The Mobile World Congress 2025 has drawn to a close, leaving in its wake a trail of innovation poised to transform numerous industries, with music being no exception. Here at Sonosuite, we were on the ground, meticulously analyzing these trends and exploring their potential impact on how music is experienced, created, and distributed. If one thing became abundantly clear, it’s that the industry isn’t merely changing—it’s on the cusp of an unprecedented revolution. At Sonosuite, we witnessed firsthand how the latest advancements in 5G, AI, and Extended Reality (XR) are rewriting the rulebook.

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5G dominated MWC 2025, demonstrating that its influence extends far beyond mere speed. We’re talking about a technology that is reshaping the creation, consumption, and connection between artists and their audiences:

• Seamless, top-quality streaming worldwide.
• Holographic concerts and immersive experiences that dissolve the physical barriers between artists and fans.
• Real-time collaboration between producers and musicians globally, fostering unrestricted creativity.
• Hyper-connected festivals with 5G private networks, enhancing both production and audience experience.

What does this signify for the music industry?

Imagine a realm where artists can offer fans immersive sonic experiences regardless of location, without sacrificing quality. Or where real-time collaboration between musicians and producers, free from delays or interruptions, is the norm. This future is rapidly approaching, courtesy of 5G deployment.

A striking example was Lang Lang’s performance on a holographic piano, powered by a Telefónica 5G Standalone (SA) private network. This event underscored that live performances have entered a new era, where minimal latency and real-time 4K transmission enable hyper-realistic experiences. This technology redefines live concert streaming and music streaming consumption.

But 5G’s impact transcends concerts. Companies like Flumotion are exploring its potential for ultra-high-definition broadcasts, while event experts highlighted how this technology will unlock new business models in the music industry, from premium subscriptions to paid interactive experiences.

It’s crucial to note that 5G’s impact is revolutionizing content consumption and delivery. The promise of unprecedented speeds, ultra-low latency, and massive capacity addresses many streaming industry challenges. 5G paves the way for streaming platforms to offer premium content, opening new monetization avenues. While not yet widespread, platforms are already working on it, and 5G is the perfect ally. As Mats Granryd, GSMA Director General, stated, 5G Standalone is not just a technical upgrade, but the gateway to new ways of monetizing.

AI: Artificial Intelligence and Creativity, A New Alliance

While 5G provides the infrastructure, Artificial Intelligence (AI) equips us with the tools to elevate music to new heights of personalization, analysis, and creation.

MWC 2025 marked a watershed moment for AI and its impact on the music industry. From a futuristic promise to a tangible innovation engine, AI showcased its ability to drive both process automation and cutting-edge sonic content creation, exceeding expectations and opening a spectrum of unexplored possibilities beyond composition, mastering, and recommendation algorithms:

• Trend prediction (algorithms anticipating hit songs pre-release): Predictive analytics platforms now better anticipate song success, optimizing investment and marketing strategies.
• Hyper-personalized experiences: Recommendation algorithms are advancing rapidly, refining the streaming experience to unprecedented levels. Picture platforms that not only predict your tastes but adapt to and anticipate your mood.
• Intelligent automation: Copyright and contract management via blockchain.
• Musical “deep fake” generation, cloning artist voices for new songs, are just some possibilities on the horizon. However, their arrival demands deep analysis of copyright and regulatory implications.
• AI-assisted music creation: New forms of composition and production blending human talent with AI’s infinite capacity. Algorithms collaborating with producers and artists to develop new compositions.

In the session “The AI Renaissance: When Art, Culture & Code Collide,” experts discussed how AI won’t replace human creativity but will amplify it. From tools helping artists experiment with new sounds to systems optimizing distribution strategies, AI is an ally redefining the music business. Leaving a clear idea: “AI is not only transforming the music industry, but it is redefining the cultural expression as a whole”. That is to say, as it was mentioned, “this is not only an evolution of art; it is an evolution of society itself”. This reflection invites us to consider how AI can be an ally for artists and producers, expanding their creative capabilities and opening new frontiers for music.

Additionally, the participation of Jaime Bosch, CEO of Voicemod, showed us a concrete example of how AI is transforming the interaction with audio. Voicemod presented innovations that demonstrate the impact of AI in the personalization of audio, allowing creators and artists to modify or clone their voices in real time with hyperrealistic effects. His voice transformation technology opens a range of possibilities for content creation and artistic expression.

In short, MWC 2025 has shown us that AI is not limited to optimizing processes; its power also lies in the unprecedented expansion of musical creative boundaries.

XR: Music Leaps Off the Screen and Comes to Life

Extended Reality (XR)’s impact on the entertainment industry was another MWC 2025 highlight. The ability to interact with events in entirely new ways is transforming the relationship between creators, artists, and fans.

• Virtual concerts and metaverse experiences, opening new monetization opportunities.
• Sports and Entertainment: The convergence of sports, entertainment and gaming was a recurring theme. The mention of Taylor Swift concerts and the massive use of data in stadiums exemplifies how technology is transforming the fan experience at live events.
• Interactive album covers in augmented reality, unlocking exclusive content.
• Digital meet & greets in virtual environments, enabling closer connections between artists and followers.

These are just some of the experiences that could redefine artist-fan relationships.

We’re on the cusp of a new musical era where XR transforms every artist-audience interaction. The industry has the opportunity to explore these tools, deliver immersive sonic experiences, and achieve new monetization and communication avenues.

The Future Is Now.

MWC 2025 has made it clear that technology and music are more intertwined than ever. At Sonosuite, we’ll continue exploring these trends to help our clients — distributors and independent labels — maximize this new digital age.

Discover more about other trends and news of interest in our blog.