Chris Cooke - CMU | the music business explained (Page 6)

Lil Rod lawyer says “I know where the bodies are buried” as judge strips back Diddy lawsuit

public

Diddy • 3 min read

Lil Rod lawyer says “I know where the bodies are buried” as judge strips back Diddy lawsuit

The Diddy lawsuit filed by a producer who worked on the musician’s ‘The Love Album’ has been stripped back by the judge, but core sexual assault allegations will proceed. The producer’s lawyer says the ruling is a win, adding “I know where all of the bodies are buried and I have a huge shovel”…

Chris Cooke • 26 Mar 2025

UK regulator backs plan for ticket tout price cap

public

Secondary Ticketing • 4 min read

UK regulator backs plan for ticket tout price cap

The UK government’s consultation on its proposal to introduce a price cap on tickets resold by touts is ongoing. The Competition & Markets Authority, which has a role in regulating the secondary ticketing market, has made its submission coming out in support of the price cap proposal…

Chris Cooke • 25 Mar 2025

Lucian Grainge’s megabonus and Streaming 2.0 under scrutiny in Fred Durst’s latest lawsuit

public

Universal Music • 4 min read

Lucian Grainge’s megabonus and Streaming 2.0 under scrutiny in Fred Durst’s latest lawsuit

Last week a federal judge in the US told Fred Durst that he needed to pursue his breach of contract claims against Universal Music in a state court. He has already done that, filing a new lawsuit in California which, like his earlier lawsuits, is scathing about Universal’s royalty payment practices…

Chris Cooke • 25 Mar 2025

NewJeans on enforced hiatus after court says no activity without Ador’s involvement

public

NewJeans • 3 min read

NewJeans on enforced hiatus after court says no activity without Ador’s involvement

NewJeans are on hiatus after HYBE’s Ador secured an injunction from the courts last week preventing the group from pursuing any projects without its involvement. The hiatus was announced at a show in Hong Kong where the group performed under their new name NJZ, much to the annoyance of Ador…

Chris Cooke • 24 Mar 2025

Ed Sheeran wants £250 million from Keir Starmer to pay for better music education

public

Ed Sheeran • 3 min read

Ed Sheeran wants £250 million from Keir Starmer to pay for better music education

Having set up his own foundation to support education initiatives, Ed Sheeran is now calling on Keir Starmer to commit to a £250 million package to support music education in schools and beyond. That is required, he says, to “repair decades” of governments “dismantling” support for young musicians…

Chris Cooke • 24 Mar 2025

Just show me Kendrick’s record contract says Drake as he accuses Universal of ignoring key claims in defamation lawsuit

public

Drake • 3 min read

Just show me Kendrick’s record contract says Drake as he accuses Universal of ignoring key claims in defamation lawsuit

Earlier this week Universal filed a motion to dismiss Drake’s defamation lawsuit against the major and then asked the judge to pause the discovery process in that case. Drake’s team have responded, insisting that Universal has ignored key claims in his litigation and that discovery should proceed…

Chris Cooke • 21 Mar 2025

RIAA urges Donald Trump to instigate pro-copyright AI Action Plan

public

Artificial Intelligence • 2 min read

RIAA urges Donald Trump to instigate pro-copyright AI Action Plan

The RIAA has set out its arguments regarding copyright and AI as part of the consultation that will inform Donald Trump’s AI Action Plan. It insists that AI innovation and strong copyright protection are not “mutually exclusive”, urging the US government to take a pro-copyright approach…

Chris Cooke • 21 Mar 2025

Leadmill team digs in and starts eviction appeal

public

The Leadmill • 3 min read

Leadmill team digs in and starts eviction appeal

The never ending Leadmill saga rumbles on as Phil Mills and his team file an appeal against the recent eviction order secured by building owner The Electric Group. That appeal relies largely on a tactic already tested - albeit unsuccessfully - by team Mills…

Chris Cooke • 20 Mar 2025

Fred Durst’s bid to cancel old Universal deals will have to be fought out in state courts, says federal judge

public

Limp Bizkit • 2 min read

Fred Durst’s bid to cancel old Universal deals will have to be fought out in state courts, says federal judge

Crucial elements of Fred Durst’s big legal battle with Universal Music over allegedly unpaid royalties will have to be fought out in state courts, not the federal court where he filed his lawsuit, a judge has ruled. That includes the musician’s attempt to cancel three old contracts with the major…

Chris Cooke • 20 Mar 2025

Let’s not take a wrecking ball to copyright, says judge in Miley Cyrus ‘Flowers’ song-theft case

public

Miley Cyrus • 6 min read

Let’s not take a wrecking ball to copyright, says judge in Miley Cyrus ‘Flowers’ song-theft case

Miley Cyrus is trying to get a lawsuit dismissed which claims that her hit ‘Flowers’ rips off a Bruno Mars song. She argued that the investment company that sued her doesn’t have any exclusive rights in the Mars song, despite acquiring a share of the copyright. A judge has now rejected that argument…

Chris Cooke • 19 Mar 2025

Another big ISP wants the US Supreme Court to intervene in its piracy battle with the majors

public

Grande Communications • 3 min read

Another big ISP wants the US Supreme Court to intervene in its piracy battle with the majors

US ISP Grande, which lost a $47 million legal battle with the major record companies over its failure to deal with its music pirating customers, wants the US Supreme Court to review the case. It’s the second ISP to ask the Supreme Court to intervene on the copyright liabilities of internet companies…

Chris Cooke • 19 Mar 2025

Hypocrite Drake sued Universal because he lost a rap battle, says Universal

public

Drake • 4 min read

Hypocrite Drake sued Universal because he lost a rap battle, says Universal

Universal Music has responded to Drake’s claims that it defamed him by releasing Kendrick Lamar’s diss track ‘Not Like Us’. Those claims, says the major, are ridiculous, because everyone knows diss tracks contain “rhetorical hyperbole” which amounts to opinion rather than statements of fact…

Chris Cooke • 18 Mar 2025