CMU | the music business explained (Page 71)

Cornwall Council will hold meeting about ‘safety risks’ of Bob Vylan’s August Boardmasters performance - even through there weren’t any

Spotify finally adds lossless audio to premium

Anthropic will pay authors $1.5 billion to settle AI copyright case

Universal’s Downtown deal must be blocked by regulators before “cultural diversity is weakened irreversibly” says Dutch indie label group president

As EU hits pause on UMG Downtown investigation after “parties fail to provide important info”, Downtown boss whines about “misinformation”

More upheaval at Warner Music as UK label chiefs will report directly to US execs

Yet another senior exec out at Warner Music as UK boss Tony Harlow quits

Billion dollar piracy win for majors “defies common law and common sense” says Cox

Court dismisses Dave Rowntree’s black box lawsuit against PRS

Supertramp songwriter must continue to share publishing royalties with bandmates, US appeals court concludes

FTC sues ticket touting business that claims it is endorsed by Ticketmaster

Drake’s claims are “farcical” says Lucian Grainge as defamation battle rumbles on

Drake wants to trawl through Papa Grainge’s emails in ‘Not Like Us’ libel battle

Sony sues Napster over $9.2 million in unpaid royalties

Spotify age-checks could result in accounts being deleted, but only if you’re twelve

Increasing number of artists join Spotify boycott over CEO’s AI weapon investments

If China blocks TikTok deal app will “go dark” says US Commerce Secretary, but hints deal “coming soon”

Blackstone bails on consortium bidding to buy TikTok US - will a deal still be done by September deadline?

Anthropic’s ‘fair use’ win in AI copyright case could turn into a trillion dollar loss

No copyright exception for AI training in European law, says new report

Full scale anticompetition investigation on the cards after UMG’s Virgin Music fails to allay EU fears over Downtown merger

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?

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

Michael Jackson • 2 min read

Former Michael Jackson associate wants $213 million to stop allegations of abuse being made public

With a new biopic coming out next year, the Michael Jackson estate has begun legal action after a former associate of the pop star reportedly demanded a payment of $213 million to stop him going public with new abuse allegations. The man signed an NDA with the estate in 2020…

Chris Cooke • 23 Sep 2024

Releases & Tours • 1 min read

⏩ Releases & Tours News Monday 23 Sep

St Vincent, Bon Iver, GloRilla, Rahim Redcar, Chris Lake, Disclosure, Bad Bunny, Military Genius, Yseult + more…

CMU • 23 Sep 2024

Spotify • 2 min read

The MLC and Spotify’s legal back-and-forth rumbles on as MLC says Spotify is “relying on new purported facts”

The back and forth in the big bundling dispute between Spotify and US collecting society The MLC continues. Last month Spotify urged the court to dismiss The MLC’s lawsuit. In a new legal filing, The MLC argues that the legal standard for dismissal at this stage has not been met…

Chris Cooke • 23 Sep 2024

Universal Music • 2 min read

Lucian Grainge or God? Universal’s UK big cheese David Joseph is off to study religion

When you’ve worked for Lucian Grainge for most of your life, there’s only one obvious choice for your next job: go work for God. David Joseph, the CEO of Universal Music UK, has handed in his keys to the executive dining room and is off to study religion and theology.…

Chris Cooke • 23 Sep 2024

Live Nation • 3 min read

Live Nation says antitrust lawsuit is already “complicated enough” without the DoJ adding “legal theories”

Live Nation has made another filing with the New York court where it has been sued by the US government over allegations of anticompetitive conduct. It wants two elements of the lawsuit dismissed, saying “this case will be complicated enough” without having to deal with claims that are defective…

Chris Cooke • 23 Sep 2024

One Liners - quickfire news from the music business • 16 min read

⏩ One liners - music business news in brief: Gareth Mellor promoted at Downtown, Hanri Jamet new MD at Believe France, Trolley partners with Hopeless Records, Mixcloud acquires Encore, Nelly lawsuit, AIE x Latin Grammys, SoundExchange AI registry

Today: Trolley, Hopeless Records, Candy Crush Saga, In Place of War, Downtown Music, Empire, Believe, EU Copyright Directive, SoundExchange, Music Tectonics, Black Founders Programme, SNEP, Music For Dementia, Hopeless Records, Rocket Science Music, Nelly, Queen Latifah + more…

CMU • 20 Sep 2024

Releases & Tours • 1 min read

⏩ Releases & Tours News Friday 20 Sep

Gwen Stefani, Oxlade, Laurence Guy, Tommy Richman, Nelly Furtado, Jake Bugg, Kylie Minogue, Katy Perry, Joe & The Shitboys, Tom Misch + more…

CMU • 20 Sep 2024

Warner Music • 4 min read

After executive cull, Elliot Grainge will reveal new Atlantic leadership team next week

Elliot Grainge will announce Atlantic’s new leadership team next week as WMG boss Robert Kyncl sweeps the floor and shows the old guard the door. As papa Grainge heralds the “Streaming 2.0” era, all eyes will be on Atlantic’s new boss as he lays out his vision for the future…

Sam Taylor • 20 Sep 2024

Liberal Democrats • 3 min read

Liberal Democrats pass “Fair Deal For Musicians” conference motion

The UK’s Liberal Democrats have passed a motion at their annual conference calling for greater support for the music sector, including ticketing reform, music education funding, planning policy around venues - and says the government must introduce a ticket levy to support grassroots live sector…

Sam Taylor • 20 Sep 2024

Horizon • 4 min read

🌅 Horizon Future Leaders series - Sofia Jönsson Q&A

As part of our new 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. In this Q&A we caught up with Sofia Jönsson, Label Manager at !K7 Music’s Berlin office.…

Horizon Music Jobs • 20 Sep 2024

Cox Communications • 2 min read

Music groups ask US Supreme Court to stop “race to the bottom” by ISPs in anti-piracy work

After four ISPs made a filing with the US Supreme court supporting Cox in its legal battle with the major record labels, now six organisations representing copyright owners have made a submission in support of the music companies. The majors are trying to protect their billion dollar damages…

Chris Cooke • 20 Sep 2024

One Liners - quickfire news from the music business • 14 min read

⏩ One liners - music business news in brief: alleged streaming fraudster pleads not guilty, Meta and Spotify criticise EU AI decisions, MU slams Northern Ballet + more

Today: Dolly Parton x Home Chef, Prescription Songs x Shae Jacobs, Sony x Crux Global, The Circuit Group, Michael Smith, Young Thug, NITO v BOTS, TuneCore Accelerator, AMPOLLO launches, MVT Venues Day full programme, MMF, Music Mudder + more…

CMU • 19 Sep 2024