Stay Ahead: DSP & UGC Platform Updates August 2025

Music discovery is evolving at full speed. From Apple to Spotify to YouTube, platforms are giving artists and labels new ways to be seen, shared, and celebrated. Each update isn’t just a feature — it’s a pathway to stronger visibility, deeper fan relationships, and new revenue streams.

Let’s dive into what’s changing this month and how to stay ahead.

Apple Music: Create Motion Artwork with Canva

Apple Music has teamed up with Canva, making it faster and easier to create Apple Motion assets without the high cost or hassle. What once required expensive design work is now accessible to every label and artist — high-quality motion visuals templates, built right inside Canva.

And with Motion Artwork taking center stage in iOS 26 (even on lock screens), this is the perfect moment to lock in an animated release strategy that grabs attention, boosts visibility, and drives engagement.

How to Make It Work for You:

• Use Canva’s new templates to start building motion assets for upcoming releases
• Align your visuals with Apple’s official Motion Artwork guidelines
• Plan animated drops around iOS 26 to take advantage of new high-impact placements

→ Get started with Canva’s Motion Artwork templates

Spotify: Messages Launch Across LATAM

Spotify has officially launched Messages in Latin America — a new way for users to share music directly via chat, with emoji reactions and a dedicated inbox.

Currently available in 30+ countries including Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, and Chile, Messages allows users to start conversations around songs, albums, and playlists — turning passive sharing into real interaction.

More than just another inbox, this is Spotify’s first fully integrated messaging tool. It puts music recommendations, reactions, and replies all in one place — helping artists and labels benefit from real-time, word-of-mouth discovery.

→ Read Spotify’s official Messages launch

Spotify x Instagram: Audio Previews & Real-Time Sharing

Spotify is supercharging its Instagram integration with two new features designed to spark faster discovery and real-time fan engagement:

• Audio Previews in Stories: Share a track and it now plays a snippet — making it easier for fans to listen, tap, stream, and dive deeper into related content.
• Live Sharing via Notes: Tap the 🎵 icon and your status auto-updates with what you’re listening to. No extra posting, just instant, real-time music moments fans can join.

Now live worldwide, these features give artists and fans a smoother, more immediate way to share, discover, and connect through music.

How to Make It Work for You:

• Encourage artists to share tracks to Instagram Stories to boost plays and visibility
• Add CTAs in Stories (“Tap to open on Spotify”) for better conversion
• Try Notes to share real-time listening updates and connect with fans via DM

→ Full update from Spotify

YouTube: Superfan Data, Communities & Badges

YouTube is upgrading its Fandom toolkit, giving artists more ways to identify loyal fans, drive engagement, and reward early support:

• Fan & Superfan Analytics (beta): Spot your biggest supporters and see how they watch, comment, and share — all within Analytics for Artists.
• Communities: Create fan-only spaces on Official Artist Channels to share posts, polls, and updates directly with your audience.
• First-to-Watch Badges: Celebrate fans who engage early with visible badges — with more recognition tools on the way.

These features make it easier to turn casual viewers into dedicated superfans who keep coming back.

How to Make It Work for You:

• Use Superfan data to prioritize engagement and exclusive content drops
• Post regularly in Communities — try Q&As, polls, and behind-the-scenes content
• Celebrate top fans by replying, pinning comments, or offering early access

→ Explore YouTube’s latest Fandom updates

Amazon Music: Monthly Listener Insights

Amazon Music is rolling out monthly recaps, giving fans a snapshot of their top artists, tracks, podcasts, and total minutes streamed.

Think of it as Wrapped, but every month — a fresh chance for artists to spark sharing, celebrate milestones, and keep fans engaged year-round (not just in December).

How to Make It Work for You:

• Encourage fans to screenshot and share their monthly stats — and tag you
• Reshare user stories to build loyalty and highlight growth moments
• Coordinate campaigns or thank-you messages around monthly listener recaps

→ See how Amazon Music Insights work

Instagram: Reposts, Location Sharing & Friends Tab

Instagram has rolled out three features designed to make discovery more personal, social, and real-time — giving independent artists new ways to grow fan engagement:

• Reposts: Share posts and Reels to a friend’s feed and your own Reposts tab — complete with credits and notes.
• Location Sharing: Let fans opt in to share their live location on the IG map, with full privacy and parental controls.
• Friends Tab in Reels: See the Reels your friends liked, reposted, or commented on, all in one place.

These updates open new doors for organic reach, community building, and closer fan connections.

How to Make It Work for You:

• Tag collaborators in posts and encourage mutual reposting to widen reach
• Use the Friends Tab to track what fans are engaging with and respond
• Make the most of location tags for local promo and tour visibility

→ Read Instagram’s feature rollout

Merlin x ElevenLabs: A New AI Licensing Model

Merlin has signed a groundbreaking deal with ElevenLabs, the voice AI company launching its own music creation platform. It’s one of the first structured licensing agreements between an AI startup and a global rightsholder collective — setting the tone for how music companies can engage with AI while keeping safeguards and control in place.

→ Read the MBW article on Merlin & ElevenLabs

Stay Ahead, Stay Informed

Change is moving fast — but the signal is clear: platforms are doubling down on fan engagement, native tools, and visibility for artists.

Whether you’re distributing music, growing audiences, or building careers, these updates shape how fans connect and how revenue flows.

Our goal? To help you spot the shifts early and turn them into opportunities — so you always stay one step ahead.