Chris Cooke - CMU | the music business explained (Page 15)

After Anthropic’s $1.5 billion settlement, big tech takes aim at statutory damages in copyright disputes, seeks Trump’s support

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Artificial Intelligence • 4 min read

After Anthropic’s $1.5 billion settlement, big tech takes aim at statutory damages in copyright disputes, seeks Trump’s support

Last month Donald Trump asked for more submissions on AI regulation. One lobby group has used its submission to not only argue that AI training is ‘fair use’, but to also criticise statutory damages in US copyright law which it says are unfairly forcing AI companies into billion dollar settlements…

Chris Cooke • 29 Oct 2025

North American collecting societies open door to “partially AI-generated” musical works

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Artificial Intelligence • 2 min read

North American collecting societies open door to “partially AI-generated” musical works

ASCAP, BMI and SOCAN have announced they will allow new AI-assisted songs and compositions to be logged in their respective databases, though entirely AI-generated works cannot be registered. It comes amid increased debate over how industry and digital platforms should deal with AI-generated music…

Chris Cooke • 29 Oct 2025

With NewJeans v HYBE legal ruling due, Ador’s founder Min launches new agency

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NewJeans • 3 min read

With NewJeans v HYBE legal ruling due, Ador’s founder Min launches new agency

A judge is due to rule this week on the legal battle between HYBE’s Ador and NewJeans - it is trying to enforce its contract with the group, who quit the agency after CEO Min Hee-jin was pushed out. With that ruling incoming, Min has now launched another K-pop agency called Ooak…

Chris Cooke • 28 Oct 2025

UK Music launches ‘five Ps’ guide to boost diversity in the music industry

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UK Music • 1 min read

UK Music launches ‘five Ps’ guide to boost diversity in the music industry

UK Music’s Diversity Taskforce has identified various actions that it says it’s crucial for the music industry to undertake in order to boost diversity and inclusion across the sector. Those actions are organised into ‘five Ps’ in a new guide: people, policy, partnerships, purchase and progress…

Chris Cooke • 28 Oct 2025

Australian government blocks potential AI copyright exception

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Artificial Intelligence • 3 min read

Australian government blocks potential AI copyright exception

Australia’s Attorney-General Michelle Rowland has said that the country will not introduce a new copyright exception for the benefit of AI companies. It’s news that has been welcomed by the music and wider copyright industries, which want similar commitments from other governments around the world…

Chris Cooke • 27 Oct 2025

Spotify questions MLC’s “motivations” in pursuing audiobook bundling dispute lawsuit

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Spotify • 3 min read

Spotify questions MLC’s “motivations” in pursuing audiobook bundling dispute lawsuit

Last month a judge said The MLC could restart its lawsuit over Spotify’s use of a controversial bundling discount to reduce payments to songwriters, but only in relation to how the discount is applied. Spotify now says that’s a “peripheral issue” that will make little difference to writer royalties…

Chris Cooke • 27 Oct 2025

Another blow for Apple’s in-app payments as company loses £1.5 billion competition lawsuit

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Apple • 3 min read

Another blow for Apple’s in-app payments as company loses £1.5 billion competition lawsuit

Apple has lost a class action before the UK Competition Appeal Tribunal over its App Store fees, which have long been criticised by Spotify. The tribunal ruled Apple exploited its market dominance to charge excessive fees, which impacted on consumers. It could now face damages of £1.5 billion…

Chris Cooke • 24 Oct 2025

Lizzo is being sued over an uncleared sample - on a track she never released

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Lizzo • 3 min read

Lizzo is being sued over an uncleared sample - on a track she never released

Lizzo has been sued over an uncleared sample in a track she never released, but which appeared in a social media post responding to Sydney Sweeney’s controversial American Eagle Jeans ad campaign. And that’s enough to constitute copyright infringement, according to the owner of the sampled work…

Chris Cooke • 23 Oct 2025

Viagogo is unfair, opaque and violates EU law, consumer group tells regulator

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Viagogo • 2 min read

Viagogo is unfair, opaque and violates EU law, consumer group tells regulator

Viagogo is violating the EU’s Digital Services Act, according to Euroconsumers, which has filed a complaint with the regulator in Ireland. A Viagogo spokesperson insists the company is DSA compliant, but Euroconsumers says it violates various rules, including know your business customer requirements…

Chris Cooke • 22 Oct 2025

Suno doesn’t understand copyright law and is wrong about stream-ripping rules, say major labels

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Suno • 3 min read

Suno doesn’t understand copyright law and is wrong about stream-ripping rules, say major labels

The majors have made another filing in their legal battle with Suno. They want to add claims that the AI company sourced its training data by illegally stream-ripping audio from YouTube. Suno insists it didn’t violate stream-ripping rules in US law, but the majors say Suno is misreading those rules…

Chris Cooke • 22 Oct 2025

DSW Shoe Warehouse lawsuit over TikTok copyright infringement is nothing more than “forum-shopping”, says Sony Music

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Sony Music • 2 min read

DSW Shoe Warehouse lawsuit over TikTok copyright infringement is nothing more than “forum-shopping”, says Sony Music

Earlier this year DSW Shoe Warehouse filed a lawsuit against Sony Music asking a judge to rule it didn’t infringe the major’s copyrights by putting pop music into its TikTok videos. That sneakily preempted Sony’s own infringement lawsuit against DSW. Sony now wants the DSW litigation dismissed…

Chris Cooke • 22 Oct 2025

Bobby Vylan says he has no regrets about “death to the IDF” chant at Glastonbury

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Bob Vylan • 4 min read

Bobby Vylan says he has no regrets about “death to the IDF” chant at Glastonbury

Bobby Vylan has spoken to Louis Theroux about his controversial BBC broadcast Glastonbury performance, insisting he doesn’t regret leading the crowd in a chant of “death, death to the IDF”. The BBC Editorial Complaints Unit recently concluded that the set breached rules relating to harm and offence…

Chris Cooke • 21 Oct 2025