CMU | the music business explained (Page 142)

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

Live Nation boss dismissive of streaming platforms’ superfan ambitions as company reports record year

Spotify wants to be “the best in the world at building AI products” and is focused on “accelerated execution”... but still no super-premium launch

Judge throws out MLC’s audiobooks bundle lawsuit, says Spotify can keep cutting songwriter royalties through its “cynical trick”

Universal Music’s new Spotify deal could be a knock-out blow for streaming platform’s audiobook bundling trick

Universal put “corporate greed” before Drake’s safety, says defamation lawsuit filed over Kendrick Lamar diss track

Beware the “wolf under the cape” in Universal’s Downtown land grab, warns Beggars boss as IMPALA calls for regulators to block the deal

EU AI Act can only provide a “temporary fix” to the “darker aspect” of AI’s “profound disruption” to creative industries says open letter

AI generated music will suck €4 billion a year away from music creators by 2028 says CISAC

Village People founder loves Trump using YMCA, but hates people calling it a gay anthem

Executives from BMG, Absolute Label Services, Mahogany Music, Punch Records and more to join award winning female entrepreneurs in Liverpool as first Sound City+ 2025 speakers unveiled

AIF makes desperate call for government to “step up, and step up now” to get festivals through “devastating period”, as MVT launches new Liveline fund

New AI transparency proposal in US Congress will “pave the way” for creator compensation says ASCAP boss

SXSW ditches weapons sponsors to burnish brand - so why won’t it ditch its ties to Saudi Arabia?

SXSW London could disrupt delicately balanced music ecosystem and should reconsider its date

Believe • 5 min read

Believe board backs buyout bid - but company will remain listed on Paris exchange

Believe’s move to private equity backing now looks like a done deal. The twist is that shareholders won’t be forced to sell their shares and can participate in Believe’s long term growth through a continued public listing, while sources point to “upcoming consolidation” in music industry…

Sam Taylor • 19 Apr 2024

One Liners - quickfire news from the music business • 2 min read

⏩ One Liners: Willi Young, Taylor Swift, RCA + more

RCA hires Harri Davies; IMPALA webinar for Earth Day; warning over Taylor Swift ticket scams; Music Creator Remuneration Working Group meets; new music from Will Young, Pearl Jam, Fontaines DC, Joe Goddard, AG Cook, John Grant, King Hannah, Sevdaliza, Shelf Lives…

Andy Malt • 18 Apr 2024

CMU Approved • 1 min read

Approved: Shiv

Providing the first taste of her upcoming album ‘The Defiance Of A Sad Girl’, Shiv releases new single ‘Limerance’. With dulcet yet resolute vocals intertwined with R&B melodies, Shiv unfurls the layers of emotion that make up an unrequited crush…

Kaya Robertson • 18 Apr 2024

Hipgnosis • 4 min read

Hipgnosis debacle might be over as Concord offers to acquire entire share capital of SONG - but there’s a catch…

Just like your favourite soap opera coming to an end, shed a tear as Hipgnosis v Hipgnosis packs its trunk and says goodbye to the circus, drawing the months-long drama to a close. But wait! There might be a twist…

Sam Taylor • 18 Apr 2024

Black Lives In Music • 2 min read

Black Lives In Music launches bullying and harassment survey

A new survey on bullying and harassment has been launched by Black Lives In Music, set to be used by the organisation itself and the UK government. The research is necessary, says chief exec Charisse Beaumont, because currently “data, especially from underrepresented groups, just doesn’t exist”…

Andy Malt • 18 Apr 2024

Live Nation • 3 min read

Live Nation is going to show you just how entertaining golf can be. No, really. Prepare yourselves...

Isn’t golf great? We all love a bit of golf. Who doesn’t? Where else can you enjoy power, entertainment and a walk with lots of rests? It really is the perfect sport. Vehemently pro-golf company Live Nation has now teamed up with golfing body The R&A to take The Women’s Open “to the next level”…

Sam Taylor • 18 Apr 2024

TikTok • 3 min read

TikTok ban added to aid bill in US House Of Representatives, which could speed up approval in the Senate

The TikTok-targeting sell-or-be-banned law that has already been passed by the US House Of Representatives is now also included in a new bill to be considered by the House alongside proposed aid for Ukraine and Israel. It is seen as a move to get the TikTok ban discussed in US Senate quicker.…

Chris Cooke • 18 Apr 2024

Economics Of Streaming • 3 min read

Save £70 on our Economics Of Streaming Masterclass Series

Get instant access to our series of CMU Masterclasses looking at the Economics Of Streaming debate for just £129…

CMU • 17 Apr 2024

Pandora • 3 min read

MLC lawsuit is “wild overreach” says Pandora, accusing US mechanicals society of “legal frolics”

Pandora has responded to a lawsuit filed by collecting society MLC in a dispute over whether or not the streaming platform’s personalised radio service should be classified as interactive or non-interactive. Pandora says not only is the MLC’s position on this wrong, it shouldn’t even have a position…

Chris Cooke • 17 Apr 2024

One Liners - quickfire news from the music business • 3 min read

⏩ One Liners: TikTok, Kate Nash, Virgin Music Group + more

TikTok, Cloud 9 Music, beatBread deals; Virgin Music Group promotion; Nothing Forced launches; Elrow to receive Beatport Award; Kerry King London show; new music from Kate Nash, Yannis Philippakis and Tony Allen, Cigarettes After Sex, Machinedrum, Martha Skye Murphy…

Andy Malt • 17 Apr 2024

A Greener Future • 2 min read

Food and transport still key contributors to festival carbon emissions, but improvements being made

There are still areas in which to improve but the sustainability of music festivals is getting better, according to A Greener Future. Food and transport remain the largest contributors to emissions, but there are improvements, with an increasing number of events cutting meat out of menus…

Andy Malt • 17 Apr 2024

Amazon • 1 min read

Amazon launches AI playlist tool in beta

Amazon Music has launched a new AI playlist creation tool in beta for a small number of US users. This comes hot on the heels of a similar new feature announced by Spotify earlier this month. Whether it’s anything more than a novelty remains to be seen…

Andy Malt • 17 Apr 2024