Complete Music Update: the music business explained

Hipgnosis debacle might be over as Concord offers to acquire entire share capital of SONG - but there’s a catch…

Save £70 on our Economics Of Streaming Masterclass Series

MLC lawsuit is “wild overreach” says Pandora, accusing US mechanicals society of “legal frolics”

Live Nation could be facing antitrust lawsuit from US government as soon as next month

Viagogo boss does the UK media rounds, insists touting price cap won't work

Universal relaxes TikTok boycott - but only if your name is Taylor Swift

Apple and Travis Scott companies remain as defendants in Astroworld litigation

Gee Davy to take over as head of indie label trade body AIM as Silvia Montello exits

“Fundamental reform of music streaming” must come soon, say MPs

GEMA says German song right income is booming, but digital growth is lacking

Live Nation boss to sit for deposition in Astroworld litigation

Warner Music Group pulls out of Believe takeover race

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

Spotify planning another price rise in five markets

200+ artists sign letter urging tech companies to stop using AI to "devalue the rights of human artists"

Pharrell Williams accused of “committing fraud in securing trademarks” by Neptunes partner

Excessive spending, poor systems, missing documents and misleading statements: Shot Tower Capital’s blistering assessment of Hipgnosis Song Management couldn’t be much worse

French indie label body UPFI calls on French government to intervene in potential Warner Music Group takeover of Believe

Travis Scott seeks to be removed from Astroworld lawsuits, as lawyers query if performers should have crowd management training

Utopia! Whotopia? The Swiss music company has a Proper strategy…

As BMG’s 2023 numbers show continued growth, could a merger with Warner Music or Believe be on the cards?

Sean Combs properties raided in federal sex trafficking investigation

French regulator AMF knocks back Believe consortium’s accelerated bid, giving Warner Music a chance to make a formal offer

Mood music maker scores fifteen billion streams, and prompts yet another 'fake artists' debate

Night & Day ruling makes it “open season” on Manchester’s night-time economy says Music Venue Trust boss

BPI threatens to sue voice cloning site Voicify

📑 CMU Digest: Be sold or be banned says US Congress to TikTok

Think you understand the music industry’s revenue stats? Think again…

Labour commits to UK ticket touting price cap, as Ed Sheeran's team welcomes guilty verdict in ticket tout court case

Selling TikTok would be last resort for ByteDance, sources say as House votes through sell-or-be-banned law

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

€111 million in TikTok revenue is nothing when you’re Lucian Grainge - but, he says, “my phone is always open” if Shou Zi Chew wants to be friends again

Sound City’s Becky Ayres: “The music business’ talent pipeline is blocked by an image problem”

CMU Exclusive: Apple Music’s “spatial audio bonus” will favour major labels at the expense of small labels and creators

Artificial Intelligence and the music industry in 2023

One Liners • 2 min read

⏩ One Liners: Willi Young, Taylor Swift, RCA + more

RCA hires Harri Davies; IMPALA webinar for Earth Day; warning over Taylor Swift ticket scams; Music Creator Remuneration Working Group meets; new music from Will Young, Pearl Jam, Fontaines DC, Joe Goddard, AG Cook, John Grant, King Hannah, Sevdaliza, Shelf Lives…

Andy Malt • 18 Apr 2024

CMU Approved • 1 min read

Approved: Shiv

Providing the first taste of her upcoming album ‘The Defiance Of A Sad Girl’, Shiv releases new single ‘Limerance’. With dulcet yet resolute vocals intertwined with R&B melodies, Shiv unfurls the layers of emotion that make up an unrequited crush…

Kaya Robertson • 18 Apr 2024

Hipgnosis • 4 min read

Hipgnosis debacle might be over as Concord offers to acquire entire share capital of SONG - but there’s a catch…

Just like your favourite soap opera coming to an end, shed a tear as Hipgnosis v Hipgnosis packs its trunk and says goodbye to the circus, drawing the months-long drama to a close. But wait! There might be a twist…

Sam Taylor • 18 Apr 2024

Black Lives In Music • 2 min read

Black Lives In Music launches bullying and harassment survey

A new survey on bullying and harassment has been launched by Black Lives In Music, set to be used by the organisation itself and the UK government. The research is necessary, says chief exec Charisse Beaumont, because currently “data, especially from underrepresented groups, just doesn’t exist”…

Andy Malt • 18 Apr 2024

Live Nation • 3 min read

Live Nation is going to show you just how entertaining golf can be. No, really. Prepare yourselves...

Isn’t golf great? We all love a bit of golf. Who doesn’t? Where else can you enjoy power, entertainment and a walk with lots of rests? It really is the perfect sport. Vehemently pro-golf company Live Nation has now teamed up with golfing body The R&A to take The Women’s Open “to the next level”…

Sam Taylor • 18 Apr 2024

TikTok • 3 min read

TikTok ban added to aid bill in US House Of Representatives, which could speed up approval in the Senate

The TikTok-targeting sell-or-be-banned law that has already been passed by the US House Of Representatives is now also included in a new bill to be considered by the House alongside proposed aid for Ukraine and Israel. It is seen as a move to get the TikTok ban discussed in US Senate quicker.…

Chris Cooke • 18 Apr 2024

Economics Of Streaming • 3 min read

Save £70 on our Economics Of Streaming Masterclass Series

Get instant access to our series of CMU Masterclasses looking at the Economics Of Streaming debate for just £129…

CMU • 17 Apr 2024

Pandora • 3 min read

MLC lawsuit is “wild overreach” says Pandora, accusing US mechanicals society of “legal frolics”

Pandora has responded to a lawsuit filed by collecting society MLC in a dispute over whether or not the streaming platform’s personalised radio service should be classified as interactive or non-interactive. Pandora says not only is the MLC’s position on this wrong, it shouldn’t even have a position…

Chris Cooke • 17 Apr 2024

One Liners • 3 min read

⏩ One Liners: TikTok, Kate Nash, Virgin Music Group + more

TikTok, Cloud 9 Music, beatBread deals; Virgin Music Group promotion; Nothing Forced launches; Elrow to receive Beatport Award; Kerry King London show; new music from Kate Nash, Yannis Philippakis and Tony Allen, Cigarettes After Sex, Machinedrum, Martha Skye Murphy…

Andy Malt • 17 Apr 2024

A Greener Future • 2 min read

Food and transport still key contributors to festival carbon emissions, but improvements being made

There are still areas in which to improve but the sustainability of music festivals is getting better, according to A Greener Future. Food and transport remain the largest contributors to emissions, but there are improvements, with an increasing number of events cutting meat out of menus…

Andy Malt • 17 Apr 2024

Amazon • 1 min read

Amazon launches AI playlist tool in beta

Amazon Music has launched a new AI playlist creation tool in beta for a small number of US users. This comes hot on the heels of a similar new feature announced by Spotify earlier this month. Whether it’s anything more than a novelty remains to be seen…

Andy Malt • 17 Apr 2024

Russell Simmons • 2 min read

Russell Simmons says 1997 agreement bars new sexual assault lawsuit

A lawyer for Russell Simmons has argued that a former Def Jam employee who accused him of sexual assault cannot sue him due to a 1997 settlement. His accuser’s legal rep said that they were not aware of any such agreement…

Chris Cooke • 17 Apr 2024

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