CMU | the music business explained (Page 117)

Universal CEO Lucian Grainge makes 764 times more than his employees - and female staff get 48% less than male counterparts

Major music publishers buy into termination rights lawsuit to take fight to Supreme Court

Spotify wants $300 million in damages from Anna’s Archive, and for court to go after piracy site’s service providers

Cox Communications celebrates as US Supreme Court overturns critical music piracy judgement

Claude’s AI lyrics cause market dilution, say music publishers calling for courts to reject fair use defence

Declare trademark claims bogus says FKA in Twigs vs Twigs

Chance The Rapper wins sunset clause dispute with former manager

American man pleads guilty to multi-million dollar streaming fraud, faces five years in jail

Cautious welcome for UK government’s latest AI copyright stance, as BMG files latest Anthropic lawsuit

DoJ’s Live Nation settlement “proof Trump Administration cannot be trusted to protect American consumers”, says new Senate report on Ticketmaster

StubHub to more clearly state prices and terms for touted tickets, and offer Taylor Swift fans refunds, but only in British Columbia

“Robbing them blind, baby - that’s how we do it”, boast Live Nation execs about “so stupid” ticket-buyers

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

Pitbull • 2 min read

Pitbull sued over alleged song-theft on ‘I Feel Good’

Pitbull’s label is on the receiving end of the latest song-theft lawsuit. A company called All Surface Publishing claims that his track ‘I Feel Good’ rips off an earlier song called ‘Samir’s Theme’, which was shared with Pitbull collaborator DJ White Shadow in 2011.…

Chris Cooke • 09 Aug 2024

One Liners - quickfire news from the music business • 9 min read

⏩ One Liners: deals, appointments, legal including Lemonaide x Beatstars, BTS star crashes Gucci Japan website, Sonos puts products on hold to sort out app disaster, iHeartMedia earnings, Burning Man tickets shock, Travis Scott arrest

Lemonaide x Beatstars; Gucci x BTS Jin; appointments at Bauer Media, MCT Agentur, Tickets For Good, Capitol Christian Music Group, TikTok; Travis Scott arrest; Beyoncé copyright lawsuit dropped; Instagram metrics; Sonos app woes; Audial Music; iHeart earnings show podcast growth and more…

CMU • 09 Aug 2024

Apple • 4 min read

Apple's latest proposal “blatantly disregards” fundamentals of EU’s DMA, says Spotify

Spotify and Epic are not impressed with Apple’s latest attempt to make its App Store rules around in-app payments compliant with the EU’s Digital Markets Act. New proposals offer more flexibility and lower fees, but Spotify and Epic claim the latest terms still violate European law…

Chris Cooke • 09 Aug 2024

Creators Rights Alliance • 3 min read

Creator groups call out copyright infringement in AI sector, demand that creator consent is secured

UK creator groups have sent a letter to various tech firms urging them to respect copyright when developing generative AI models. It also says that, when AI companies negotiate licensing deals with corporate rightsholders, they should seek assurances that those companies have secured creator consent…

Chris Cooke • 08 Aug 2024

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

⏩ One Liners: deals, appointments, legal round-up and earnings including Downtown x Double P Records, Avex USA, Concord, Peer Music, Defected Records, Featured Artists Coalition, SMIA, Kakao plus Spanish consumer watchdog eyes live music and ticketing

In today’s music business news round-up: Downtown’s deal with Peso Pluma, Nigerian producer Zone signs with Avex USA, FAC reveals Amazon Step Up Fund recipients, Kesha will record Diddy diss, Minelli memoir, SMIA Summit, Kakao & SM Entertainment earnings, plus release and tours news…

CMU • 08 Aug 2024

CMU Approved • 1 min read

🎧 Approved: THUS LOVE

THUS LOVE, a quartet hailing from Vermont, are known for their clangorous yet fabulous post-punk pop sound. Their latest single, ‘Birthday Song’, channels grungy glam rock with a transcendent hook, celebrating the joy of platonic friendship.…

Kaya Robertson • 08 Aug 2024

Anthropic • 3 min read

Anthropic’s “tired arguments” and “scare tactics” should be rejected, say music organisations

Various music industry trade organisations have submitted an amicus brief to the court where music publishers are suing AI company Anthropic for copyright infringement. The new court filing says that Anthropic is relying on tired arguments and scare tactics in its defence of the publishers’ lawsuit…

Chris Cooke • 08 Aug 2024

Taylor Swift • 1 min read

Taylor Swift’s three Vienna shows cancelled after terror attack arrests

Taylor Swift was due to play three shows in Vienna this week, starting this evening, but they have all been cancelled after the authorities confirmed they were investigating a planned terrorist attack at the venue where she was due to play. Two suspects have been arrested…

Chris Cooke • 08 Aug 2024

One Liners - quickfire news from the music business • 10 min read

⏩ One Liners: deals, appointments, legal round-up and earnings update including Sentric’s Cooking Vinyl JV, Gamma’s Africa focus, Believe gobbles up Turkish label plus Sony, Warner and Hybe earnings

What do you do when you get sidelined as top dog at a major? Remind yourself that you’re JULIE FUCKING GREENWALD, pick yourself up and get on with things. Also today: Sentric, Gamma, Believe, Bandlab, ProRata.ai, IPOA, SoundExchange, Paquin, Sony, WMG, Hybe plus Pitbull’s $6m stadium deal + more…

CMU • 07 Aug 2024

Private Copying • 3 min read

Finland slashes private copying compensation, sparking creative industries backlash

Finland’s decision to halve private copying compensation to €5.5 million has drawn the ire of creator groups. Critics argue that the cut violates EU law and jeopardises funding for crucial arts programmes, while demanding a return to €11 million and warning of “harmful and destructive” consequences…

Chris Cooke • 07 Aug 2024

Cox Communications • 3 min read

Majors hit back at Cox’s latest attempt to overturn billion dollar copyright ruling

Cox Communications' latest attempt to overturn a $1 billion copyright infringement ruling has been rebuffed by the major labels. The ISP claims evidence mishandling, but the majors say that Cox “lost this case in a fairly litigated trial", urging the court to reject its attempt to force a retrial…

Chris Cooke • 07 Aug 2024

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