Luminate

🏝️ ‘Love Island’ Poised to Topple ‘Love Is Blind’ as Streaming’s Top Unscripted Franchise The latest season just hit a series-high on Peacock with over 1.1 billion minutes streamed in a single week, coming closer than ever to Love Is Blind’s peak weekly performance. But while Love Is Blind has seen declines since its breakout sixth season, Love Island’s momentum is building, even with a smaller platform footprint. See how both shows stack up season by season in the latest Streaming Watch Newsletter: https://lnkd.in/g3EvBdgT

Yesterday we shared how studios are backing gaming IP with high-budget TV adaptations. Today we’re looking at the franchises behind those investments. The most successful video game series by lifetime unit sales point to the IP with the strongest audience loyalty and global reach. These franchises aren’t just hits in gaming, they’re shaping Hollywood’s future across film, TV, and beyond. See the full list in Playing to Win: Hollywood’s Gaming IP and Franchise Strategy Guide. https://lnkd.in/gwXNt9X4

Studios are investing tens of millions per episode to bring beloved video game worlds to life because when it works, it really works. Think The Last of Us, Halo, or Fallout. These budgets aren’t just expenses, they’re bets on IP with built-in audiences and long-tail potential across platforms and licensing. Explore the economics of adaptation in Playing to Win: Hollywood’s Gaming IP and Franchise Strategy Guide. https://lnkd.in/gwXNt9X4

💄 Original Recordings or ‘Taylor’s Versions’ … Which Albums Are Swifties Streaming? Taylor Swift’s reclaiming of her Big Machine-era masters has led to a clear shift in streaming patterns. Luminate data shows that streams for the original albums surged after news of the catalog buyback, especially for Reputation and her 2006 debut, which have yet to be re-recorded. Still, Taylor’s Version titles continue to outperform their original counterparts, thanks to bonus vault tracks and fan loyalty. Even with fans now “allowed” to stream the originals guilt-free, Swifties are showing up for both versions (see graph). Explore more on Swift’s catalog performance and fan behavior in our latest Tuesday Takeaway: https://lnkd.in/gmGixHKw

🌫️ ‘Duster’ Left in the Dust by Other Max Originals After years in development, Duster finally hit Max, but early viewership suggests the 1970s-set crime drama is struggling to gain momentum. According to Luminate's Streaming Viewership (M), only the first two episodes have surpassed 1 million estimated views. Since then, weekly engagement has declined despite the growing season runtime, signaling a drop in traction with audiences. Explore the full episodic breakdown in our latest Streaming Watch: https://lnkd.in/gqEXxrQs

From The Super Mario Bros. Movie to Warcraft, game-based films have delivered some of the biggest global box office wins in recent years. With studios investing more heavily in franchise IP, these adaptations show the growing commercial power of gaming as a storytelling source. Dive deeper in Playing to Win: Hollywood’s Gaming IP and Franchise Strategy Guide: https://lnkd.in/gwXNt9X4

👾 As detailed in Playing to Win: Hollywood’s Gaming IP and Franchise Strategy Guide, studios are embracing a multiplatform model where games, film, TV, livestreams, and digital communities work in tandem to build IP longevity. Just look at the rise of unreleased gaming and toy-based adaptations already in development across major studios (see chart). This isn’t just content sprawl, it’s coordinated world-building. Download the full report to explore how gaming IP is reshaping entertainment strategy. https://lnkd.in/gwXNt9X4

🎼 At A2IM’s Indie Week, Luminate joined IndieDojo to spotlight the state of indie consumption. According to our latest data, indie music now makes up 35% of total U.S. consumption year to date, with even stronger performance in on-demand streams for genres like Country, Latin, Jazz, and Dance/EDM, all surpassing 39%. As fans continue to seek out music beyond the mainstream, independent artists are building serious traction on streaming platforms. See the full presentation from Indie Week and learn how to access deeper insights into the indie sector in this week's Tuesday Takeaway. https://lnkd.in/g64XzrND

Last week, we closed out a successful Indie Week with the announcement of the A2IM Star Certification! Developed in partnership with Luminate, the A2IM Star Certification offers official recognition of retail success based on album equivalent activity. Among the first to receive Star Certification plaques last week were... ★★★ John Prine - The Tree of Forgiveness - Oh Boy Records ★★ Frankie Cosmos - Next Thing - Bayonet Records ★ Spice - 10 - VP Records A2IM Star not only celebrates the vibrancy and breadth of independent music, but also provides measures for success within the industry, allowing independent artists to celebrate important milestones in their career. Learn more and find out how to submit your record for certification here: https://hubs.li/Q03sjcvB0

We're driving the entertainment industry forward with our new data platform, products and insights. True innovation requires smart collaboration, which is why we trust the team at Snowflake to help make our vision a reality. Ahead of Snowflake Summit two weeks ago, Luminate's Chief Data Officer Glenn J. W. and Chief Product Officer Arnaud Retureau sat down to discuss the work we're doing. Watch the video below, which premiered at the Summit.