After years without a huge, hitmaking UK boyband, can December 10 be the next in line?
As Simon Cowell's newly-formed seven-piece star on the cover of Music Week for the first time, we assemble an all-star cast to answer that question and more.
Unveiled last year in the hit Netflix series, Simon Cowell: The Next Act, December 10 were assembled as part of a masterplan to put British boybands back on the map. Now, with the EMI-signed group positioned to be Britain’s next blockbuster success story, we meet them to talk bonding on and off-screen, classic boyband inspiration and their ethos of “positivity”.
The launch of December 10 represents a new beginning for more than just the band themselves.
In a truly epic cover story, Music Week’s Anna Fielding quizzes Simon Cowell, as well as manager Cassandra Gracey – who has quite the first client for her new management company, Gracey & Co – Island EMI Label Group president Louis Bloom, and hitmakers including Kamille, Savan Kotecha, Raab and Poo Bear to gain unmissable insight into what they believe is history in the making.
We also welcome pop royalty in the shape of Justin Tranter, as the legendary hitmaker behind songs by Britney Spears, Lady Gaga, Chappell Roan and many more goes deep on modern songwriting and shares their big plans for the year ahead.
The subject of this month’s Music Week Interview is Anna Sophie-Mertens, Live Nation UK’s SVP of touring and 2025 Women In Music award-winner, who looks back on a glittering career.
Elsewhere in features, ahead of Musexpo kicking off this March, we rack the brains of founder Sat Bisla as he identifies the six big topics in A&R this year.
Also, label manager Scott Lewis and the EMI North team reveal all about life at the UK’s first regional major label outpost.
In the front section, we hear from recent Grammys winner Olivia Dean’s teams at Universal Music (UK) and Island (US) about their global strategy and what’s next for the British star.
Leading execs also provide an update on how Q1’s most anticipated releases – from Harry Styles and BTS to Raye – will impact the market.
In On The Radar, we meet Absolutely who is making moves from songwriting to solo performing, as she takes time out of her busy arena tour schedule in support of her sister, Raye. Alt-pop artist Sarah Kinsley is in Making Waves, while rapper Ms Banks features in Incoming.
In Hitmakers, Mike Sabath tells the story of working on Raye’s monster No.1 hit, Where Is My Husband!, while in The Aftershow, BBC Radio 2 star Vernon Kay reflects on his career, hanging out with superstars and messing up live on air.
Completing the line-up in a jam-packed issue, BBC Radio1xtra’s Nadia Jae gives career cues in Mentor Me – brought to you in partnership with Carla Marie Williams and Girls I Rate – while Music Venue Trust CEO Mark Davyd shines a light on their 2025 Annual Report in his latest column.
Lastly, in our expanded monthly charts section, we present the Top 75 Singles and Albums of the previous month, accompanied by revamped analysis pages, plus a host of new listings. These include specialist genre Top 20s for Americana, Classical, Hip-Hop & R&B, Jazz, Country, Dance, Folk and Rock & Metal. The issue is also home to streaming, compilations and vinyl charts.
The new issue of Music Week is available from February 17.
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PHOTO: Frank Fieber
