In the music world, April 2025 is shaping up to be an exciting month with a plethora of new releases across various genres. One of the most anticipated releases is Wiz Khalifa's *Kush + Orange Juice 2*, a sequel to his 2010 mixtape that marked a significant moment in the Blog Era of hip-hop. This new project, dropping on April 18, features 23 tracks, including collaborations with Gunna and Don Toliver, and is expected to bring back the smoked-out energy that defined the original[1].
Another notable release comes from Ken Carson, who is set to drop his new album *More Chaos* on April 11. This album follows his 2023 release *A Great Chaos* and includes guest appearances by Playboi Carti and Destroy Lonely. Ken Carson's work is highly anticipated, especially given his mentorship under Carti[1].
On the rock front, April sees several significant releases. Billy Idol is returning with his first full-length album in over a decade, *Dream Into It*, which includes duets with Joan Jett and Avril Lavigne. Elton John and Brandi Carlile have collaborated on *Who Believes in Angels?*, a project completed in just 20 days with the help of longtime collaborators like Bernie Taupin and Andrew Watt. Additionally, Ghost is releasing their sixth album, *Skeleta*, which marks the first with Papa V Perpetua, the latest incarnation of bandleader Tobias Forge[3].
In other genres, Kool Brown from Louisiana is releasing his new EP *BRNZ* (Bronze) on April 4, adding to his extensive catalog. This EP features tracks like "Vice City Stories," which showcases his southern swag and storytelling[1].
On the industry front, 2024 saw significant financial investments returning to the music space after a downturn in 2022. Major deals included Sony Music buying the rights to Queen’s music for nearly $1.3 billion and private equity firms investing heavily in music catalogs. This trend indicates a renewed interest in leveraging proven music catalogs for further revenue[2].
In terms of legal and ethical battles, 2024 was marked by several high-profile lawsuits. These included the Department of Justice's case against Live Nation-Ticketmaster for operating an unfair monopoly, and Drake's lawsuit against his label's parent company over allegations of unethical tactics and streaming fraud. Additionally, there are ongoing debates about AI-generated content and its implications on music ownership and creativity[2].
Finally, the use of AI in music continues to be a contentious issue, with cases involving AI models trained on copyright-protected content and the ethical considerations around posthumous releases using AI technology. These issues highlight the evolving landscape of music production and distribution in the digital age[2].
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