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

With the US record industry officially in recession can superpremium and superfans really save the major labels from streaming’s slowdown?

Record industry’s modest growth should make other industries jealous says IFPI boss, as labels weigh in on growth opportunities and AI threats

Trump must “weigh in” on AI copyright debate and pressure “less innovative countries” on copyright rules, says OpenAI

Everyone’s making loads of money but don’t point the finger at us if you’re not, says Spotify’s updated Loud & Clear

Andrew Tate course on ‘pimping’ and exploiting women remains on Spotify as petition passes 25,000 signatures

Universal will spend billions to dominate emerging markets, says Grainge during Q4 earnings call as major sets out its “eat the world” strategies

Liverpool “new heart of music business” says Sound City as major label execs and industry heavyweights head north

Live Nation boss dismissive of streaming platforms’ superfan ambitions as company reports record year

Spotify wants to be “the best in the world at building AI products” and is focused on “accelerated execution”... but still no super-premium launch

Judge throws out MLC’s audiobooks bundle lawsuit, says Spotify can keep cutting songwriter royalties through its “cynical trick”

Universal Music’s new Spotify deal could be a knock-out blow for streaming platform’s audiobook bundling trick

Universal put “corporate greed” before Drake’s safety, says defamation lawsuit filed over Kendrick Lamar diss track

Beware the “wolf under the cape” in Universal’s Downtown land grab, warns Beggars boss as IMPALA calls for regulators to block the deal

EU AI Act can only provide a “temporary fix” to the “darker aspect” of AI’s “profound disruption” to creative industries says open letter

AI generated music will suck €4 billion a year away from music creators by 2028 says CISAC

Village People founder loves Trump using YMCA, but hates people calling it a gay anthem

Executives from BMG, Absolute Label Services, Mahogany Music, Punch Records and more to join award winning female entrepreneurs in Liverpool as first Sound City+ 2025 speakers unveiled

AIF makes desperate call for government to “step up, and step up now” to get festivals through “devastating period”, as MVT launches new Liveline fund

New AI transparency proposal in US Congress will “pave the way” for creator compensation says ASCAP boss

SXSW ditches weapons sponsors to burnish brand - so why won’t it ditch its ties to Saudi Arabia?

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

NewJeans • 3 min read

NewJeans on enforced hiatus after court says no activity without Ador’s involvement

NewJeans are on hiatus after HYBE’s Ador secured an injunction from the courts last week preventing the group from pursuing any projects without its involvement. The hiatus was announced at a show in Hong Kong where the group performed under their new name NJZ, much to the annoyance of Ador…

Chris Cooke • 24 Mar 2025

CMU Selects • 2 min read

CMU Selects - last week’s standout releases

Last week’s releases moved with intention - From Men I Trust’s hushed folk inflections to cleopatrick’s lo-fi paranoia, from instinct-led club selections to reworked alt anthems, here’s what caught our ear.…

Kaya Robertson • 24 Mar 2025

Ed Sheeran • 3 min read

Ed Sheeran wants £250 million from Keir Starmer to pay for better music education

Having set up his own foundation to support education initiatives, Ed Sheeran is now calling on Keir Starmer to commit to a £250 million package to support music education in schools and beyond. That is required, he says, to “repair decades” of governments “dismantling” support for young musicians…

Chris Cooke • 24 Mar 2025

Drake • 3 min read

Just show me Kendrick’s record contract says Drake as he accuses Universal of ignoring key claims in defamation lawsuit

Earlier this week Universal filed a motion to dismiss Drake’s defamation lawsuit against the major and then asked the judge to pause the discovery process in that case. Drake’s team have responded, insisting that Universal has ignored key claims in his litigation and that discovery should proceed…

Chris Cooke • 21 Mar 2025

Artificial Intelligence • 2 min read

RIAA urges Donald Trump to instigate pro-copyright AI Action Plan

The RIAA has set out its arguments regarding copyright and AI as part of the consultation that will inform Donald Trump’s AI Action Plan. It insists that AI innovation and strong copyright protection are not “mutually exclusive”, urging the US government to take a pro-copyright approach…

Chris Cooke • 21 Mar 2025

Horizon Future Leaders • 3 min read

🌅 Horizon Future Leaders - Naomi Bressani

As part of our Horizon Future Leaders series of interviews, we are 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 Naomi Bressani, Head Of Digital at Republic Of Music.…

Horizon Music Jobs • 21 Mar 2025

MIDiA • 11 min read

With the US record industry officially in recession can superpremium and superfans really save the major labels from streaming’s slowdown?

It’s stats season, and one of CMU’s favourite summaries of stats and trends - MIDiA’s ‘Recorded Music Market Shares’ - dropped last week. In an extensive interview with MIDiA founder Mark Mulligan, CMU’s Sam Taylor dives into the numbers, looking at the trends that will shape 2025…

Sam Taylor • 21 Mar 2025

The Leadmill • 3 min read

Leadmill team digs in and starts eviction appeal

The never ending Leadmill saga rumbles on as Phil Mills and his team file an appeal against the recent eviction order secured by building owner The Electric Group. That appeal relies largely on a tactic already tested - albeit unsuccessfully - by team Mills…

Chris Cooke • 20 Mar 2025

Limp Bizkit • 2 min read

Fred Durst’s bid to cancel old Universal deals will have to be fought out in state courts, says federal judge

Crucial elements of Fred Durst’s big legal battle with Universal Music over allegedly unpaid royalties will have to be fought out in state courts, not the federal court where he filed his lawsuit, a judge has ruled. That includes the musician’s attempt to cancel three old contracts with the major…

Chris Cooke • 20 Mar 2025

IFPI • 7 min read

Record industry’s modest growth should make other industries jealous says IFPI boss, as labels weigh in on growth opportunities and AI threats

At an event yesterday Victoria Oakley, the new boss of the IFPI, tried to put a positive spin on contracting growth for recorded music, which last year failed to keep track with inflation. One thing that has not been affected by inflation is the price tag on IFPI’s £25,000-a-pop report. Phew!…

Sam Taylor • 20 Mar 2025

CMU Approved • 1 min read

🎧 Approved: Shura

Shura says most pop music is “too confident”, so she made her own. Her new single ‘Richardson’ is a lulling reflection on isolation; a laid-back groove adorned with soft guitar licks and flurries of keys - yet it carries a pit in your stomach kind of weight…

Kaya Robertson • 20 Mar 2025