Chris Cooke - CMU | the music business explained

US industry groups raise “serious concerns” about EU royalty flow proposals, which many of their European counterparts support

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Royalties • 6 min read

US industry groups raise “serious concerns” about EU royalty flow proposals, which many of their European counterparts support

This week various American music industry groups called on the US government to formally oppose proposals made by the European Commission regarding the flow of broadcast and performance royalties from EU countries to the US. However, many European music companies actually support those proposals…

Chris Cooke • 10 Jul 2026

iHeart ramps up anti-payola policies under pressure from the FCC

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iHeart • 2 min read

iHeart ramps up anti-payola policies under pressure from the FCC

iHeartMedia has agreed a deal with US media regulator the FCC to ramp up its payola policies in relation to live events. The FCC last year put the spotlight on allegations some radio stations were getting artists to play their events for free in return for airplay, which it said constitutes payola…

Chris Cooke • 10 Jul 2026

Kneecap allowed to file defamation lawsuit in Ireland against Indigenous leader in Canada over antisemitism claims

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Kneecap • 2 min read

Kneecap allowed to file defamation lawsuit in Ireland against Indigenous leader in Canada over antisemitism claims

Last year nine Indigenous leaders in Canada said Kneecap had “outwardly supported antisemitism” and therefore their shows in Toronto and Vancouver should be cancelled. The band are now suing one of those Indigenous leaders, Harvey Yesno, for defamation and Dublin’s high court has accepted the case…

Chris Cooke • 09 Jul 2026

Bulgaria’s copyright regime is broken because it didn’t properly implement EU rules that justify web-blocking, say labels

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BAMP • 2 min read

Bulgaria’s copyright regime is broken because it didn’t properly implement EU rules that justify web-blocking, say labels

Bulgarian labels recently failed to secure anti-piracy web-blocks because the country’s lawmakers never implemented EU rules that justify such a thing. Trade group BAMP has now urged EU officials to ensure member states are complying with existing copyright rules before introducing any new ones…

Chris Cooke • 09 Jul 2026

Jermaine Dupri sues Sony Music over “wilful deceitful actions” that resulted in $18 million in unpaid royalties

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Jermain Dupri • 3 min read

Jermaine Dupri sues Sony Music over “wilful deceitful actions” that resulted in $18 million in unpaid royalties

Jermaine Dupri has had a 34 year relationship with Sony Music after first partnering with the major back in 1992. But he now reckons that Sony has systematically underreported and underpaid royalties he is due on many of the records he was involved in, so he’s suing for more than $18 million…

Chris Cooke • 08 Jul 2026

Sacked Ador boss orchestrated NewJeans’ failed rebellion, claims K-pop agency in court

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NewJeans • 3 min read

Sacked Ador boss orchestrated NewJeans’ failed rebellion, claims K-pop agency in court

The legal dramas around HYBE’s Ador agency and NewJeans continue. Ador is suing axed band member Danielle Marsh and former Ador CEO Min Hee-jin. Last week it presented evidence that seemed to show Min - after being sacked by Ador - directing NewJeans as they sought new projects outside the agency…

Chris Cooke • 08 Jul 2026

BBC’s music boss Lorna Clarke outlines broadcaster’s AI transparency commitments - but can it actually meet them?

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BBC • 3 min read

BBC’s music boss Lorna Clarke outlines broadcaster’s AI transparency commitments - but can it actually meet them?

BBC Director Of Music Lorna Clarke has said the broadcaster wants to be transparent when artists it champions have used AI as part of their creative processes, though that will rely on the music industry at large deciding when and how it is going to be transparent about the use of AI in new releases…

Chris Cooke • 07 Jul 2026

Bad forecasting and the loss of two clients contributed to tickets.ie collapse, says director report

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Tickets.ie • 3 min read

Bad forecasting and the loss of two clients contributed to tickets.ie collapse, says director report

Directors of Irish ticketing company tickets.ie, which collapsed last month, have said that the loss of two key clients and bad forecasting caused insurmountable cash flow problems. The company’s founder, who left the business last year, also says he was “saddened and shocked” by the sudden collapse…

Chris Cooke • 07 Jul 2026

Judge should block major label attempts to expand track lists in AI litigation, says Suno

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Suno • 3 min read

Judge should block major label attempts to expand track lists in AI litigation, says Suno

The majors have been trying to massively expand the list of named tracks in their lawsuits against Udio and Suno, in doing so increasing potential damages if they win. But the judge in the Udio case has said it’s too late to add more tracks. Suno says the judge in its case should now rule the same…

Chris Cooke • 06 Jul 2026

Bob Vylan confirm defamation action against the BBC for “placing labels upon us that did not, do not and never will fit”

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Bob Vylan • 3 min read

Bob Vylan confirm defamation action against the BBC for “placing labels upon us that did not, do not and never will fit”

Bob Vylan have commented on their defamation lawsuit against the BBC. They say the broadcaster placed inappropriate “labels” on the band after their Glastonbury set last year. They add that they hope the litigation will remind the BBC of “the power of the people that they are attempting to silence”…

Chris Cooke • 06 Jul 2026

Spotify zaps half a million streams amid speculation Kalshi traders were behind boost for Malcolm Todd track ‘Earrings’

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Spotify • 2 min read

Spotify zaps half a million streams amid speculation Kalshi traders were behind boost for Malcolm Todd track ‘Earrings’

Spotify has removed 500,000 streams from Malcolm Todd’s ‘Earrings’, which suddenly topped the platform’s US chart this week. It’s thought the track may have been artificially boosted by traders on the Kalshi prediction market who had placed bets on what music would get the most Spotify plays…

Chris Cooke • 03 Jul 2026

Judge says dispute over reggaeton’s defining ‘dembow riddim’ is now a “battle of the experts” that only a jury can resolve

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dembow riddim • 3 min read

Judge says dispute over reggaeton’s defining ‘dembow riddim’ is now a “battle of the experts” that only a jury can resolve

The copyright status of the ‘dembow riddim’ that originates in a Steely & Clevie track and has been used in so many reggaeton records will be decided by a jury. Experts disagree over whether the beat is an “original and protectable work” and a judge has ruled that only a jury can decide who is right…

Chris Cooke • 03 Jul 2026