Chris Cooke - CMU | the music business explained (Page 4)

public

Bob Vylan • 3 min read

Shindig Festival will go ahead after Tory attempt to block headliner Bob Vylan under “public safety” concerns fails

Attempts by local Tories to stop this year’s Shindig Festival because Bob Vylan is headlining have failed, with Wiltshire Council concluding there are no tangible safety concerns. It reviewed the festival’s licence at the last minute following a request from South Cotswolds Conservative Association…

Chris Cooke • 20 May 2026

Live Nation and Ticketmaster should still be split up, lawmakers told, as US government’s antitrust settlement criticised in Congress

public

Live Nation • 2 min read

Live Nation and Ticketmaster should still be split up, lawmakers told, as US government’s antitrust settlement criticised in Congress

The US Department Of Justice’s decision to settle antitrust claims against Live Nation was slammed in Congress yesterday, with President Trump accused of siding with an “illegal monopoly”. Congress members also said they still hope Live Nation and Ticketmaster will be split up by the courts…

Chris Cooke • 19 May 2026

Funk pioneer George Clinton sues Universal over $1.1 million in withheld royalties

public

George Clinton • 1 min read

Funk pioneer George Clinton sues Universal over $1.1 million in withheld royalties

Universal Music has not been paying royalties to George Clinton for three years now, because he is involved in a legal dispute with the estate of a former collaborator over ownership of many of his recordings. But, a new lawsuit says, that dispute is no reason for UMG to withhold his money…

Chris Cooke • 19 May 2026

Shakira hits out at Spanish tax authorities after winning legal battle over allegedly unpaid taxes from 2011 tour

public

Shakira • 2 min read

Shakira hits out at Spanish tax authorities after winning legal battle over allegedly unpaid taxes from 2011 tour

A Spanish court has ruled in favour of Shakira in the final of three disputes between the pop star and Spain’s tax authorities. She has accused tax officials of leaking information about the dispute, and using her name and public image, to send a threatening message to other Spanish tax payers…

Chris Cooke • 18 May 2026

Spotify increases subscription prices in Canada, but rolls back previous price increases in India

public

Spotify • 2 min read

Spotify increases subscription prices in Canada, but rolls back previous price increases in India

Spotify is making changes to its pricing in both Canada and India. Prices are going up in Canada but, surprisingly, they are coming down in India, where a Lite tier only introduced last year is being abandoned and the price of a standard premium subscription will return to 139 rupee a month…

Chris Cooke • 18 May 2026

Music Producers Guild launches new guide on producer deals

public

Music Producers Guild • 2 min read

Music Producers Guild launches new guide on producer deals

The Music Producers Guild launched a new Producer Deals Guide during The Great Escape in Brighton earlier today. Produced with CMU and the MMF, it explains how the deals agreed between studio producers and artists and labels work, and how they have changed as artists release music in different ways…

Chris Cooke • 15 May 2026

Shindig team say they are “standing our ground” after local Tories forced a licence review over their Bob Vylan booking

public

Bob Vylan • 2 min read

Shindig team say they are “standing our ground” after local Tories forced a licence review over their Bob Vylan booking

Next week Wiltshire Council will review the Shindig Festival’s licence just days before the event gets underway after local Tories expressed concern about Bob Vylan headlining. In a new interview, the festival’s organisers say they are “facing censorship” but are “standing our ground”…

Chris Cooke • 15 May 2026

BPI sets out transparency and sovereignty demands to secure “AI licensing boom”

public

Artificial Intelligence • 4 min read

BPI sets out transparency and sovereignty demands to secure “AI licensing boom”

Record label trade group BPI has launched a new report on music and AI, setting out what it believes is needed to enable an “AI licensing boom” in the UK. It says the government should force more transparency on the AI sector and ensure the “sovereignty of UK law” when it comes to AI and copyright…

Chris Cooke • 14 May 2026

UK government decision to delay live music touting law in favour of sports ticketing reforms dubbed “puzzling” and “bizarre” by music industry

public

Ticket Touting • 3 min read

UK government decision to delay live music touting law in favour of sports ticketing reforms dubbed “puzzling” and “bizarre” by music industry

The UK government has set out in the King's Speech the laws it plans to pass in the next year. As expected, laws to introduce the promised ticket touting ban will only be drafted this year, not passed. Though new rules on the touting of tickets to sports events are likely to be voted on by MPs…

Chris Cooke • 13 May 2026

Kanye loses uncleared sample lawsuit, but warns “there’s a cost attached to thinking you can take advantage of Ye”

public

Kanye West • 3 min read

Kanye loses uncleared sample lawsuit, but warns “there’s a cost attached to thinking you can take advantage of Ye”

Kanye West has lost his legal battle over an uncleared sample on a version of his ‘Donda’ track ‘Hurricane’ that was played at one of his 2021 listening parties. However, the rapper reckons the company that sued him has still made a loss when their legal costs are taken into account…

Chris Cooke • 13 May 2026

This may be the “moment” to rewrite copyright law, says US Copyright Office boss

public

US Copyright Office • 2 min read

This may be the “moment” to rewrite copyright law, says US Copyright Office boss

The boss of the US Copyright Office was asked about the Supreme Court ruling in the major labels v Cox case in US Congress yesterday. She said it had reduced the “incentives” for internet companies to “take steps to curb infringement”, and lawmakers might want to amend copyright law as a result…

Chris Cooke • 13 May 2026

Songwriters say demo sent to NewJeans was incorporated into K-pop hit without credit or permission

public

NewJeans • 3 min read

Songwriters say demo sent to NewJeans was incorporated into K-pop hit without credit or permission

Four US songwriters say that NewJeans hit ‘How Sweet’ incorporates a topline they wrote for a demo track they shared with an agency that works with the K-pop group. That agency said they weren’t using the writers’ topline but, it’s alleged, then included it in the NewJeans track without permission…

Chris Cooke • 12 May 2026