CMU | the music business explained (Page 110)

New generation of British artists propel UK record industry to £1.5 billion high, says BPI

High Court sides with Kneecap, ending the Hezbollah flag criminal case against Mo Chara

Google had every opportunity to train its AI legally, but chose to do it on the cheap instead, say indie musicians in new lawsuit

Live Nation settles DoJ antitrust lawsuit - but state lawsuits may continue

Chance The Rapper and Pat The Manager bust-up heads to court over disputed sunset clause

Warner Music’s Robert Kyncl is betting the company on an AI future. Can he deliver?

Suno is a feral pig rampaging through a well-tended garden, say creator orgs

Merlin CEO Jeremy Sirota said “independent music is not raw material for tech companies to exploit without consent” before quitting to join AI music scraper-in-chief Suno

Producer who accused Karol G of beat-theft dismisses his lawsuit, adding “we were wrong”

Anna’s Archive rolls out the red carpet for robots - and asks them to “persuade” their humans to make donations

After a Live Nation lobbyist boasted he got antitrust chief sacked, US Senators ask if company has hired a “bevy of cozy MAGA friends”

European Commission approves Universal’s $775 million Downtown acquisition - but did it ask the right questions?

Spotify is all in on AI, its best engineers haven't written a single line of code since December - and why that should worry the music industry

Adding “hot takes” to unlicensed music is not fair use, judge confirms in rockumentary copyright case

IMPALA report warns European music diversity will erode without intervention on ownership, market access and infrastructure

European Commission must tackle “coercive buy-out practices” when US video streamers commission music, says MEP

Charlie Puth got musician to provide vocals for ‘Furious 7’ track, then Warner cheated him out rights and royalties, says lawsuit

Music publishers file new Anthropic lawsuit, adding in piracy claims and $3 billion mega-damages

Meta dropped songs from Reels library to bully Wixen into accepting lower royalty rates, says lawsuit

Horizon Future Leaders: Four issues shaping the industry

Five key developments over the Christmas break

Music and AI: 2025’s developments that will shape 2026’s disputes

Artists from South East Europe at risk of “cultural erasure” as a result of Spotify’s 1000 stream threshold

As indie community calls again for Universal’s Downtown deal to be blocked, will UMG flog off Curve to get over regulators?

MIT study “marks a new anchor for meaningful actions” to make live music more environmentally sustainable

Indie publishers make demands of collecting societies as they start to negotiate AI deals

Bob Vylan sue RTÉ over claims they instigated “antisemitic chant” during Glastonbury set

After King Gizzard boycotted Spotify, tracks by an AI-clone of the band started streaming

Ador founder wants to develop alternative K-pop management model with new agency

Indie publisher trade body says members should reject AI deals that do not value songs properly

“Creators are collateral damage” in AI race says Jorja Smith’s label, after AI voice clone track goes viral

Kneecap sue MP who “lied to the world” about group’s Canada ban

Johnny Cash estate uses ELVIS Act to sue Coke over tribute act ad soundtrack

Suno picks up Songkick as part of AI licensing deal with Warner Music

Live Nation and AEG provide a “disgusting service”, says Olivia Dean, after for-profit touting of tickets

Fugee Pras Michel jailed for fourteen years after illegal lobbying

Ticket touting platforms start frantic lobbying campaign claiming new anti-tout laws will increase ticket fraud

StubHub share price craters as UK prepares to announce ticket touting ban

Regulators must consider UMG’s AI deals in Downtown case, says IAO President

North American songwriter groups join call for transparency and creator consent as music companies start signing AI deals

Starmer must “honour his pledge” to cap prices in “extortionate and pernicious” secondary ticketing market

Downtown accused of planning “calculated destruction” of a short-lived YouTube music client in bombastic new lawsuit

No “self-service buffet” for AI companies says GEMA CEO as OpenAI loses landmark lyrics lawsuit

Manchester Evening News pays damages after incorrectly labelling Bob Vylan’s “sun salutation” as a Nazi salute

Slipknot.com owner hires domain name specialist to fight back against band’s cybersquatting claims

“Misleading rhetoric and “deceitful buzzwords” not good enough, says Council Of Music Makers in call for creator consent, control and compensation in AI deals

Axing of controversial EBacc is a “step in the right direction” for music education says Ed Sheeran

Former Guns N Roses manager sues band over autobiography blocker clause

Judgement in Getty’s UK lawsuit against Stability “underscores growing gap” between copyright and tech, says leading lawyer

Spotify’s streaming fraud initiatives are “nothing more than window dressing” says rapper RBX as he files class action lawsuit

Streaming services don’t want French language quotas in Québec

Universal has settled its lawsuit with Udio, and signed AI deals with Udio and Stability

Spotify questions MLC’s “motivations” in pursuing audiobook bundling dispute lawsuit

Lizzo is being sued over an uncleared sample - on a track she never released

Viagogo is unfair, opaque and violates EU law, consumer group tells regulator

Bobby Vylan says he has no regrets about “death to the IDF” chant at Glastonbury

Ticketmaster says FTC allegations it colluded with touts “nonsensical”, but it is changing some of its rules and shutting down TradeDesk

New Udio lawsuit hones in on the “significant and unequal harm” inflicted on independent musicians by music AI

Majors tell US Supreme Court to ignore ISP’s doom and gloom predictions and uphold billion dollar piracy ruling

Drake vows to appeal after judge throws out defamation lawsuit against Universal

High profile songwriters express concern about PRS transparency, accuracy and admin costs

Anthropic’s own guardrails revive full copyright lawsuit from litigious music publishers

Suno tells court to reject stream-ripping “gambit” by major labels in AI legal battle

As indie labels ramp up campaign for EU to block the UMG x Downtown merger, a French music lawyer says concerns around data are “fantasy or paranoia”

As FT says major labels are close to “landmark” AI licensing deals, is a new battle royale going to kick off within the music industry?

No one seems to know if Kneecap are still banned from Canada - or whether they were ever actually banned at all

Don’t say gruesome twosome: Ek steps sideways at Spotify to make way for not one but two new CEOs

‘Something Inside’ songwriter goes legal over Tommy Robinson’s use of his anti-apartheid anthem

Donald Trump signs executive order “saving TikTok”

Tabloid claims that Dua Lipa sacked agent over Glasto Kneecap letter are “categorically false” and “deliberately inflammatory”

Major labels add piracy claims to Suno lawsuit after $1.5 billion Anthropic settlement

Live Nation colludes with ticket touts, says US government as it launches legal action

Cornwall Council will hold meeting about ‘safety risks’ of Bob Vylan’s August Boardmasters performance - even through there weren’t any

Spotify finally adds lossless audio to premium

Anthropic will pay authors $1.5 billion to settle AI copyright case

Universal’s Downtown deal must be blocked by regulators before “cultural diversity is weakened irreversibly” says Dutch indie label group president

As EU hits pause on UMG Downtown investigation after “parties fail to provide important info”, Downtown boss whines about “misinformation”

More upheaval at Warner Music as UK label chiefs will report directly to US execs

Yet another senior exec out at Warner Music as UK boss Tony Harlow quits

Billion dollar piracy win for majors “defies common law and common sense” says Cox

Court dismisses Dave Rowntree’s black box lawsuit against PRS

Supertramp songwriter must continue to share publishing royalties with bandmates, US appeals court concludes

FTC sues ticket touting business that claims it is endorsed by Ticketmaster

Drake’s claims are “farcical” says Lucian Grainge as defamation battle rumbles on

Drake wants to trawl through Papa Grainge’s emails in ‘Not Like Us’ libel battle

Sony sues Napster over $9.2 million in unpaid royalties

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

Increasing number of artists join Spotify boycott over CEO’s AI weapon investments

If China blocks TikTok deal app will “go dark” says US Commerce Secretary, but hints deal “coming soon”

Blackstone bails on consortium bidding to buy TikTok US - will a deal still be done by September deadline?

Anthropic’s ‘fair use’ win in AI copyright case could turn into a trillion dollar loss

No copyright exception for AI training in European law, says new report

Full scale anticompetition investigation on the cards after UMG’s Virgin Music fails to allay EU fears over Downtown merger

Suno AI’s faulty guardrails mean its ‘ReMi’ lyric model will spit out entire lyrical works with basic prompting

Did Ticketmaster’s UK boss Andrew Parsons mislead MPs at a select committee hearing?

Trump must “weigh in” on AI copyright debate and pressure “less innovative countries” on copyright rules, says OpenAI

Everyone’s making loads of money but don’t point the finger at us if you’re not, says Spotify’s updated Loud & Clear

Andrew Tate course on ‘pimping’ and exploiting women remains on Spotify as petition passes 25,000 signatures

Universal will spend billions to dominate emerging markets, says Grainge during Q4 earnings call as major sets out its “eat the world” strategies

Liverpool “new heart of music business” says Sound City as major label execs and industry heavyweights head north

Cox Communications • 4 min read

The majors also want the US Supreme Court to intervene in the Cox case

The major record companies have asked the US Supreme Court to intervene in their dispute with Cox Communications. They had been set to receive a billion dollars in damages, but an appeals court ruling could see that figure slashed. The majors want the appeals ruling reversed…

Chris Cooke • 21 Aug 2024

One Liners - quickfire news from the music business • 12 min read

⏩ One Liners: deals, appointments, digital and live news from across the music industry including Beyoncé’s whisky adventures, Alex Cooper’s Call Her Daddy podcast heads to SiriusXM in $150m deal, keyTikTok UK execs promoted plus releases, tours and more

Today: Beyoncé’s whisky deal with Moët Hennessy, Alex Cooper’s Call Her Daddy SiriusXM podcast deal, Create Music Group x Cheat Codes, HarbourView x James Fauntleroy, Warner Records + Rusia IDK x Rusowsky, ADA x FTS Global Management, Benztown Production Music; plus streaming, AI + more…

CMU • 21 Aug 2024

Rachel Chinouriri • 5 min read

Rachel Chinouriri cancels US support shows, putting the spotlight back on the ‘cost of touring crisis’

Rachel Chinouriri was due to support Remi Wolf on her US tour later this year, but she has pulled out because the economics of the shows just don't work. Touring is a challenge for many artists, with increases in US visa fees not helping what is already a precarious situation for many…

Chris Cooke & Sam Taylor • 21 Aug 2024

Live Nation • 2 min read

Ten more states join US government’s Live Nation lawsuit, which now seeks treble damages

The US government has filed an amended version of its lawsuit against Live Nation, which accuses the company of anticompetitive conduct. Attorneys General from ten more states have joined the litigation, which has been amended to say that states can claim ‘treble damages’ on behalf of their citizens…

Chris Cooke • 20 Aug 2024

One Liners - quickfire news from the music business • 11 min read

⏩ One Liners: deals, singings, appointments and legal round-up including Warner Chappell, Play It Again Music, PPL, UTA, BMG, Prescription Songs, Audio Chateau Records, ProgRock Essentials, Sony Music, TEG and more, plus releases and tours

Today: Warner Chappell x Faith Hopkins, PPL x The Last Dinner Party, UTA x The Calling, BMG x Lanie Gardner, Prescription Songs x Hayley May; new boss at Sony Germany, Australia’s TEG ups Tim McGregor to global role; Elvis estate scam, Kanye copyright settlement, TikTok pixel lawsuit update + more…

CMU • 20 Aug 2024

CMU Approved • 1 min read

🎧 Approved: Rose Gray

Walthamstow-based artist, songwriter and DJ Rose Gray is staking a claim at the crossroads of dance culture and pop maximalism. Her new single ‘Angel Of Satisfaction’ is a combination of pounding house and art-pop, capturing the allure of late nights that are equal parts haunting and hedonistic.…

Kaya Robertson • 20 Aug 2024

Isaac Hayes • 4 min read

Isaac Hayes estate sues Donald Trump for copyright infringement

Donald Trump’s use of the Isaac Hayes song ‘Hold On, I’m Comin’ at rallies has resulted in a lawsuit from the musician’s estate, saying the Trump campaign has infringed its copyright. The campaign says it’s covered by a BMI licence, putting the spotlight back on the complexities of music licensing…

Chris Cooke • 20 Aug 2024

Stream Manipulation • 2 min read

German record industry secures injunction against another stream manipulation site

The German record industry has secured another injunction against a stream manipulation service. Trade group BVMI has got injunctions against six such companies since 2020. The latest to be targeted with court action is Pimpyourfollower.de…

Chris Cooke • 19 Aug 2024

One Liners - quickfire news from the music business • 8 min read

⏩ One Liners: deals, legal, streaming & digital news including Secretsundaze, Altice, Adidas Kanye lawsuit, Apple Music sued by photographer, NetEast Music outage, APRA AMCOS AI report plus releases, tours + more

Secretsundaze 9FINITY, Track 88 Creative, Altice settles lawsuit with BMG and others, judge dismisses Adidas lawsuit, Nicki Minaj settles with blogger, YouTube Music growing fast says Kantar data, NetEase Music goes down for two hours, APRA AMCOS report shows AUD $519 million impact from AI + more…

CMU • 19 Aug 2024

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