CMU | the music business explained (Page 3)

Budweiser boasts of “$0 spent on music rights” in “iconic songs” campaign, wins ad-land’s biggest prize

EU regulators formally launch investigation into Universal Music’s Downtown deal

Did Sony’s Rob Stringer just hand regulators the case to tank Universal’s Downtown dreams?

Ticketmaster offered touts meetings with Live Nation’s top lawyer

Don’t gaslight MPs warns Caroline Dinenage as she says ministers have got into a “terrible pickle” over AI

As another festival falls, AIF proposes new tax relief scheme

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 • 5 min read

🌅 Horizon Future Leaders - Shanté Collier-McDermott

This week, we spoke to Shanté Collier-McDermott, Senior Promotions Manager at Ditto Label Services, artist manager to rising talent Ama Louise, and a freelance journalist whose bylines span CLASH, GRM Daily and beyond.…

Horizon Music Jobs • 13 Jun 2025

Artificial Intelligence • 3 min read

AI platform Midjourney is “bottomless pit of plagiarism” say Hollywood studios as they join legal battle against AI

Film studios Disney and Universal have sued Midjourney claiming that its image-generating AI is “a bottomless pit of plagiarism”. Although a movie industry case, it’s relevant to the music business too, with the RIAA stating that the studios’ lawsuit is “a critical stand for human creativity”…

Chris Cooke • 12 Jun 2025

Exit Festival • 2 min read

EXIT Festival to quit Serbia after “immense financial and political pressure”

EXIT Festival boss Dušan Kovačević says that this year’s event will be the last to take place in Serbia, after the government exerted pressure that saw its funding cut and sponsors pull away. That was a result of the festival giving support to anti-corruption protests in the country…

Sam Taylor • 12 Jun 2025

Live Nation • 5 min read

Ticketmaster offered touts meetings with Live Nation’s top lawyer

Ticket touts who were convicted of fraud were offered meetings with Selina Emeny, Live Nation’s International Group Counsel, says a BBC investigation, with the live giant raking in huge commissions from fraudulent sales. Maybe Live Nation could cough up a similar donation to the LIVE Trust……

Sam Taylor • 12 Jun 2025

CMU Approved • 1 min read

🎧 Approved: Joviale

London-based artist Joviale crafts portal-like songs; chaptered, strangely sweet selves. New single ‘HARK!’, from debut album ‘Mount Crystal’, is a sinister funk centrepiece: swaggering vocals over rubbery bass, angular strums and unruly beats…

Kaya Robertson • 12 Jun 2025

Artificial Intelligence • 4 min read

Don’t gaslight MPs warns Caroline Dinenage as she says ministers have got into a “terrible pickle” over AI

The House Of Lords is now expected to pass the Data Bill without the provisions on AI transparency it has been trying hard to include. The government says it has listened to the Lords and in response committed to publish some reports. But, that’s just “pushing the can down the road”, say critics…

Chris Cooke • 11 Jun 2025

Grande Communications • 3 min read

What does ‘egregious infringement’ even mean, asks Grande as it ridicules majors’ latest piracy filing

Grande Communications wants the US Supreme Court to overturn a $47 million judgement against it in a piracy case pursued by the major record companies. The majors recently argued that judgement was sound because it related to “egregious copyright infringement”. In a new filing, Grande disagrees…

Chris Cooke • 11 Jun 2025

Association Of Independent Festivals • 2 min read

As another festival falls, AIF proposes new tax relief scheme

As Homestead, a new festival in Somerset, announces it can’t go ahead due to tough economic factors, AIF has again called for more government support for festivals, switching its main demand from a VAT cut on tickets to a new tax relief scheme for smaller events…

Chris Cooke • 10 Jun 2025

IMPALA • 3 min read

Industry and policymakers should work together to stop two-tier streaming market taking hold, says new IMPALA report

IMPALA has published a new report on the streaming business, criticising recent trends that are creating a two-tier market that favours the majors. It calls on industry and policymakers to work together to ensure a steaming ecosystem that “supports innovation, inclusivity and sustainable growth”…

Chris Cooke • 10 Jun 2025

CMU Approved • 1 min read

🎧 Approved: Ain’t

Pulling from post-punk, shoegaze and 90s indie, South London’s Ain’t map out a sound that’s tense, slightly off-centre, but always measured. On new single ‘Jude’, guitars blur into texture, vocals drift in and out of focus, and atmosphere quietly takes the lead over melody…

Kaya Robertson • 10 Jun 2025

Brockwell Live • 3 min read

Campaigners say second round of legal action should stop “misuse of planning powers” that allowed Brockwell Park festivals to go ahead

While the 2025 edition of Brockwell Live is over, the legal battle over the use of London’s Brockwell Park as a festival venue continues. Local campaigners have launched a second judicial review which they say should stop the “misuse of planning powers” that allowed the 2025 festivals to proceed…

Chris Cooke • 09 Jun 2025

Explore topics

View all

Music industry legal news coverage

One Liners - quickfire news from the music business

Digital services and platforms news

Live industry news including ticketing, venues, festivals and more