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

Boomtown ups drugs policing as coroner says dealers operated freely at festival

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Boomtown • 3 min read

Boomtown ups drugs policing as coroner says dealers operated freely at festival

A coroner has reported on his inquest into the drug-related death of a festival-goer at last year’s Boomtown, concluding that drugs were “freely available to purchase” at the event. Local police say plans are in place this year to “disrupt” the sale of drugs on site at the festival…

Chris Cooke • 06 Aug 2025

Spotify announces more price increases, boosting share price

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Spotify • 2 min read

Spotify announces more price increases, boosting share price

Spotify is putting up its prices again in multiple markets, including - for the first time - India. In some European markets, a monthly subscription will increase from €10.99 to €11.99. Investors have responded positively to the news, with the company’s share price increasing yesterday…

Chris Cooke • 05 Aug 2025

US music creators welcome latest proposal for web-blocking, which big tech dubs “a tool for censorship”

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Web blocking • 3 min read

US music creators welcome latest proposal for web-blocking, which big tech dubs “a tool for censorship”

More proposals were made last week to introduce web-blocking as an anti-piracy tool for copyright owners under US law. Music creators have welcomed the proposals, called the Block BEARD Act, but big tech says web-blocks are “a dangerous mechanism” that will result in legitimate content being blocked…

Chris Cooke • 04 Aug 2025

LyricFind’s “bluster” designed to distract from “business failures”, says rival Musixmatch in legal back and forth

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Musixmatch • 3 min read

LyricFind’s “bluster” designed to distract from “business failures”, says rival Musixmatch in legal back and forth

The legal battle between LyricFind and Musixmatch continues. LyricFind has sued its rival over alleged anti-competitive conduct. But after making another filing with the court seeking dismissal of the lawsuit, Musixmatch said LyricFind was using “bluster” to cover up “business failures”…

Chris Cooke • 04 Aug 2025

Controversial ruling on US termination right fulfills the intention of Congress, say creators

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Copyright • 4 min read

Controversial ruling on US termination right fulfills the intention of Congress, say creators

Earlier this year a court ruling expanded the scope of the termination right in US copyright law, saying that creators can reclaim rights globally, not just in the US. That potentially overturns longstanding industry convention, but creator groups insist it was the right ruling and should be upheld…

Chris Cooke • 01 Aug 2025

Industry welcomes ten step plan for “rebalancing the licensing regime” of UK festivals and venues

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Live industry news including ticketing, venues, festivals and more • 2 min read

Industry welcomes ten step plan for “rebalancing the licensing regime” of UK festivals and venues

The UK government has published ten recommendations from an industry taskforce that was asked to review how pubs, clubs, venues and events are licensed, 20 years on from the last Licensing Act. The music industry says the recommendations include many “positive, business friendly measures”…

Chris Cooke • 01 Aug 2025

YouTube now the second most watched media platform in the UK, behind only the BBC

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YouTube • 3 min read

YouTube now the second most watched media platform in the UK, behind only the BBC

YouTube is now second only to the BBC when it comes to at-home video consumption, according to a new report from OfCom. The regulator considers what that means for traditional public service broadcasters like the BBC, having recently suggested new laws to force YouTube to sign-post their content…

Chris Cooke • 31 Jul 2025

Spotify age-checks could result in accounts being deleted, but only if you’re twelve

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Spotify • 3 min read

Spotify age-checks could result in accounts being deleted, but only if you’re twelve

Last week age-check requirements contained in the UK’s Online Safety Act went into force, meaning platforms must check a user’s age before they access content that is deemed harmful to children. That includes Spotify, where new age-check rules led to fears some users might see their accounts deleted…

Chris Cooke • 31 Jul 2025

Implementation of EU AI Act “solely benefits” AI companies say creator groups who demand a complete rethink

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Artificial Intelligence • 2 min read

Implementation of EU AI Act “solely benefits” AI companies say creator groups who demand a complete rethink

The European Commission has now published various documents setting out how AI companies should comply with copyright and transparency obligations in the EU AI Act. However, creator groups say their concerns were ignored when those documents were being compiled and they should therefore be rewritten…

Chris Cooke • 30 Jul 2025

Judge rules against Royal Albert Hall seat owners in dispute over the venue’s slightly bizarre seat ownership system

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Royal Albert Hall • 3 min read

Judge rules against Royal Albert Hall seat owners in dispute over the venue’s slightly bizarre seat ownership system

1250 seats at London’s Royal Albert Hall are owned by third parties who control access to those seats, although the venue can exclude the seat owners from a set number of shows per year. The Hall was sued for doing that too often, but a judge has declined to rule against the venue’s management…

Chris Cooke • 30 Jul 2025

As FTC begins crack down on ticket scalping, scalpers say Ticketmaster endorses their practices

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Secondary Ticketing • 4 min read

As FTC begins crack down on ticket scalping, scalpers say Ticketmaster endorses their practices

The FTC in the US has started to crackdown on ticket scalpers that it reckons have violated the BOTS Act, which prohibits certain practices for sourcing tickets for resale. But one targeted scalping company says its ticket sourcing practices are not only lawful but also authorised by Ticketmaster…

Chris Cooke • 29 Jul 2025

HYBE’s headquarters raided twice in one week as legal issues spiral

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Hybe • 2 min read

HYBE’s headquarters raided twice in one week as legal issues spiral

The Seoul HQ of K-pop company HYBE has been raided twice in the last week, first by officials investigating fraud allegations against founder Bang Si-hyuk and then today by tax inspectors. Both raids relate to allegations of misconduct around HYBE’s 2020 initial public offering…

Chris Cooke • 29 Jul 2025