The music business explained: news, analysis, insights and jobs for music industry professionals

Mitchell Asset Management boss says the future of the music business is kids “buying P Diddy skins” in Fortnite. Is it time for Proper Group's investors to ask for their money back?

Matt Hanner, founder of live agency Runway, on this year’s Agents x Managers Conference

Triller brings in former VEVO exec to kickstart “transformation journey” as vertical video’s poor cousin licks its lips at prospect of TikTok ban

Sony Music shows off “next-generation immersive technologies”, trails upcoming Myles Smith Fortnite event

2 Live Crew win back control of early albums as court rejects label’s ‘work for hire’ claim

Proper Group AG scandal grows as investor John Mitchell distances himself from Löhr and CMU uncovers another case of embezzlement

Proper Group AG - the company formerly known as Utopia - is riddled with debt and has left its few remaining staff high and dry with salaries unpaid for months

CAA accuses Range Media of stealing confidential information and masquerading as a management company to avoid talent agency regulations

TikTok’s stance on direct licensing is “disingenuous” and risks harming the digital supply chain say industry insiders

Lucian Grainge or God? Universal’s UK big cheese David Joseph is off to study religion

After executive cull, Elliot Grainge will reveal new Atlantic leadership team next week

EU consumer group sues Apple for €62 million over ‘Apple tax’ price hike on competing music subscriptions

The music industry is entering the era of “Streaming 2.0” and could be on course for 2 billion paying subscribers says Universal Music boss Lucian Grainge

US internet providers slam “extortionate pressure” of copyright lawsuits as they urge the Supreme Court to scrap Cox judgement

The 1975 respond to Malaysian festival promoter’s lawsuit

New York District Attorney brings criminal charges against man accused of sophisticated streaming fraud that raked in more than $10 million

Oasis brings dynamic ticketing practices under fire from UK’s competition and advertising regulators, plus EU

Chaotic scramble for Oasis tickets puts dynamic pricing in the spotlight of upcoming government inquiry

Hipgnosis “fraudulently induced” Barry Manilow to sell his artist royalties with “false promises”

Michael Rapino knew about Travis Scott’s “dangerous concert antics” says court filing as Live Nation desperately tries to avoid CEO’s deposition in Astroworld case

Crisis for Scottish music industry as government pauses critical funding schemes

Using lyrics without permission has not caused any “irreparable harm” to music publishers says Anthropic in injunction dispute

📑 CMU Digest: Donald Trump's music problem + more states join DOJ v Live Nation

Rachel Chinouriri cancels US support shows, putting the spotlight back on the ‘cost of touring crisis’

Isaac Hayes estate sues Donald Trump for copyright infringement

📑 CMU Digest: Cox takes major label dispute to Supreme Court + court dismisses Eminem publisher's Spotify lawsuit

Anthropic’s “tired arguments” and “scare tactics” should be rejected, say music organisations

TikTok forced to ditch “addictive” Lite rewards scheme in the EU

Suno admits it trained on major-owned music, accuses labels of misusing copyright

Lucian Grainge is back on the win-win, but which DSP is off his christmas card list? It’s not hard to guess.

Major label trade group criticises Canada’s 5% streaming levy

Spotify’s Q2: Cost cutting is paying off, Ek teases Supremium launch, hints at secret features beyond hi-res audio

Live Nation fights back in antitrust battle with US government

Kanye West and Snoop Dogg sued over uncleared samples and beats

SXSW London could disrupt delicately balanced music ecosystem and should reconsider its date

Lucian’s lunch money under threat as shareholder pressure mounts over “excessive” pay packet

Could Co-op Group terminate Manchester arena naming rights deal? Fury mounts as safety incident forces yet more Co-op Live show cancellations

An unexpected late night is not a “cognizable injury”, says Madonna in response to lawsuit over her slack timekeeping

Believe x WMG takeover dance warms up as financial regulator is called in

TikTok insists it isn't forcing Americans to phone politicians as ban proposal gets fast-tracked in Congress

CNM statement shows that Spotify’s rage about new French streaming levy misrepresents key facts

France has stood firm against Spotify’s bullying - and Spotify is having a tantrum

WMG is toying with an offer for Believe that would wipe out Warner’s cash reserves - but is it serious, would Believe shareholders sell and can WMG afford to bet the farm?

Mean Millennials scrap streaming subscriptions, mail order music is booming - and Apple Music might be making £500 million or more in the UK

Manchester City Council has spent nearly £90,000 fighting Night & Day legal battle

Hipgnosis Songs Fund takes a haircut - and might have bigger problems to come

Dodgy distributor 3tone linked to company being investigated by Serious Fraud Office

Artificial Intelligence and the music industry in 2023

Artificial Intelligence • 3 min read

Hollywood studios say AI training opt-out critical, Singapore must clarify copyright rules

The US Motion Picture Association has made a submission to a US government consultation on foreign trade barriers. It asks the government to put pressure on countries that have or want copyright exceptions for AI training, insisting copyright owners must always have an opt out…

Chris Cooke • 28 Oct 2024

Superstruct Entertainment • 1 min read

CVC takes stake in KKR owned Superstruct Entertainment

Earlier this year, when Providence announced it was selling festivals company Superstruct Entertainment, rival equity firm CVC was tipped as a possible bidder. In the end another investment outfit, KKR, bought Superstruct, but CVC has now acquired a stake in the business…

Chris Cooke • 28 Oct 2024

Lil Durk • 2 min read

Lil Durk charged over alleged murder-for-hire revenge plot

Lil Durk could face a life sentence after being charged over allegations he paid for the attempted murder of rival rapper Quando Rondo. It’s claimed associates of Durk and his collective OTF travelled to LA with the intent of murdering Rondo in retaliation for the killing of OTF rapper King Von…

Chris Cooke • 28 Oct 2024

Releases & Tours • 2 min read

⏩ Releases & Tours: Oct 2024 (Week 43)

Each week CMU rounds up standout releases and tour announcements from the last seven days. This week: COBRAH, The Black Keys, Madam X, Pixies, Romy, Sampha + more, while tour announcements include ELO, The Darkness, Ludovico Einaudi + more…

Kaya Robertson • 28 Oct 2024

• 14 min read

Mitchell Asset Management boss says the future of the music business is kids “buying P Diddy skins” in Fortnite. Is it time for Proper Group's investors to ask for their money back?

John Mitchell - boss of Melbourne’s Mitchell Asset Management and top banana at zombie-unicorn shitshow Proper Group AG - waxes lyrical about the future of the music business and shows off his attention to detail where it really matters. Bonza!…

Sam Taylor • 25 Oct 2024

Greatest Hits Radio • 2 min read

Bauer utilises changes to broadcasting laws to remove regional shows from Greatest Hits Radio

The UK Media Act passed earlier this year removed the remaining obligations on commercial radio stations operating under local radio licences to broadcast locally-made programmes. As a result, Bauer has announced it is axing the regional afternoon shows that air on Greatest Hits Radio…

Chris Cooke • 25 Oct 2024

Secondary Ticketing • 4 min read

Culture minister tells ticket touting platforms to “get ready for change”

MPs took part in a debate on secondary ticketing yesterday, with culture minister Chris Bryant insisting the new government will make good on its pledge to introduce a ticket touting price cap, and will do so in a way that ensures this new regulation - unlike past regulations - is properly enforced…

Chris Cooke • 25 Oct 2024

TikTok • 3 min read

IMPALA urges TikTok to re-open Merlin negotiations as we reach the direct deal deadline for indies

IMPALA has written an open letter to TikTok over its decision to abandon licensing talks with Merlin and force indie labels and distributors to sign direct deals by today. It urges TikTok to return to the negotiating table with the global indie label digital licensing organisation…

Chris Cooke • 25 Oct 2024

Horizon Future Leaders • 8 min read

🌅 Horizon Future Leaders - Kit Muir-Rogers Q&A

As part of our new Horizon Future Leaders series, we’re connecting with the music industry’s next generation of leaders to gather candid advice and insights into their career journeys. This week, we caught up with Kit Muir-Rogers, Co-founder of GigPig.…

Horizon Music Jobs • 25 Oct 2024

Agents x Managers Conference • 7 min read

Matt Hanner, founder of live agency Runway, on this year’s Agents x Managers Conference

With the second edition of the Agents x Managers conference coming up in December, Matt Hanner, founder of live agency Runway, sat down with CMU’s Sam Taylor to talk about what being a live agent means today, not checking email at weekends, and why he wants his team to make more money than he does…

Sam Taylor • 24 Oct 2024

Diddy • 2 min read

Diddy lawyers say gagging order should restrict any government investigator with access to the case files

Diddy’s legal team have written another letter to the court about the gagging order they want issued restricting what anyone involved in the criminal case against the musician can say in public. There is currently a disagreement with prosecutors over who the gagging order should apply to…

Chris Cooke • 24 Oct 2024