Good morning, creators. ☀️ Day 27 is here, and today we are looking at four signals worth watching — Mary J. Blige partnering with Primary Wave Music to work her iconic catalog, Spotify bringing independent artists into its licensed AI remix plans, the Astro Boy reboot getting one global licensing door — and a horror-built house single from our own catalog, right on time for Halloween week. Let's get into it.
1. Mary J. Blige Partners With Primary Wave Music on Her Iconic Catalog
What happened: Primary Wave Music announced on Monday, October 26 that it has partnered with Mary J. Blige on her catalog of compositions and recordings. Through the deal, Primary Wave will work alongside Blige and her team on new music marketing, branding, digital and sync opportunities. The catalog is deep: 15 studio albums, two live albums and 83 singles, more than 50 million records sold worldwide, and hits including "Family Affair," "My Life," "Mary Jane (All Night Long)," "You Bring Me Joy," "Be Happy," "Be Without You" and "I Can Love You." Financial terms and the size of any ownership stake were not disclosed — the announcement describes a partnership, not an outright sale. (Source: Billboard via K-Jewel 99.3 FM and That Grape Juice)
Why it matters: A catalog this size is not a museum piece — it is a working asset. The deal is built around actively placing, marketing and branding the songs for new audiences and new screens, which is where legacy catalogs keep compounding in value.
The ETS/Zillion angle: That is the playbook being run here at independent scale: Epic Toy Sound and Zillion Records keep the catalog, the masters and the publishing together, registered through TuneRegistry, and work the songs every day — placements, packs and store. The newest working example on the shelf is the 16-track Warlocks Spellbook (Castle Trap) pack by Lofi Tavern, live now at $5 at toysandbeats.com.
2. Spotify Signs Believe and TuneCore to Its Licensed AI Remix Tool
What happened: Spotify and Believe announced on October 20 a licensing agreement covering participating artists and labels from Believe and its self-release platform TuneCore for Spotify's forthcoming AI-powered remix and cover tool. Participation is voluntary and runs on a two-step consent process: artists first choose whether to be considered for AI-related programs at all, then decide on this specific partnership. The tool is built for remixes and covers of existing songs — not entirely new works — will be offered as a paid add-on for Premium subscribers, and streams of the remixes will generate royalties for the original artists and rights holders, with every remix linking back to the original track. Believe joins Universal Music Group, Merlin and Kobalt as partners for the tool. (Source: Music Ally and 24Hip-Hop)
Why it matters: Fan remixes already happen everywhere — usually unlicensed and unpaid. This builds the licensed lane instead: consent first, compensation attached, and a path back to the original recording. The remix economy is growing up.
The ETS/Zillion angle: Consent and credit are the whole game here too. The standing rule in this catalog is distribution and fingerprinting before wide social use, so a remix can be matched, credited and paid — and any AI-assisted work starts from our own original recordings, disclosed on the product page. Creators who want ready-to-use audio with the license included can start with packs like Neon Revolver in the store at toysandbeats.com.
3. Toon2Tango Takes Global Licensing for Mediawan Kids & Family — Astro Boy Included
What happened: Announced October 19, Mediawan Kids & Family signed an exclusive worldwide licensing and merchandising agreement with Toon2Tango, the German kids and family studio in the same group. Toon2Tango will now identify, negotiate and manage licensing deals across the entire slate — toys, games, apparel, home and living products, publishing, digital games and promotions. The headline property is Method Animation's Astro Boy reboot, alongside the digital-first series Wadoo and preschool favorite Maddie + Triggs, plus Toon2Tango's own productions including Paluten Freedom, Niko, Agent 203 and Eldrador, developed with toy company Schleich. The deal builds on the distribution agreement the two signed in March 2025. (Source: PhoenixQ, reporting the Variety exclusive, and Kidscreen)
Why it matters: One door for a whole slate means faster deals and a coordinated shelf: the same characters move from screen to toys, apparel and games in one motion. Toon2Tango also flagged direct-to-consumer fan merchandise platforms as part of the plan — licensing that sells to fans directly, not just to retailers.
The ETS/Zillion angle: One door, screen to shelf to sound — that is the Toys and Beats loop in another uniform. Here, collectors start with the figures in our action figures collection, toy photographers shoot them, the shots become cover art, and the covers become releases the community shares back. The community side of that story lives on zillionmarketplace.com, and the store side at toysandbeats.com.
4. House Spotlight: "Saw Art" — Psychodark feat. Epic Toy Sound
What happened: Today's house spotlight is "Saw Art," the single by Psychodark featuring Epic Toy Sound, released July 3, 2026 (UPC 882652344417; ISRC QT6ET2690946) and registered for Content ID. It is a slasher score in a single: the session was built with custom horror sound effects — blood drips, a drone gong, a spooky hall and a scream — and the cover is Psychodark's own toy photography, a blood-spattered horror clown holding the saw the title promises. It lands in this report in Halloween week, exactly when this record was built to be found. (Source: Epic Toy Sound / Zillion Records catalog and ISRC records)
Why it matters: Seasonal catalog is real catalog. Horror audio peaks every October, and a genuine horror single that is already released, registered and fingerprinted can be licensed the moment a creator, editor or filmmaker needs it — no scramble, no clearance delay.
The ETS/Zillion angle: "Saw Art" is the model end to end: a toy photographer shoots the figure, the shot becomes the cover, the cover becomes a release with their name on it, and TuneRegistry registration feeds the publishing collection behind it. Its shelf-mate for spooky season is Manyakfunks' 8-track horror pack Haunt Your Reels: Monster Within, on the shelf now at toysandbeats.com.
Thank you for starting your Tuesday with us — four signals, one community, and a catalog that keeps growing because creators and collectors like you keep showing up. Go make something beautiful today. One love. ✌️
Toys and Beats is published by Ronnie Desiderio, founder of Zillion Records and Epic Toy Sound. What began as one producer's catalog is now a community project: toy photographers shoot the covers, releases carry their names, and the royalties are shared. The full story →
Castle Trap Is Live: One Hour Inside the Orc's Tavern
Castle Trap is here. The complete Warlocks Spellbook release by Lofi Tavern — all 15 tracks in order, then the tavern keeps rolling to the hour — now lives as a one-hour fantasy lofi mix on the Epic Toy Sound YouTube channel. Medieval lofi for gaming sessions, reading by firelight, study focus and worldbuilding: tankards at dusk, lantern light, war drums under the floorboards.
The tavern itself is real toy photography — a hand-built diorama filmed and slowed down by Anthony Eck, Toymirth (@toymirth), who rides as a collaborator on the video. No stills, no AI imagery: a physical set, lit like a story.
Get the complete project: the full 16-track Warlocks Spellbook (Castle Trap) pack — MP3, license and cover art — is $5 at toysandbeats.com. The streaming edition carries 15 tracks; the download is the complete project.