CMU | the music business explained (Page 19)

“History repeating itself” say music creators as majors start negotiations with Suno and Udio

NYC backs plan to hike streaming prices by 50% to pay musicians as much as $40k a year each

Major labels face setback as Trump’s pet DOJ legal beagle sides with Cox in piracy battle

We are just another victim in the shameful lineage of Apple intimidation and bullying, cries Musi

SoundCloud’s amended AI clause still “fundamentally terrible for artists” says Ed Newton-Rex

Guardrails aren’t proof of infringement says Anthropic as judge spanks AI company for “hallucinated” filin

Drake’s Super Bowl gripes in amended lawsuit show defamation action is really an attack on Kendrick Lamar’s success, says Universal

“I just don't understand how that can be fair use”, says judge in Meta AI trial

Pressure mounts for Universal Music Group’s $775 million Downtown acquisition as MEP highlights UMG’s “unprecedented control” of music ecosystem

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?

With the US record industry officially in recession can superpremium and superfans really save the major labels from streaming’s slowdown?

Record industry’s modest growth should make other industries jealous says IFPI boss, as labels weigh in on growth opportunities and AI threats

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

Horizon Future Leaders • 4 min read

🌅 Horizon Future Leaders - Sope Soetan

As part of our Horizon Future Leaders series of interviews, we are connecting with the music industry’s next generation of leaders to gather candid advice and insights into their career journeys. This week, we caught up with Sope Soetan, a music publicist, journalist, writer and speaker.…

Horizon Music Jobs • 28 Feb 2025

Proper Music Distribution • 12 min read

Proper Music saved as Drew Hill and Artone conclude strategic acquisition deal to buy the assets of Proper Music Group

Drew Hill has announced that Proper Music Distribution will be acquired by Artone, the Dutch physical music specialists, in a triumph for the future of independent physical music in the UK…

Sam Taylor • 28 Feb 2025

Sound City • 3 min read

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

The Sound City+ Conference in Liverpool has announced more details about its 2025 edition, including BPI bringing its In Tune With Tomorrow Summit to Liverpool for the first time. A wide range of high profile speakers and senior executives will be joining the conversation on Friday 2 May…

CMU • 27 Feb 2025

CMU Approved • 1 min read

🎧 Approved: Mappe Of

Mappe Of operates at the fringes of folk, threading organic instrumentation through intricate, electronic textures. His latest single, ‘Happiness In The Singularity’, pushes that fusion further, layering glitchy synths over wistful melodies in a meditation on digital permanence…

Kaya Robertson • 27 Feb 2025

Ultra Music Publishing • 3 min read

Ultra boss says “nothing changes but the name” as he downplays Sony trademark face-off defeat

A judge has ruled on Sony’s legal battle with former business partner Patrick Moxey over his continued use of the Ultra brand. Sony now owns the Ultra label Moxey founded and insisted he can’t use the brand for his publishing company. The judge agreed, meaning Ultra Music Publishing needs a new name…

Chris Cooke • 27 Feb 2025

The Cranberries • 3 min read

Universal uses Vevo and unfair international deductions to the “detriment of artists” alleges lawsuit filed by The Cranberries

The Cranberries have sued Island Records for allegedly under-paying digital royalties by allowing foreign subsidiaries to take 40% of streaming revenue as it flows through their bank accounts and using Vevo to reduce payments on YouTube streams. The band are suing for more than $5 million in damages…

Chris Cooke • 27 Feb 2025

Artificial Intelligence • 2 min read

UK government to offer additional concessions to creative industries as it proceeds with AI copyright exception plan

The deadline for a government consultation on copyright and AI passed yesterday. Ministers want to introduce a new copyright exception for AI companies but, sources say, now plan to propose additional concessions for the creative industries after a high profile campaign against the new exception…

Chris Cooke • 26 Feb 2025

iHeart • 3 min read

Payola back in the spotlight as FCC boss asks about artist deals at upcoming iHeart festival

US media regulator the FCC recently warned broadcasters that pressuring artists to play their events for free in return for airplay likely constitutes illegal payola. Now the FCC wants to know what radio giant iHeart is paying artists playing one of its festivals in Austin this May…

Chris Cooke • 26 Feb 2025

Artificial Intelligence • 5 min read

1000+ musicians collaborate on silent protest album as deadline arrives for UK government’s big AI consultation

Today is the deadline for the UK government’s consultation on copyright and AI, including the proposed new copyright exception for AI companies. The music industry strongly opposes that proposal and, with that in mind, more than a 1000 artists have together released a silent album in protest…

Chris Cooke • 25 Feb 2025

Barry Manilow • 2 min read

Barry Manilow tells London judge bonus dispute with Hipgnosis should be fought out in LA

Barry Manilow and Hipgnosis are involved in a legal dispute over bonus payments stemming from a 2020 deal. Both have filed lawsuits, Manilow in LA and Hipgnosis in London. Manilow last week told a London judge that, under his Hipgnosis deal, he gets to decide where the litigation is fought out…

Chris Cooke • 25 Feb 2025

CMU Approved • 1 min read

🎧 Approved: Witch Post

Witch Post is Alaska Reid and Dylan Fraser, two artists from different Livingstons - one in Montana, the other in Scotland. Their new single ‘Dreaming’ blends moody indie with warped pop. Named after carvings once used to ward off spirits, Witch Post instead invites something in…

Kaya Robertson • 25 Feb 2025

Diddy • 2 min read

Diddy defence lawyer quits saying there are “no circumstances” under which he can continue to rep the musician

A lawyer working for Diddy as he fights criminal charges of sex trafficking has asked the judge to let him quit the case, though hasn’t really provided much information why. It shouldn’t delay the schedule for Diddy’s May trial as there are five other lawyers working on the case…

Chris Cooke • 24 Feb 2025

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