grouped with Niall Horan, Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson, and Zayn Malik, forming a boy band you may know called One Direction. One Direction released five highly successful albums between 2010 and 2015. Some of their most widely recognized songs include “Night Changes,” “What Makes You Beautiful,” and “Kiss You.”
Even though the band was only officially together for six years, One Direction is now known as one of the most successful boy bands in music history, having sold over 70 million records worldwide. One Direction also had an extremely dedicated fan base, titled Directioners. Directioners defined much of pop culture during the early 2010s and are known as one of the most dedicated and creative fan bases.
After One Direction officially broke up in 2016, Harry Styles released his first self-titled solo album the following year. His first solo song was the emotional ballad “Sign of the Times,” which focuses on confronting mortality and the inevitability of change. The song reached number one on the UK Singles Chart in April 2017. “Sign of the Times” contrasted Harry’s more lighthearted sound in One Direction with a heavier melody and deeper lyricism, highlighting his versatility as an artist.
Since then, Harry Styles has released two additional albums titled Fine Line in 2019 and Harry’s House in 2022. Fine Line included some of his most popular songs, such as “Watermelon Sugar,” “Adore You,” and “Lights Up,” and marked a major moment in his solo career. The tour for this album was extremely impactful, with fan girls bringing the concerts to life through their enthusiasm, creativity, and shared sense of belonging.
Harry’s House continued this success and revealed a more whimsical, personal side of Harry as an artist. Songs like “As It Was” became extremely popular, especially on college campuses. The tour associated with this album featured sold-out shows and fans traveling from extreme distances to attend, showing just how dedicated his fan base remains.
Now, with new music and another tour approaching, excitement around Harry Styles continues to grow. The marketing for his new album includes huge signs directed at his fans, with big white letters spelling “We Belong Together,” showing how much he values and appreciates his fan base. His continued success shows not only his talent as an individual artist but also the lasting impact and power of fan-girl culture.
Events
An intimate live showcase, Swimming Paul brings his atmospheric and genre-blending sound to the stage for a night of immersive electronic music. Known for melodic production and emotionally driven tracks, Swimming Paul delivers a high-energy yet intimate performance that highlights the growing appeal of forward-thinking electronic artists in live settings.
A rising force in the Southern rap scene, YFN Lucci hits the stage for a high-energy performance showcasing his blend of melodic flows and street-savvy lyricism. Known for his charting singles and dynamic live presence, Lucci brings an electrifying set that spans his catalog of fan favorites and deep cuts, offering an unforgettable night for hip-hop fans.
Industry Music News
Grammy’s Highlights
On Sunday, February 1st, the Recording Academy hosted the renowned Grammy Awards. This year, some were ‘snubbed’, some were surprised, and some were rightfully awarded. Let's go over this year's highlights, reflecting a time of chaos, beauty, and everything in between in the music world.
Kendrick Lamar continues riding his wave of success, in line with his performance in last year's award season, winning 5 of the 9 categories he was nominated for. His highlights include his large category wins, GNX for rap album of the year, and ‘Luther’ (featuring SZA), winning for record of the year. His acceptance speech for Record of the Year included a compassionate tribute to the late, ever-talented singer and songwriter Luther Vandross, who inspired this track.
Was Sabrina Carpenter snubbed? While this undoubtedly remains a topic of debate among the media and avid music listeners for days to come, her 0 wins out of 6 nominations, many of which were in major categories, are notable. Her 2025 album “Man’s Bestfriend” was a major success and a step forward in her career, debuting at #1 on the Billboard, with 64.4 million streams in its first few days, and huge hits such as ‘Manchild’, which she performed at this very Grammy Awards. Many listeners, fans, and haters alike have already discussed the surprising nature of her statistics from this event.
Best New Artist of the Year is always an interesting category. With so many genres represented, particularly within this year's nominees, there was harsh yet unexpected competition. With an eclectic performance from all of the artists in this category, Olivia Dean stole the show, winning her first ever grammy. Her 2025 album, “The Art of Loving,” clearly captured the hearts of the music world and rightfully earned her a premier spot in this year's selection of upcoming artists.
Bad Bunny can't seem to be stopped. With his highly anticipated Super Bowl Halftime show just next weekend, his outstanding results from this Grammy season show that his palpable cultural relevance, storytelling, and addictive production of his 2025 album DeBí TiRAR MáS FOToS have firmly cemented him as a voice-shaping force in performance and contemporary music today. With his biggest wins in the Música Urbana Album and Album of the Year (becoming the first to win this award with an all-Spanish-language record) categories, he reflected not only on the honor of these major achievements but also on the importance of using his musical talent for cultural good.
It wouldn't be the Grammys without some iconic performances, so here are some of the highlights. Bruno Mars and Rosé open up the show with their wildly popular song “APT”. Justin Bieber graced the Grammy stage in just boxers to sing his hit song ‘Yukon’. Pharrell Williams and rap duo Clipse (Pusha T and Malice) delivered a unique set and a passionate performance of their song "So Far Ahead". Finally, Lauryn Hill led a beautiful tribute to D'Angelo and Roberta Flack, with a star-studded ensemble.
Member Project
“Look Like Me” - Arjun Abhyankar
MMBC’s own VP of Philanthropy and Community Builder, Arjun Abhyankar, has just released a powerful new piece that’s been gaining attention across the Michigan campus. Creating pop and electronic music under the name Sanmana, Arjun released his first record of 2026, “Look Like Me”, last Monday. In this track, Sanmana steps into his first full rap performance, exploring dual identity as an Indian American and the responsibilities that follow. The song centers on a question that resonates deeply within immigrant communities navigating modern challenges: Who will we be? MMBC is proud of Arjun and his growing presence in the music scene. You can read the full lyrics to Look Like Me below and stream the song on all major platforms.
Donate
Donations to the Michigan Music Business Club are always welcome and greatly appreciated.
All monetary gifts fund our wide range of events, including concerts, speakers, and other professional and creative development events.
MMBC has brought an accomplished lineup of musicians, agents, producers, publicists, lawyers, and composers to speak and perform for the club and the greater Michigan community. To pay the generosity of others forward, many of our events have raised money for charity and local Ann Arbor businesses. Regardless of the amount, all donations help our organization provide authentic and memorable experiences for fans and aspiring industry professionals at the University of Michigan.
