Warner Music launches website to explain proposed digital royalties settlement
Warner Music yesterday formally announced its proposed settlement in response to a class action lawsuit on the whole digital royalties issue.

As much previously reported, many heritage artists (with pre-iTunes record contracts) reckon that they should be paid a bigger cut of the revenue generated from downloads, because such income stems from licensing deals between the labels and the digital firms, and a classic record contract pays a bigger cut to artists on licensing income versus record sales. For their part, the labels say that download income doesn't qualify as 'licensing' revenue in that sense.

Numerous artists have gone legal on the matter since early Eminem collaborators FBT Productions succeeded in getting a bigger download royalty from Universal through the courts. Even though the majors continue to deny the higher licensing cut should be paid on download income, negotiations nevertheless continue to settle most of the legal disputes, though some lawsuits have been classified as class actions, which require proposed settlements going before a judge.

Warner unveiled its proposed settlement to such a class action late last year, offering to increase future download pay outs to artists with pre-iTunes contracts by up to 5% with a 14% cap. The major also said it would set aside $11.5 million to provide artists with some extra payments related to past download sales, though legal reps for the litigious artists would also get paid out of that fund.

Yesterday Warner launched a website for American artists signed to the major's labels who are eligible for this settlement, providing more information about the deal and the process acts would have to go through to make a claim. Though, a statement issued announcing the site adds that "Warner Music Group denies any wrongdoing" in the way it has paid out digital royalties to artists in the past.

A statement from Warner's attorneys also notes: "[Eligible artists] who want to keep the right to sue Warner Music Group must exclude themselves from [this] settlement by 31 May 2014. People who stay in the settlement may object to it by 31 May 2014. People who do not exclude themselves or who do nothing will be bound by the court's decisions".

More information about the settlement is online at www.wmgdownloadsettlement.com

More legal action over Rihanna's S&M video
Rihanna's 'S&M' video is generating nearly as much legal action as a Lil Wayne album. The promo for the 2011 hit has led to claims from two photographers that it rips off their work.

The first claimant was celebrity photo man David LaChapelle, while German photographer Philipp Paulus made his allegations of image theft against the video in June 2011. And it's Paulus who is now going legal, claiming that Rihanna's label Universal Music has failed to properly respond to his complaint.

The main moment in Rihanna's video that has angered Paulus is the bit where the singer wears a big dress and stands up against a plastic sheet surrounded by Xs, which does ape one of the photo man's earlier photographs. It seems likely the pop promo's director, Melina Matsoukas, was influenced by Paulus's output and, according to his legal reps, Universal has admitted the similarities that exist between the video and the photographer's work.

The disagreement, though, is whether Matsoukas and Rihanna recreating the scene of one of Paulus's photographs is a mere tribute to his art, or copyright infringement. The photographer and his lawyers reckon the latter, but have failed to reach an agreement with the major so have now gone legal in his home country.

Says Paulus: "It is shocking that a company like Universal Music, which generates its turnover with intellectual property, copies the intellectual property [of others] completely unauthorised and without respect".

Young Thug signs to Cash Money
Emergent Atlanta rapper Young Thug, real name Jeffrey Williams, has apparently signed a deal with good ol Cash Money Records, which likely means big things for him. In the same way it did for the also Cash Money-signed Paris Hilton. Oh, wait.

Williams released his first official singles 'Stoner' and 'Danny Glover', viral hits both, in 2013, and is said to be collaborating with Kanye West on a new mixtape.

Streaming data will be in the UK singles chart "very soon", says Radio 1 man
So, when exactly is streaming data going to be incorporated into the UK singles chart? Germany, Sweden, Norway and America are all already doing it, and as we all know, they're the cool kids in the playground, and we wouldn't want to be excluded from that gang. I mean, then we'd have to hang out with Canada and Spain.

Well, "within months" seems to be the consensus in the labels at the moment, with one source going with "within weeks", though it's still not entirely clear what the maths will look like once purchase numbers are mixed up with streaming data. And no one's entirely clear how the German, Swedish, Norwegian and American industries have addressed that challenge - though there's no real standard yet to bring charts around the world in line with each other.

Either way, it seems certain now that it's such mathematical considerations that are delaying the inclusion of streams in the big UK Top 40. There was chatter in some quarters last week that it was the retailers that were holding things back, though insiders at the big entertainment retail firms deny that is the case, pointing out that the Entertainment Retailers Association, which controls the retail sector's half of the Official Charts Company, counts Deezer, Spotify, Rdio and Rara as members, and not iTunes.

Meanwhile, Radio 1 music supremo George Ergatoudis reportedly confirmed to a Radio Academy event last night that streaming data would "very soon" be included in the big fat chart his radio station airs each Sunday evening. Earshot Creative tweeted from the event: "So @GeorgErgatoudis has just announced that @BBCR1 will v soon be including @Spotify streams in the Top 40 charts not just sales!" Ergatoudis himself then clarified: "Not just Spotify, other music streaming services will be included".

Of course the big question is "does that include YouTube", because doing so makes the aforementioned equation challenge all the harder - what about user-generated content using recordings, what happens with pre-release content uploaded to the video site, and do you allow YouTube phenomena like that 'Harlem Shake' malarkey that bothered our brains this time last year to skew your top ten, as happened in the US when Billboard incorporated data from the video site into its Hot 100?

So, lots to consider then. And there was you thinking that the chart was just an excuse to get major label pop records name-checked in Metro and The Sun each Monday morning.

Spotify job ad sparks IPO plot speculation
So when is Spotify going to float? When, I ask you. Quarter three? Spring 2015? Tomorrow? Tell me now, when is Spotify going to do its IPO? Tell me, tell me, tell me now.

Well, speculation is rife that an initial public offering is now very much on the agenda at Spotify HQ after it emerged that the digital music firm is recruiting an External Reporting Specialist to, amongst other things, "prepare the company for international financial standards", something that might imply work is underway to position the company for a flotation in the relatively near future.

According to Reuters, the spec for that job also originally mentioned knowledge of America's Securities & Exchange Commission, where papers for a US-based IPO would need to be filed, though it doesn't anymore.

Most of the streaming music start-ups are expected to pursue IPOs or big-transaction sales at some point in the coming years, ensuring a big payday for founders, early investors and the music companies who secured equity as part of their initial licensing deals. Good times. Then, of course, the real challenge begins: how the fuck is anyone ever going to make any money out of streaming music?

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MCN community launches trade body
So, those 'multi-channel networks' (you know, sort of the record labels of the YouTube-iverse, in that they find young creators, promise to better monetise their content, sign them up and then screw em over - only joking) all seem to be growing very fast don't they? You know what they need - they need a trade body. Because you can never have too many trade bodies.

And look, the Global Online Video Association is go! It's a new organisation that brings together the various (mainly American) firms working with media, brands and individual creators to better commercially exploit their YouTube activity. And the main aim of the GOVA? To convince the ad sector that they should be directing their spend toward MCNs rather than other online platforms and traditional media networks.

Says Paul Kontonis, GOVA's Executive Director to AdWeek: "All these companies were formerly defined by just having a bunch of channels on YouTube, and it was about aggregating views and prerolls. Now, they've all become major digital media companies. They all have interest in bringing dollars and attention to the space, and they need a group like GOVA to protect their interests".

Xfm not coming to Ireland
Xfm is not - repeat not - coming to Dublin. OK? And before you get all hissy and claim you never said it was coming Dublin, please note all the online chatter yesterday that said it was. You did note all that chatter, right? No? Oh well, everyone was saying yesterday that Xfm was coming to Dublin. But it's not. So now you know.

The gossip began as it emerged Dublin-based alternative rock station Phantom FM was wielding the axe bigtime (well, 20 people are going, but that's big for a station of this size) in a bid to reduce ongoing losses.

Irish media firm Communicorp owns just under a third of Phantom FM, and - as previously reported - has also just gone into business with Xfm-owner Global Radio, in that it's bought a number of British FM licences off the UK radio giant and concurrently licensed the rights to use Global-owned brands and programming on those channels.

To top all that off, it emerged that someone at Communicorp had registered the xfm.ie domain name. To be fair to the gossipers, as conspiracy theories go, "Communicorp plans to force a rebrand on Phantom and pump in a load of Xfm content from London" seemed quite credible (opinions from the Broadcasting Authority Of Ireland pending).

But Global Radio has told Radio Today that Xfm will not be expanding to Ireland anytime soon, via a rebranding of Phantom or otherwise. So take that rumour fans.

Though the brand reshuffle instigated by the aforementioned Global/Communicorp deal does mean Xfm is coming back to Scotland. Well, Glasgow. Well for the time being. We're waiting to hear back from George Osbourne whether an independent Scotland would be allowed to share content with an English Xfm; though Treasury insiders reckon Scotland won't be allowed to use the Arctic Monkeys or Bastille once outside the United Kingdom, and use of Kodaline and U2 will be dependent on EU membership. Though we'll give you Wild Beasts if you'll take Jake Bugg off our hands. I mean, Kendal's nearly Scotland anyway.

Music 4.5 puts the focus on the in-app economy
The latest Music 4.5 event takes place in London tomorrow, putting the spotlight on the good (not very) old app thing, and how the music industry could be generating new opportunities for its content and artists by better collaborating with app developers who are experimenting with new ways to monetise the mobile (or tablet) music experience. Debate will also centre on the potential of in-app purchasing and subscriptions, as yet unrealised in the main, partly due to the fees charged by the app store owners, aka the app store tax.

Music 4.5's Rassami Hok Ljungberg told CMU: "We are looking forward to what promises to be an interesting and lively discussion focused on apps, in-app purchasing, micro-payments and the power of APIs. As Mark Mulligan points out in his latest research, 'if music industry concerns about download cannibalisation should be addressed anywhere it is first and foremost at apps ... music product strategy needs to do more to embrace the app economy'. Hence Music 4.5 feels the time is ripe for a discussion around new business models and ways to share revenue with the new players in the value-chain, the developers, while evaluating a necessary break with the past to move forward rather than trying to retro-fit the future into old legacy infrastructures, both legal and commercial".

Reps from Venture Harbour, Apptual, Shazam, Bandapp, Ministry Of Sound, Flurry, Bloom.fm and Musikki are amongst those due to take part in tomorrow's half-day event, details on which you will find here.

Black Eyed Peas back on the boil; in talks to do LP and shows
I gotta feeling... that the Black Eyed Peas are gonna reverse their 'indefinite hiatus'-type split of 2012, and possibly go on a tour, or make an album, or both, in 2015. Well, the threat they'd be back was always there, so it's not like this is a total shock. For now I'll just go with 'unpleasant surprise'.

Some source or other told The Sun: "The Black Eyed Peas are all in agreement that they should put a new tour on for the fans - it's not like they properly split when they parted for a hiatus. This time around they're going to head back into the studio and lay down a new album quickly and then hit the road once again".

Adding that Will.i.am has been the most active in backing a Peas reconciliation, whilst Fergie isn't as keen, the source goes on: "Fergie's been stalling and wants to hold out for as much money as she can guarantee. She's got a baby now and needs it to be a very worthy amount to make her take her baby on the road. Will knows without Fergie there isn't really a BEP tour so they're willing to pay her more to keep her happy if that's what it takes".

Will.i.am, meanwhile, "just wants to celebrate the career they had and show people they still have what it takes to top the charts with the new music".

If you're reading this, Will.i.am, please stop; you've done enough.

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AC/DC plot album, 40 show world tour
AC/DC may at last have come up with a follow up to 2008's 'Black Ice' LP, which, if it's out soon, would nicely mark the fortieth anniversary of the band's first single, 1974's 'Can I Sit Next To You, Girl'. Frontman Brian Johnson has said that the plan is to start making a new album in May, with a 40 show world tour to follow.

Talking with radio host Andy Preston via Florida station Gater 98.7 on Valentines Day, Johnson said: "One of our boys was pretty ill, so we didn't like to say anything and we're very private about things like this... But I think we'll be going into the studio in May in Vancouver. Which means, we should be getting ready".

Of the tour, he said: "I think we're gonna try to do 40 gigs, 40 shows, to thank the fans for their undying loyalty".

Little Dragon calling fans individually to explain new album
Little Dragon have launched a fun new web app to give you information about their new album, 'Nabuma Rubberband', along with a preview of new single 'Klapp Klapp'.

Upon opening the app, we see vocalist Yukimi Nagano sitting in a living room, before the app prompts you to enter your phone number. Once you've got over the fear of doing that, Nagano will call you. In an impressive bit of video syncing, both the audio coming through your phone and the visuals on screen match up perfectly (it was only later that our shoddy internet connection ruined it).

After you've spoken to Nagano, each member of the band in turn will call to tell you a bit more. After being played a tiny blast of 'Klapp Klapp' down the phone, the band all get together and play the song through your computer speakers.

But don't take my word for it, have a go yourself here.

'Nabuma Rubberband' will be released through Because Music on 12 May. The more privacy concerned amongst you can keep your phone numbers secret and just watch the video for 'Klapp Klapp' here (unless you're sworn off Google services too).

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Chromeo detail album through personal ad
While Little Dragon are calling fans to tell them about their new album, Chromeo have revealed details about their new LP via a 'missed connections' personal ad on Craigslist.

The advert announced that the album, entitled 'White Women', will be released on 12 May, and also displays its cover artwork. For the text of the ad, they've provided a verse's worth of lyrics, while the location of the supposed failed hook up is (as Fader notes) the First Avenue nightclub in Minneapolis, where Prince filmed 'Purple Rain'.

Anyone looking at the ad is invited to reply. So we did, and... nothing happened. Oh well, here's the video for 'Come Alive', which features Toro Y Moi.

Gigs & Tours round-up: Mr Scruff, St Vincent, Ginger Baker, John Newman and Paul Thomas Saunders
Mr Scruff has bred a new LP in his Petri dish, giving it the title 'Friendly Bacteria'. He'll ring in its release, via Ninja Tune on 19 May, by headlining a special 'Mr Scruff & Friends' event at the Roundhouse in London on 31 May. Get tickets to it here.

St Vincent's Annie Clark has added a heap of solo dates, all of them taking place in May, and all behind the release of her new LP. She plays a trio of shows in the UK next week, and though those are all sold out, the new ones aren't, and fall as follows:

15 May: Bristol, Academy
16 May: Glasgow, ABC
17 May: Leeds, Met University

And why not play St V's new track 'Prince Johnny' while you wait in line at the ticket shop.

Ex-Cream and Blind Faith sticksman Ginger 'Beware' Baker has confirmed a single live date celebrating his seventieth birthday, and featuring special guests. It's at the Islington Academy in London, on 3 May, and bears the title 'A Drummer's Tale', also the name of a CD/vinyl anthology, which is out now on PledgeMusic.

And look! Look at this. It's dance-y pop type John Newman (aka him off 'Love Me Again') with a third solo tour, the one that was just announced only the other day, and starts in Edinburgh at the Corn Exchange. It's not until October, mind, so take a leisurely glance over its dates via his website. And this is Newman's new single 'Out Of My Head', which is released on 7 Apr.

And now, one last tour announcement, this time from choral pop songwriter Paul Thomas Saunders. The run falls just in front of 'Beautiful Desolation', aka Saunders' first LP, which comes out on 7 Apr, and starts on 2 Mar at Manchester's Gorilla. Encompassing thirteen shows in all, its last stop is at The Lexington in London on 17 Apr. Rounding off this round-up, it's the topmost single from 'Beautiful Desolation', 'Kawai Celeste'.

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Festival line-up update: Liverpool Sound City, Tramlines, Optimus Alive and more
So, time to find out which artists festivals like Liverpool Sound City, Optimus Alive and Summer In The City have picked for their 2014 line-ups lately...

LIVERPOOL SOUND CITY, various venues, Liverpool, 1-3 May: Jon Hopkins, Albert Hammond Jr, Action Bronson, The Hold Steady, Jimi Goodwin, Drenge, Mixhell, Royal Blood, The Wytches, Fat White Family, Superfood, San Fermin, Lyla Foy. www.liverpoolsoundcity.co.uk

OPTIMUS ALIVE, Passeio Maritimo De Alges, Lisbon, Portugal, 10-12 Jul: Elbow. www.optimusalive.com

SUMMER IN THE CITY, Castlefield Bowl, Manchester, 10-11 Jul: Pixies, James, Royal Blood, Starsailor. www.ticketline.co.uk/event/date/option/festival-season

SOUTH WEST FOUR, Clapham Common, London, 23-24 Aug: Above & Beyond. www.southwestfour.com

TRAMLINES, various venues, Sheffield, 25-27 Jul: Annie Mac, Bo Ningen, Menace Beach, Moko, Catfish & The Bottlemen, Eliphino, De Sluew Vos, Jamie Trench, Denai Moore. www.tramlines.org.uk

Lorde wants radio to play less Lorde
Lorde would really rather like it if you could all stop playing her hit 'Royals' for a while. Well, radio people mainly. She reckons that people might be going off the track because of over exposure. And she's probably right.

She told V Magazine: "I want to let people stop hearing Lorde on the radio all the time, because it's kind of crazy at the moment. I'd like to give people a little bit of breathing room before I unleash something different".