CMU | the music business explained (Page 2)

“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

Artificial Intelligence • 2 min read

Seeking to keep copyright and AI out of the Data Bill, ministers promise an impact assessment of proposed copyright exception

When the UK House Of Lords considered a new Data Bill it added some lines about the copyright and transparency obligations of AI companies. The government got them removed, but some MPs are trying to get them reinserted. Ministers now hope to placate critics with the promise of an impact assessment…

Chris Cooke • 01 May 2025

Kneecap • 3 min read

Artists sign open letter supporting Kneecap and opposing “political repression of artistic freedom”

Politicians and pundits laying into Kneecap over controversial on-stage remarks is now resulting in shows being cancelled. Seeing that as an attack on free speech, a stack of artists have signed an open letter supporting the rap group and criticising a “concerted attempt to censor” the band…

Chris Cooke • 01 May 2025

Artificial Intelligence • 2 min read

Björn Ulvaeus tells British lawmakers that the “AI revolution” will be positive, but only if creator rights are respected

Björn Ulvaeus has been in Westminster this week in his role as CISAC President urging UK lawmakers to resist demands from AI companies to weaken copyright law. The “AI revolution” is to be welcomed, he told MPs and Lords, providing AI companies form “mutually-respecting partnerships” with creators…

Chris Cooke • 30 Apr 2025

TICKET Act • 4 min read

US House passes TICKET Act, but industry groups raise concerns about loophole in speculative selling ban

The US House Of Representatives has passed the TICKET Act, which will introduce new regulations for the American ticketing sector. The music community is mainly supportive of the new rules, though there are concerns that there’s a problematic loophole in the current version of the new legislation…

Chris Cooke • 30 Apr 2025

Isaac Hayes • 3 min read

The Isaac Hayes estate’s copyright lawsuit against Trump can proceed, but judge axes false endorsement claims

Attempts by Donald Trump to get a copyright lawsuit filed over his use of an Isaac Hayes song at his rallies dismissed have failed, meaning the litigation will now proceed. However, a separate claim that Trump’s use of the song also constituted false endorsement has been axed by the judge…

Chris Cooke • 29 Apr 2025

Kneecap • 3 min read

Kneecap distance themselves from past on-stage remarks, but remain forthright in response to critics

Kneecap have responded to the recent controversies about past on-stage remarks, which have become newsworthy following their Coachella sets. They insist they don’t support Hamas and would never incite violence, adding past comments are being misrepresented “to manufacture moral hysteria”…

Chris Cooke • 29 Apr 2025

CMU Approved • 1 min read

🎧 Approved: Model/Actriz

New York provocateurs Model/Actriz are like gothy post-punk dragged across a sweat-slicked dance floor. Their new single ‘Diva’ is an unsettling, seductive descent into desire and detachment…

Kaya Robertson • 29 Apr 2025

Kneecap • 4 min read

Conservative leader calls for Kneecap to be prosecuted over “kill your local MP” statement, as potential US visa issues mount for the group

Kneecap are facing mounting criticism over past comments in support of Hamas and declaring that “the only good Tory is a dead Tory”. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch wants the rap group prosecuted, while speculation increases that Donald Trump’s government could block them from touring in the US…

Chris Cooke • 28 Apr 2025

Streaming Levy • 2 min read

Major labels want to formally intervene in legal case to oppose Canadian streaming levy

The major record companies want to intervene in the legal case challenging the proposed streaming levy in Canada. The major labels, unlike the indies, oppose the levy, and say they are “uniquely positioned” to provide insight as the digital platforms fight the levy proposals through the courts…

Chris Cooke • 28 Apr 2025

CMU Selects • 1 min read

CMU Selects - the last fortnight’s standout releases

From WARGASM’s hostile hyperactivity to Chaos In The CBD’s smooth dive into G-fun, here’s what stood out among the last fortnight’s latest releases.…

Kaya Robertson • 28 Apr 2025

Universal Music • 2 min read

EU competition regulator to investigate Universal’s Downtown deal

The EU’s competition regulator has announced it will investigate Universal Music’s deal to buy Downtown Music which, it says, “threatens to significantly affect competition” in the EU music market. The news has been welcomed by the indie music sector which has urged the regulator to block the deal…

Chris Cooke • 25 Apr 2025