Chris Cooke - CMU | the music business explained

“Split Live Nation into four companies”, independent venues tell the US government

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Live Nation • 3 min read

“Split Live Nation into four companies”, independent venues tell the US government

The deadline passed this week for submissions to the US government’s review of the ticketing business. Live Nation has asked for a 20% price cap on secondary ticketing, while NIVA wants even tighter regulation of resale - and for Live Nation to be split up into four separate companies…

Chris Cooke • 09 Jul 2025

Music industry welcomes ban on NDAs in cases of workplace harassment and abuse

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Misogyny In Music • 3 min read

Music industry welcomes ban on NDAs in cases of workplace harassment and abuse

The recent Parliamentary report on misogyny in music called on the government to urgently ban the use of NDAs to silence victims of sexual harassment or discrimination, in the music sector and beyond. Ministers are now doing exactly that via an amendment to the Employment Rights Bill…

Chris Cooke • 09 Jul 2025

AIF calls for competition regulator to investigate Live Nation’s market dominance in the UK

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Live Nation • 3 min read

AIF calls for competition regulator to investigate Live Nation’s market dominance in the UK

Following the recent Parliamentary hearing discussing Live Nation’s dominance in the UK live music market, the Association Of Independent Festivals has asked competition regulator the CMA to investigate if there is anti-competitive behaviour. That would parallel similar investigations in the US…

Chris Cooke • 08 Jul 2025

Turkish competition regulator to investigate Spotify as culture minister rails about playlists that disrespect the president’s wife

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Spotify • 3 min read

Turkish competition regulator to investigate Spotify as culture minister rails about playlists that disrespect the president’s wife

Spotify has said it is “cooperating” with the competition regulator in Turkey which has announced it is investigating whether any of the digital service’s practices breach competition law. That investigation comes as the country’s culture minister rails against Spotify’s content moderation policies…

Chris Cooke • 08 Jul 2025

“Keep music open” beg indie label bosses in letter to EU regulators asking for full investigation of UMG’s Downtown deal

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Universal Music • 3 min read

“Keep music open” beg indie label bosses in letter to EU regulators asking for full investigation of UMG’s Downtown deal

The European Commission must instigate a more detailed ‘phase two’ investigation into Universal Music’s bid to buy Downtown, according to a letter signed by more than 200+ business leaders from across the indie music sector. The EC is currently undertaking an initial ‘phase one’ investigation…

Chris Cooke • 07 Jul 2025

TikTok has built a US-specific app ahead of Trump’s forced sale

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TikTok • 3 min read

TikTok has built a US-specific app ahead of Trump’s forced sale

Donald Trump has said that his administration will this week seek approval from the Chinese government for a sale of TikTok’s US operations by China’s ByteDance to a group of American investors. With a sale now looking likely, it’s reported that TikTok is prepping a new specific app for US users…

Chris Cooke • 07 Jul 2025

Indie sector's letter to EU over Universal's Downtown deal

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Universal Music • 9 min read

Indie sector's letter to EU over Universal's Downtown deal

More than 200 business leaders from across the independent music sector have signed an open letter to the European Commission urging it to instigate a more detailed phase two investigation into Universal Music’s acquisition of Downtown Music Holdings…

Chris Cooke • 07 Jul 2025

BBC Music boss steps back, Met Police investigate and Radar Festival responds as Bob Vylan controversy rumbles on

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Bob Vylan • 6 min read

BBC Music boss steps back, Met Police investigate and Radar Festival responds as Bob Vylan controversy rumbles on

The promoter of Manchester’s Radar Festival has spoken about being forced to remove Bob Vylan from her line-up in the wake of the duo’s Glastonbury set. Meanwhile, the BBC continues to apologise for broadcasting that set, as the Met Police investigates comments made at an earlier Bob Vylan gig…

Chris Cooke • 04 Jul 2025

“Huge skip” appears outside The Leadmill as team begins to strip venue back to “derelict flour mill”

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The Leadmill • 2 min read

“Huge skip” appears outside The Leadmill as team begins to strip venue back to “derelict flour mill”

The team behind Sheffield’s The Leadmill are in the process of vacating the building after being evicted by The Electric Group, which plans to take over running the venue. The current team pledged to strip the building bare if forced to leave and it looks like that’s exactly what they’re doing…

Chris Cooke • 04 Jul 2025

Diddy lawyer hails “victory of all victories” as disgraced mogul is denied bail

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Diddy • 2 min read

Diddy lawyer hails “victory of all victories” as disgraced mogul is denied bail

Although Diddy was found guilty on some charges yesterday, he was acquitted on the charges of racketeering and sex trafficking, prompting his lawyer to claim “a victory of all victories”. However, bail was denied because during the trial Diddy’s own team admitted there was a “pattern of violence”…

Chris Cooke • 03 Jul 2025

European songwriter organisation ECSA joins call for EU to block UMG’s Downtown deal

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Downtown Music • 3 min read

European songwriter organisation ECSA joins call for EU to block UMG’s Downtown deal

Opposition to UMG’s deal to buy Downtown continues to build. Now ECSA has called on the EU to block the deal, sharing concerns expressed by indie labels, while also stressing that a more powerful Universal will have even more “influence” over collecting societies and how the digital pie is sliced…

Chris Cooke • 03 Jul 2025

Veteran DJ Tony Blackburn says OfCom’s decision to block BBC Radio 2 spin-off is “disgraceful”

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BBC • 2 min read

Veteran DJ Tony Blackburn says OfCom’s decision to block BBC Radio 2 spin-off is “disgraceful”

The BBC’s plan to launch a new Radio 2 spin-off playing just golden oldies has been blocked by media regulator OfCom, a decision welcomed by commercial rivals, but criticised by the BBC and one of its presenters, Tony Blackburn. Three other new BBC spin-off stations have been given the go ahead…

Chris Cooke • 03 Jul 2025