🎧 Approved: Leatherette
Italian post-punk band Leatherette bring a guttural, King Krule-esque vibe, blending the restlessness of post-punk with the charm of new wave. Their new single ‘Itchy’ is a feverish and fuzzy breakup song.…
Artificial Intelligence
EU AI Act
European Composer & Songwriter Alliance (ECSA)
International Artist Organisation
Henna Virkkunen
Glenn MIcallef
Music industry legal news coverage
EU AI Act can only provide a “temporary fix” to the “darker aspect” of AI’s “profound disruption” to creative industries says open letter
US judge demolishes fair use defence in what could be landmark AI lawsuit
An AI company’s fair use defence in a copyright legal battle filed by Thomson Reuters has been rejected by an American judge. It’s a significant ruling because of the numerous US lawsuits against AI companies, including those filed by the music industry, that centre on the fair use defence…
YouTube boss Lyor Cohen says he is “deeply disappointed” by Kanye’s Nazi ranting as both Shopify and talent agent ditch rapper
Following Kanye West’s latest controversies, including a rant on X and him selling t-shirts featuring a swastika symbol, both Shopify and a talent agent have cut their ties with the rapper. Meanwhile record industry veteran Lyor Cohen has written an open letter urging West to take a different path…
What next for TikTok in the US as April deadline looms on the horizon?
While the US TikTok ban was postponed for 75 days by Donald Trump, the app’s future in the country remains uncertain, despite lots of speculation about which American billionaires want to buy it. Meanwhile the UK government is now on TikTok, despite the app being banned on government devices…
Ozzy Osbourne sued for posting photos of himself on social media
Ozzy Osbourne is the latest artist to be sued for posting photos of himself on social media. The copyrights in the images are owned by the photographer, who says no permission was granted to use the photos on social platforms that are “key components” of Osbourne’s “lucrative commercial enterprise”…
🎧 Approved: Neil Francis
Chicago-bred singer, songwriter and pianist Neal Francis channels the swagger of 70s icons. His latest single, ‘Need You Again’, is pulsing with the loose-limbed energy of late-70s proto-house, unspooling in sinewy riffs and rubbery funk grooves…
Does the US really need so many performing rights organisations and are they doing a good enough job, asks US Copyright Office
The increase in the number of collecting societies representing the performing rights of songwriters in the US is set to be considered in a new US Copyright Office inquiry. It will also review how societies distribute royalties, and whether independent writers and publishers are disadvantaged…
CMU Selects - last week’s standout releases
From Dean Blunt’s new lovestruck guitar ballads EP to Oklou performing her new single at a South London ice rink, last week brought everything from bliss pop to death metal. Here’s some picks you might have missed from last week.…
Web-blocks fail to “address the root causes of piracy”, VPN trade body tells copyright owners
French broadcaster Canal+ is trying to get web-blocking orders against a number of VPNs in a bid to block football piracy sites. However, VPN operators argue that forcing web-blocking onto their networks won’t stop piracy but will undermine “digital freedom for millions of French residents”…
Buzzword bingo ahoy! It’s Papa Grainge’s annual pat on the back, and he’s got a bone to pick with distributors
If you can’t buy them, beat them! Universal Music's top banana Sir Lucian Grainge is declaring war on nefarious behaviour and heinous practices in the non-major music company controlled recesses of the industry. If everyone did business as spotlessly as UMG, the world would be so much better! Right?…
NewJeans are now NJZ, as court dates set for Ador legal battle
K-pop group NewJeans have announced a rebrand as NJZ as a result of their legal dispute with former label Ador. They will start performing under the new name next month, just as legal action by Ador - which is seeking to enforce its contract with the group - arrives in court…
Court Of Appeal rejects Sony Music’s arguments for dismissing Jimi Hendrix Experience copyright case
In 2022, the estates of Jimi Hendrix’s bandmates in the Jimi Hendrix Experience sued Sony Music claiming their rights were being infringed. Sony has been trying to get the lawsuit dismissed, but the Court Of Appeal in London has knocked back those efforts, meaning the case will now proceed to trial…
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