Chris Cooke - CMU | the music business explained (Page 17)

“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

Warner Music chief announces more job cuts in bid to save $170 million

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Warner Music • 3 min read

Warner Music chief announces more job cuts in bid to save $170 million

Warner Music boss Robert Kyncl yesterday wrote to the major’s employees to announce a plan to cut the company’s annual costs by $300 million, with $170 million of the savings coming from job cuts. The CEO says the cuts are needed to “future-proof the company and unlock the next era of growth”…

Chris Cooke • 02 Jul 2025

Music industry welcomes removal of AI regulation moratorium from One Big Beautiful Bill

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Artificial Intelligence • 3 min read

Music industry welcomes removal of AI regulation moratorium from One Big Beautiful Bill

When Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill was passed by the House Of Representatives in May it included a provision pausing all state-level regulation of AI in the US. Critics saw it as an attempt by big tech to slow down and lessen AI regulation. The provision has now been removed by the Senate…

Chris Cooke • 02 Jul 2025

Diddy guilty of “transportation to engage in prostitution”, but acquitted on sex trafficking and racketeering charges

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Diddy • 2 min read

Diddy guilty of “transportation to engage in prostitution”, but acquitted on sex trafficking and racketeering charges

Diddy has been acquitted of sex trafficking and racketeering charges at the end of a dramatic seven week trial in New York, but he has been found guilty on two charges of “transportation to engage in prostitution”. That conviction could still result in a 20 year prison sentence…

Chris Cooke • 02 Jul 2025

WIN says EU regulators must consider “the structure of the music industry as a whole” when investigating UMG’s Downtown deal

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Downtown Music • 3 min read

WIN says EU regulators must consider “the structure of the music industry as a whole” when investigating UMG’s Downtown deal

With EU regulators currently investigating Universal’s bid to buy Downtown, WIN has urged officials to consider “the structure of the music industry as whole”, arguing that it’s not enough to analyse market share, the EU should assess Universal’s aim to exert control across the digital supply chain…

Chris Cooke • 01 Jul 2025