Chris Cooke - CMU | the music business explained (Page 3)

Donald Trump signs executive order “saving TikTok”

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TikTok • 3 min read

Donald Trump signs executive order “saving TikTok”

Donald Trump has formally endorsed the plan to sell TikTok’s US operations to a new business majority owned by American investors. The President signed an executive order yesterday which says that plan complies with the sell-or-be-banned law passed by Congress last year over data security concerns…

Chris Cooke • 26 Sep 2025

US government set to side with Cox in court to overturn billion dollar damages judgement

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Cox Communications • 2 min read

US government set to side with Cox in court to overturn billion dollar damages judgement

Not only is the US government backing Cox Communications as it tries to overturn the billion dollar ruling in its long-running copyright battle with the major labels, but US Solicitor General D John Sauer now wants ten minutes to tell Supreme Court judges directly why they should side with the ISP…

Chris Cooke • 25 Sep 2025

New €1.8 billion EU culture programme must include “strategic policy action”, say music industry groups

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European Union • 2 min read

New €1.8 billion EU culture programme must include “strategic policy action”, say music industry groups

Earlier this year the EU announced AgoraEU, a new programme to support culture, media and civil society across Europe. Music industry organisations have welcomed the programme, but say it should be “viewed as a baseline, not a ceiling”, and must deliver “coherent policy strategy” as well as funding…

Chris Cooke • 25 Sep 2025

Indie artist suing Suno amends lawsuit with new arguments against AI company’s fair use defence

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Suno • 3 min read

Indie artist suing Suno amends lawsuit with new arguments against AI company’s fair use defence

After the major labels updated their lawsuit against Suno, adding allegations of stream-ripping, the indie musician who also sued the music AI company has done the same. Anthony Justice hopes that recent judgements in cases involving Anthropic and Meta can help him defeat Suno’s fair use defence…

Chris Cooke • 24 Sep 2025

Tabloid claims that Dua Lipa sacked agent over Glasto Kneecap letter are “categorically false” and “deliberately inflammatory”

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Dua Lipa • 3 min read

Tabloid claims that Dua Lipa sacked agent over Glasto Kneecap letter are “categorically false” and “deliberately inflammatory”

Reports have been circulating this week that Dua Lipa sacked either her manager or her agent after they signed a letter objecting to Kneecap playing Glasto. It was WME agent David Levy that signed the letter but he isn’t Lipa’s day-to-day agent at the agency and, in fact, nobody has been sacked…

Chris Cooke • 24 Sep 2025

Oracle will control TikTok algorithm in US, say White House officials

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TikTok • 3 min read

Oracle will control TikTok algorithm in US, say White House officials

The White House has revealed more details about the deal to allow TikTok to continue operating in the US. It will involve a bigger role for Oracle, run by Trump ally Larry Ellison, whose son now also leads CBS and MTV. If Oracle controls the TikTok algorithm, that will be quite the media empire…

Chris Cooke • 23 Sep 2025

Sylvia Rhone announces departure from top job at Sony Music’s Epic Records

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Sony Music • 2 min read

Sylvia Rhone announces departure from top job at Sony Music’s Epic Records

Sylvia Rhone is standing down as Chair and CEO of the Epic label at Sony Music. The first black woman to chair a major label in the US, Rhone has now led frontline label divisions at all three major record companies. In a memo to staff, Sony boss Rob Stringer hailed the “trailblazing executive”…

Chris Cooke • 23 Sep 2025

Major labels add piracy claims to Suno lawsuit after $1.5 billion Anthropic settlement

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Suno • 3 min read

Major labels add piracy claims to Suno lawsuit after $1.5 billion Anthropic settlement

The majors have amended their Suno lawsuit, alleging that the AI company sourced music by illegally ripping files from YouTube. It follows the ruling in the authors v Anthropic case, where Anthropic’s illegal sourcing of content created big copyright liabilities, prompting a $1.5 billion settlement…

Chris Cooke • 22 Sep 2025

Meta seeks dismissal of Eminem copyright lawsuit

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Eminem • 2 min read

Meta seeks dismissal of Eminem copyright lawsuit

Earlier this year Eminem publisher Eight Mile Style filed a lawsuit against Meta, claiming that the rapper’s music appeared in videos on Facebook and Instagram without the necessary licences. Meta wants the lawsuit dismissed, arguing it lacks substance, and that it did - in fact - have a licence…

Chris Cooke • 22 Sep 2025

After Kneecap banned from Canada, rap trio say they will take legal action

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Kneecap • 3 min read

After Kneecap banned from Canada, rap trio say they will take legal action

Kneecap have been banned from performing in Canada, where they were due to play four gigs next month. The Canadian government says the rap trio have “displayed support for terrorist organisations”, something Kneecap’s members strongly deny. They have vowed legal action against the ban…

Chris Cooke • 22 Sep 2025

Live Nation colludes with ticket touts, says US government as it launches legal action

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Live Nation • 5 min read

Live Nation colludes with ticket touts, says US government as it launches legal action

Earlier this year Donald Trump ordered a crackdown on dodgy ticket touts. Now the FTC is suing Live Nation’s Ticketmaster, claiming the ticketing company colludes with ticket touts that employ dodgy tactics to source tickets that they then sell at a massive mark up on Ticketmaster’s own resale site…

Chris Cooke • 19 Sep 2025

Massive Attack pull music off Spotify over Ek’s weapons investments and join No Music For Genocide campaign

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Massive Attack • 3 min read

Massive Attack pull music off Spotify over Ek’s weapons investments and join No Music For Genocide campaign

Massive Attack are the latest band to join the boycott of Spotify in protest at CEO Daniel Ek’s involvement in weapons company Helsing. They have also joined up with more than 400 artists and labels to request their distributors geo-block Israel when delivering music to all streaming services…

Chris Cooke • 19 Sep 2025