CMU | the music business explained (Page 96)

Axing of controversial EBacc is a “step in the right direction” for music education says Ed Sheeran

Former Guns N Roses manager sues band over autobiography blocker clause

Judgement in Getty’s UK lawsuit against Stability “underscores growing gap” between copyright and tech, says leading lawyer

Spotify’s streaming fraud initiatives are “nothing more than window dressing” says rapper RBX as he files class action lawsuit

Streaming services don’t want French language quotas in Québec

Universal has settled its lawsuit with Udio, and signed AI deals with Udio and Stability

Spotify questions MLC’s “motivations” in pursuing audiobook bundling dispute lawsuit

Lizzo is being sued over an uncleared sample - on a track she never released

Viagogo is unfair, opaque and violates EU law, consumer group tells regulator

Bobby Vylan says he has no regrets about “death to the IDF” chant at Glastonbury

Ticketmaster says FTC allegations it colluded with touts “nonsensical”, but it is changing some of its rules and shutting down TradeDesk

New Udio lawsuit hones in on the “significant and unequal harm” inflicted on independent musicians by music AI

Majors tell US Supreme Court to ignore ISP’s doom and gloom predictions and uphold billion dollar piracy ruling

Drake vows to appeal after judge throws out defamation lawsuit against Universal

High profile songwriters express concern about PRS transparency, accuracy and admin costs

Anthropic’s own guardrails revive full copyright lawsuit from litigious music publishers

Suno tells court to reject stream-ripping “gambit” by major labels in AI legal battle

As indie labels ramp up campaign for EU to block the UMG x Downtown merger, a French music lawyer says concerns around data are “fantasy or paranoia”

As FT says major labels are close to “landmark” AI licensing deals, is a new battle royale going to kick off within the music industry?

No one seems to know if Kneecap are still banned from Canada - or whether they were ever actually banned at all

Don’t say gruesome twosome: Ek steps sideways at Spotify to make way for not one but two new CEOs

‘Something Inside’ songwriter goes legal over Tommy Robinson’s use of his anti-apartheid anthem

Donald Trump signs executive order “saving TikTok”

Tabloid claims that Dua Lipa sacked agent over Glasto Kneecap letter are “categorically false” and “deliberately inflammatory”

Major labels add piracy claims to Suno lawsuit after $1.5 billion Anthropic settlement

Live Nation colludes with ticket touts, says US government as it launches legal action

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

One Liners - quickfire news from the music business • 10 min read

⏩ One Liners: deals, appointments, legal round-up including Beatdapp x MLC, Spotify sued over Group Session and Jam, Vick Bain appointed LIPA companion, Independent Venue Week 2025 plus releases & tours

MLC partners with Beatdapp, Solange Knowles creates glassware line, Lordi create OnePlus song, Spotify sued by BlueJay Technologies, 50 Cent beats drug dealer lawsuit over 'Power', HYBE launches US services business, Independent Venue Week, LIPA Companions, plus latest releases + more…

CMU • 06 Aug 2024

CMU Approved • 1 min read

🎧 Approved: Sienna Spiro

You may know Sienna Spiro from her soulful TikTok covers, but her new track, ‘MAYBE’, asserts her as an emerging artist to watch…

Kaya Robertson • 06 Aug 2024

TikTok • 3 min read

TikTok forced to ditch “addictive” Lite rewards scheme in the EU

TikTok has permanently withdrawn its TikTok Lite rewards programme in Europe following criticism from EU officials. The EU has made the move legally binding. Over in the US, TikTok has criticised the redactions in a government submission justifying the sell-or-be-banned law…

Chris Cooke • 06 Aug 2024

Viagogo • 3 min read

PR push shows Viagogo is “rattled” by UK government’s price-cap pledge, say campaigners

The new UK government has pledged to introduce a price cap on ticket resale. This is bad news for Viagogo, which has ramped up its PR efforts, including publishing stats on fananomics and having MD Cris Miller provide Olympic-themed criticism of any new regulations…

Chris Cooke • 05 Aug 2024

One Liners - quickfire news from the music business • 8 min read

⏩ One Liners: deals, legal updates, artist news including Meta's AI voice deals and 'Vultures 2' sample criticism, plus latest releases

Meta negotiating AI voice deals, IMPEL allies with AMRA, Portishead criticise 'Vultures 2' sample, Daniel Bedingfiled is AI fan, Jarvis Cocker is a dog breed says Gen Z, Aerosmith retire from touring, NSYNC reunion discussions, latest releases + more…

CMU • 05 Aug 2024

TikTok • 5 min read

US TikTok ban addresses “grave national-security threats” and is a “triumph for human rights” say new court filings

The deadline for submitting amicus briefs to the court considering legal challenges to the TikTok-targeting sell-or-be-banned law was Friday. Among those supporting the law are former national security chiefs, Congress members, state attorneys general, human rights groups and free speech experts…

Chris Cooke • 05 Aug 2024

CMU Digest • 6 min read

📑 CMU Digest: Suno and Udio file fair use defence + The 1975 sued by Malaysian festival

CMU Digest is a weekly round-up of the most interesting music business news stories from the last seven days.…

CMU • 05 Aug 2024

Roc-A-Fella • 2 min read

Damon Dash’s Roc-A-Fella stake to be auctioned off by US authorities, but buyers may be bidding against Jay-Z

33% of Roc-A-Fella Records will be up for auction later this month. The US Marshals Service is selling off Damon Dash’s stake in order to pay debts stemming from past legal action. However, the company will still be controlled by Jay-Z and Kareem ‘Biggs’ Burke, who may also bid to acquire the stake…

Chris Cooke • 02 Aug 2024

Artificial Intelligence • 2 min read

Suno and Udio’s training admission is a “major concession” says RIAA

Suno and Udio yesterday filed responses to the lawsuits filed against them by the major record companies, presenting a fair use defence and accusing the majors of anticompetitive conduct. The RIAA has responded, saying the responses contain a “major concession”, but mainly continue to mislead…

Chris Cooke • 02 Aug 2024

Warner Music • 2 min read

Warner Music overhauls recordings division: Max Lousada out, Elliot Grainge promoted

Warner Music is the latest major record company to announce a significant restructure of the business. It involves a flattening of its corporate hierarchy and more execs reporting directly into CEO Robert Kyncl. The major’s current CEO of Recorded Music, Max Lousada, is stepping down…

Chris Cooke • 02 Aug 2024

One Liners - quickfire news from the music business • 9 min read

One Liners: deals, appointments, legal & industry news round-up including Britney biopic, Journey spat, Juice WRLD, Apple vs Bytedance plus latest releases

Universal Pictures planning Britney biopic, new B-unique label, SM Entertainment unveil British boy band, Believe financials, legal dispute between Journey members, Garbage cancel rest of tour, latest releases + more…

CMU • 02 Aug 2024

One Liners - quickfire news from the music business • 6 min read

⏩ One Liners: deals, appoints, legal round up and industry news including Hybe revamp, Rimas scouting deal, Internet Archive lawsuit plus releases & tours

Wise Music signs Dobrawa Czocher, Secretly Canadian signs Brandon, Rimas teams up with Wild Company in Chile, Sony Music Publishing ups Rob Stratton, majors agree to private mediation in Internet Archive lawsuit, Live Nation’s lawyer problem, Megaupload’s Kim Dotcom still fighting extradition + more…

CMU • 01 Aug 2024