CMU | the music business explained (Page 4)

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

Miley Cyrus • 6 min read

Let’s not take a wrecking ball to copyright, says judge in Miley Cyrus ‘Flowers’ song-theft case

Miley Cyrus is trying to get a lawsuit dismissed which claims that her hit ‘Flowers’ rips off a Bruno Mars song. She argued that the investment company that sued her doesn’t have any exclusive rights in the Mars song, despite acquiring a share of the copyright. A judge has now rejected that argument…

Chris Cooke • 19 Mar 2025

Grande Communications • 3 min read

Another big ISP wants the US Supreme Court to intervene in its piracy battle with the majors

US ISP Grande, which lost a $47 million legal battle with the major record companies over its failure to deal with its music pirating customers, wants the US Supreme Court to review the case. It’s the second ISP to ask the Supreme Court to intervene on the copyright liabilities of internet companies…

Chris Cooke • 19 Mar 2025

Drake • 4 min read

Hypocrite Drake sued Universal because he lost a rap battle, says Universal

Universal Music has responded to Drake’s claims that it defamed him by releasing Kendrick Lamar’s diss track ‘Not Like Us’. Those claims, says the major, are ridiculous, because everyone knows diss tracks contain “rhetorical hyperbole” which amounts to opinion rather than statements of fact…

Chris Cooke • 18 Mar 2025

TikTok • 3 min read

As the next TikTok ban approaches in the US, is a revamp of Oracle’s 2020 deal likely to save the app?

TikTok is set to be banned in the US on 5 Apr unless it is sold by China-based owner ByteDance. Negotiations for a sale are very much underway in the White House, including a deal involving Oracle, though it’s not clear that deal will be approved by China, or supported by Republicans in Congress…

Chris Cooke • 18 Mar 2025

CMU Approved • 1 min read

🎧 Approved: Cain Culto

Cain Culto operates in a world of high drama and warped pop maximalism. A former worship pastor turned provocateur, his latest track ‘KFC Santería’ is Culto at full power: part sermon, part satire, part hyperreal fever dream…

Kaya Robertson • 18 Mar 2025

Cardi B • 3 min read

Cardi B beat theft accusers forgot to register composition with US Copyright Office, says Atlantic

Atlantic Records wants a lawsuit that says Cardi B’s ‘Enough (Miami)’ ripped off an earlier track dismissed, because the earlier work wasn’t registered with the US Copyright Office, and an amended lawsuit trying to circumvent the registration issue by making a state law claim is invalid…

Chris Cooke • 17 Mar 2025

CMU Selects • 2 min read

CMU Selects - last week’s standout releases

Last week’s releases spanned the full spectrum - from club anthems to a final transmission from an icon. Whether you were looking to dance, reflect or get lost in the noise, here’s what stood out.…

Kaya Robertson • 17 Mar 2025

Iggy Azalea • 3 min read

Iggy Azalea slams Universal Music as “criminals” and the “scummiest company” which “actively takes advantage” of artists

Iggy Azalea is involved in a dispute with Universal Music over millions in allegedly unpaid royalties. She says she’ll be fine because she can afford lawyers, but the record company “does this to so many artists” who can’t afford to fight, which means too often “they get away with this behaviour”…

Chris Cooke • 17 Mar 2025

Karol G • 2 min read

Reggaeton singer Karol G accused of beat theft on 2022 track ‘Gatúbela’

Reggaeton star Karol G has been accused of ripping off an existing beat when making her track ‘Gatúbela’. Beatmaker Alfr3d Beats reckons it was ‘Gatúbela’ producer DJ Maff who accessed his beat on YouTube and then used it without permission, alleging that he admitted as much in an Instagram exchange…

Chris Cooke • 14 Mar 2025

OpenAI • 6 min read

Trump must “weigh in” on AI copyright debate and pressure “less innovative countries” on copyright rules, says OpenAI

OpenAI has asked Donald Trump to stand up for the fair use principle which it believes allows it to use existing content in its AI training without the permission of rightsholders. It also wants Trump to put pressure on countries where copyright rules restrict AI training, which will include the UK…

Chris Cooke • 14 Mar 2025

Horizon Future Leaders • 4 min read

🌅 Horizon Future Leaders - Daniele Yandel

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 Daniele Yandel, Senior Manager Of Member Operations at Merlin.…

Horizon Music Jobs • 14 Mar 2025