David Lowery - CMU | the music business explained

Business News • 4 min read

New American collecting society announces initial partners, including HFA

The Mechanical Licensing Collective has named initial partners, including the Harry Fox Agency, and Richard Thompson as Chief Information Officer, as it builds a new licensing system.…

Chris Cooke • 27 Nov 2019

Artist News • 1 min read

Setlist: EMI, Spotify, Nine Inch Nails

The Setlist podcast reviews Sony's plans to take majority control of EMI Music Publishing, a settled mechanical royalties case against Spotify, and how streaming is changing the album.…

Andy Malt • 30 May 2018

Artist News • 2 min read

Judge approves settlement in Lowery/Ferrick mechanical royalties case

A US judge has approved Spotify's $43.4 million settlement with songwriters David Lowery and Melissa Ferrick over unpaid mechanical royalties, overruling objections.…

Chris Cooke • 24 May 2018

Ariana Grande • 2 min read

CMU Digest 05.06.17: Ariana Grande, The Orchard, Spotify, safe harbours, BMI

This digest covers the One Love Manchester concert, Sony's UK label services merger, Spotify's mechanicals settlement, the EU safe harbour debate and a US licensing case.…

Chris Cooke • 05 Jun 2017

Business News • 2 min read

Spotify settles its big mechanical rights dispute Stateside

Spotify has settled the US class action over unpaid mechanical royalties, setting aside a $43.4 million fund for songwriters and publishers.…

Chris Cooke • 30 May 2017

Business News

CMU Podcast: David Lowery interview

In a special CMU Podcast, Chris Cooke interviews musician and vocal artist rights advocate David Lowery about streaming, his lawsuit against Spotify and the future of the music business.…

Chris Cooke • 03 Jul 2016

Business News • 1 min read

David Lowery and Melissa Ferrick's Spotify lawsuits combined

The two mechanical royalty lawsuits against Spotify, filed by David Lowery and Melissa Ferrick, have been merged into one case, with Spotify expected to seek dismissal.…

Chris Cooke • 25 May 2016

Business News • 2 min read

David Lowery's lawyers demand access to correspondence about Spotify's mechanical settlement

Lowery's lawyers want Spotify's correspondence with potential class members about its NMPA mechanicals settlement, arguing communications may have been misleading.…

Chris Cooke • 20 Apr 2016

Artist News

CMU Podcast: Mechanicals, Record Shops, SoundCloud, 50 Cent

Chris Cooke and Brittney Bean review the week's music business news, including the US mechanical rights dispute, UK entertainment retail figures, a SoundCloud hire and 50 Cent's Instagram posts.…

Chris Cooke • 11 Mar 2016

Business News • 2 min read

Rhapsody targeted with mechanicals lawsuit as Spotify reportedly tries to negotiate a settlement

Rhapsody has been sued over allegedly unpaid US mechanical royalties, while Spotify is reportedly negotiating with major publishers to halt the growing wave of litigation.…

Chris Cooke • 08 Mar 2016

Business News • 4 min read

Spotify responds to David Lowery's mechanicals lawsuit

Spotify has responded to David Lowery's bid to turn his mechanical rights lawsuit into a class action, blaming the music industry's bad rights data for its failure to alert rights owners.…

Chris Cooke • 16 Feb 2016

Artist News • 1 min read

The ten most-read news stories on the CMU site in January 2016

CMU lists its ten most-read news stories for January 2016, led by the KickassTorrents DDoS attack, The Pirate Bay's domain block, and Ticketmaster's Adele resale tickets.…

Andy Malt • 02 Feb 2016