CMU | the music business explained (Page 151)

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

Digital services and platforms news • 3 min read

US Congress members propose new performer remuneration system funded by a streaming levy

New proposals in US Congress would introduce a performer equitable remuneration system on streaming paid for by a new levy applied to subscription fees. Monies generated by the levy would flow directly to performers via a new fund…

Chris Cooke • 07 Mar 2024

Jeremy Hunt • 4 min read

Music industry responds to UK budget

The UK Chancellor Of The Exchequer Jeremy Hunt yesterday announced the government’s latest budget. Numerous music industry organisations have issued responses, welcoming an extension of orchestra tax relief but criticising the continued lack of a reduction in VAT on ticket sales…

CMU • 07 Mar 2024

Spotify • 4 min read

La France a tenu bon face à l'intimidation de Spotify - et Spotify pique une colère

Spotify va augmenter ses prix en France en raison d'une nouvelle taxe sur le streaming. Auparavant, l'entreprise avait menacé de "désinvestir de la France" si le gouvernement mettait en place cette législation.…

Sam Taylor • 07 Mar 2024

CMU Approved • 1 min read

Approved: Earth Tongue

The five year wait for Earth Tongue’s second album is almost up, with ‘Great Haunting’ set to arrive this summer. Out now is the first single from the LP ‘Bodies Dissolve Tonight’, which shows off their fuzzy psych-rock sound perfectly and might just make them your new favourite band…

Andy Malt • 07 Mar 2024

ERA • 5 min read

Mean Millennials scrap streaming subscriptions, mail order music is booming - and Apple Music might be making £500 million or more in the UK

ERA’s annual stats bang shows a whole bunch of interesting things - including a booming market for mail order music, a declining audiobook opportunity - and a strong correlation with IFPI’s global stats…

Sam Taylor • 06 Mar 2024

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

⏩ One Liners: Kylie Minogue, Bryan Ferry, Justice + more

Bryan Ferry catalogue deal; Global, BBC Concert Orchestra, We Generate, Warner Chappell appointments; TuneCore launches Release Tracker; Kylie and Shania Barbies; Jay Weinberg joins Suicidal Tendencies; Palm Reader split; new music from Justice, Kim Gordon, La Luz, Pepe Deluxé…

Andy Malt • 06 Mar 2024

TikTok • 3 min read

New US-wide TikTok ban proposed in Congress

More US politicians are trying to get TikTok banned in the country over data security concerns caused by the app being owned by China-based Bytedance. A new bill proposed in Congress orders ByteDance to sell the app or face a US-wide ban…

Chris Cooke • 06 Mar 2024

Tidal • 2 min read

Tidal phases out HiFi Plus tier, makes higher quality audio part of its standard subscription product

Tidal will next month merge its HiFi and HiFi Plus subscription tiers, meaning higher quality and immersive audio will become available with a standard 10.99 subscription. Currently the higher quality audio is restricted to its 19.99 HiFi Plus package…

Chris Cooke • 06 Mar 2024

X • 2 min read

Music publishers lawsuit against X cut back but allowed to proceed

A lawsuit filed by a group of music publishers against X will proceed, although with some claims removed. The social media firm wanted the case dismissed outright, but a judge says that allegations of contributory infringement stemming from the unlicensed music on its platform should go to trial…

Chris Cooke • 06 Mar 2024

ChatGPT • 2 min read

Here’s what happened when we asked cutting edge AI chatbots to pretend to be millennials who had scrapped their streaming subscriptions.

Millennials are more likely to cut their streaming subscriptions. We wanted to know why, but couldn't find any to ask - so asked ChatGPT and Claude to pretend to be Millennials. Confusing? You bet. Fun? Maybe.…

CMU • 06 Mar 2024

Night & Day • 3 min read

Manchester City Council has spent nearly £90,000 fighting Night & Day legal battle

A freedom of information request has revealed that Manchester City Council has now spent nearly £90,000 on its legal battle with the Night & Day venue over a noise abatement order. It blames the venue for taking the matter to court, a claim the Music Venue Trust rejects…

Chris Cooke • 05 Mar 2024

Apple • 4 min read

Apple hits out at EU competition ruling that “ignores the realities of a market”

Apple has responded to the European Union’s ruling that its App Store rules breach competition law, hitting out at both Spotify and the European Commission, and all the meetings that Spotify has had with EC officials since first complaining about its rules around in-app payments…

Chris Cooke • 05 Mar 2024