CMU | the music business explained (Page 55)

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

Fleetwood Mac • 2 min read

Fleetwood Mac producer says stage play about a fictional band rips off his memoir

In 2012, producer Ken Caillat published a memoir about his work on Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Rumours’. He reckons that book formed the basis of the Broadway play ‘Stereophonic’, about a band working on a new album. The writer of the play denies that’s the case, but Caillat has sued for copyright infringement…

Chris Cooke • 03 Oct 2024

CMU Approved • 1 min read

🎧 Approved: A Place To Bury Strangers

A Place to Bury Strangers have cemented the be-all-end-all space for over-the-top post-punk/shoegaze destruction. Their latest single ‘Fear Of Transformation’ is a snarling, gothic techno-punk track; a jagged dialogue between the temptation to retreat and the drive to shatter self-imposed limits…

Kaya Robertson • 03 Oct 2024

TikTok • 5 min read

TikTok’s stance on direct licensing is “disingenuous” and risks harming the digital supply chain say industry insiders

TikTok wants to do direct licensing deals with Merlin members, cutting Merlin out of the equation. It claims this is to help tackle copyright issues but industry sources have told CMU that in fact it could make things worse, not better - and potentially harm the whole digital supply chain…

Sam Taylor • 02 Oct 2024

Diddy • 2 min read

Diddy now faces sexual assault lawsuit tsunami, with as many as 120 more people due to file legal action

Diddy’s legal woes are escalating, with numerous new lawsuits set to be filed including allegations of sexual assault from 120 people. The lawyer representing the new accusers has also pledged to “expose the enablers who enabled this conduct behind closed doors”…

Chris Cooke • 02 Oct 2024

Releases & Tours • 1 min read

⏩ Releases & Tours News Wednesday 2 Oct

Leon Vynehall, FINNEAS, Peter Xan, Babymorocco, Beans On Toast, Gavin Friday, Bricknasty…

CMU • 02 Oct 2024

BookMyShow • 3 min read

BookMyShow boss questioned by police following Coldplay ticket touting controversy in India

Tickets to Coldplay’s 2025 shows in India sold out in minutes last month before appearing on resale sites at significantly marked up prices. There were allegations primary seller BookMyShow had connections to the resellers, something it denies. Though its CEO has now been questioned by Mumbai police…

Chris Cooke • 02 Oct 2024

Merlin • 2 min read

Merlin's letter to members about TikTok licensing negotiations

Merlin has written a letter to its members, saying that TikTok "walked away" from licensing negotiations and intends to pursue direct deals with some Merlin members…

CMU • 01 Oct 2024

One Liners - quickfire news from the music business • 11 min read

⏩ One liners - music business news in brief: TikTok x Merlin spat, Myles Smith signs Sony publishing deal, The Circuit Group inks deal with LabelWorx, Spotify's Global Head of Music quits

Today: The Circuit Group, Audiomack, Music Producers Guild, QMusic, CMT, Spotify, The KOKO Foundation, Merlin, TikTok, Serenade, Sonos, ABBA Voyage, TRNSMT Festival, Sweaty Ceilings, Green Man Festival, Independent Music Awards, Reservoir Media, PPL, Brain Records + more…

CMU • 01 Oct 2024

YouTube • 2 min read

YouTube and SESAC kiss and make up as renewed deal sees blocked videos return

This weekend music videos featuring songs by writers allied with American collecting society SESAC were blocked on YouTube in the US, because its SESAC licence was about to expire and no new deal had been agreed. But, at the very last minute, a deal was done and the videos are back…

Chris Cooke • 01 Oct 2024

CMU Approved • 1 min read

🎧 Approved: Tanerélle

Atlanta multi-hyphenate Tanerélle exudes warmth in her music. Asserting herself as just the outlier R&B needs, her new single ‘I Wish’ is a sultry, atmospheric track with its heavy bass, neo-soul elements and electro-R&B breakdowns…

Kaya Robertson • 01 Oct 2024