The key stories from the last seven days in the music business...
Lord Clement Jones proposed an amendment to the Digital Economy Bill that could provide artists with more transparency over digital royalties. The proposed new rule would oblige labels and publishers to provide "timely, adequate and sufficient information on the exploitation of works and performances" including "information on modes of exploitation, revenues generated and remuneration due". The amendment is due to be discussed in Parliament this week. Tidal announced that it had sold a 33% stake in the streaming business to American tel co Sprint, which had been linked to a deal with the firm ever since Jay-Z bought it in 2015. The acquisition will give Tidal a cash boost and access to Sprint's 45 million customers. It came as Norwegian media said that Tidal's user-base was under a million, despite it once claiming three million subscribers. Ireland's Competition And Consumer Protection Commission announced a review of the country's ticketing sector that will investigate "suspected breaches of competition law in relation to the provision of tickets and the operation of ticketing services for live events". It follows an announcement by the Irish government of a public consultation on secondary ticketing. An FAQ site about piracy was launched under the 'Get It Right From A Genuine Site' banner. It's assumed that the new site has gone live as UK internet service providers prepare to finally send out educational emails to customers suspecting of accessing unlicensed sources of content online. ISPs are obliged to send out such letters under the 2010 Digital Economy Act, and agreed to do so as part of the Creative Content UK initiative launched in 2014. Apple was sued over a its use of a Jamie XX track in an iPhone ad. The litigation comes from singer Jerome Lawson, whose vocals were sampled in the Jamie XX record. It's not a copyright case, Lawson is instead suing on the grounds his personality rights under Californian law were breached, because the use of the track by Apple implied he endorsed its product. It will be an interested test case of what personality rights say about sampling and sync. Mini US performing rights organisation Global Music Rights filed papers calling for the US radio industry's lawsuit against it to be dismissed. GMR said that allegations by the Radio Music License Committee that it was exploiting a monopoly were ridiculous, given it represents 73 songwriters and about one eighth of 1% of the US song repertoire. The big deals from the last seven days in the music business... • Live Nation announced a JV with Metropolis Music • Live Nation took a controlling stake in Cuffe & Taylor • bought Aussie distributor Inertia Music • Proper announced a digital tie up with IDOL • Ticketfly announced a tie-up with ticket resale platform Lyte • Management firm Roar bought comedy agency CKP • Celador Radio bought Anglian Radio • BMG signed Nickelback • Warner/Chappell signed Swifta Beater • Anti- signed Jade Jackson