Digital services and platforms news - CMU | the music business explained (Page 12)

Apple hits out at EU competition ruling that “ignores the realities of a market”

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Apple • 4 min read

Apple hits out at EU competition ruling that “ignores the realities of a market”

Apple has responded to the European Union’s ruling that its App Store rules breach competition law, hitting out at both Spotify and the European Commission, and all the meetings that Spotify has had with EC officials since first complaining about its rules around in-app payments…

Chris Cooke • 05 Mar 2024

EU fines €1.8 billion at end of Spotify initiated competition law investigation

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Apple • 4 min read

EU fines €1.8 billion at end of Spotify initiated competition law investigation

Apple has been fined €1.8 billion by the European Union, following an investigation into its App Store rules. The massive fine is almost four times larger than the €500 million that had been expected and is the result of a complaint filed by Spotify in 2019…

Chris Cooke • 04 Mar 2024

YouTube Music staff laid off in middle of meeting about employment rights with Austin City Council

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YouTube • 2 min read

YouTube Music staff laid off in middle of meeting about employment rights with Austin City Council

A group of YouTube Music staff found out that they had been made redundant while speaking at a council meeting in Texas, urging councillors to support them in their efforts to get the Google-owned company to negotiate with their union. Google says they were contractors whose agreements have expired…

Chris Cooke • 04 Mar 2024

Universal Music sends another memo to songwriters about its big TikTok bust-up

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Universal Music • 3 min read

Universal Music sends another memo to songwriters about its big TikTok bust-up

As the deadline passed for TikTok to remove Universal published songs from its platform, the major has sent another memo to its artists and songwriters. It admits some of them may be finding that the disruption caused by its TikTok bust-up is proving difficult, but insists it will all be worth it…

Chris Cooke • 01 Mar 2024

And Finally! Apple brushed off Bing for its lack of Annie Lennox knowledge

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And Finally • 6 min read

And Finally! Apple brushed off Bing for its lack of Annie Lennox knowledge

Six years ago, Microsoft made a play to convince Apple to ditch Google and make Bing the default search engine on its Safari browser. Why is this not the case? Because Bing didn’t know enough about Annie Lennox. Check out this and more of this week’s funniest music news stories…

Andy Malt • 01 Mar 2024

UK music retail revenues reach record high, according to ERA stats

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ERA • 2 min read

UK music retail revenues reach record high, according to ERA stats

UK music retail revenues are out-performing the 2001 peak of the CD era, with ERA reporting that music retailers and streaming services generated £2223 million in revenues in the twelve months leading up to last week. Though there is still some way to go if you adjust 2001’s revenues for inflation…

Chris Cooke • 29 Feb 2024

US labor union American Federation Of Musicians reaches tentative agreement with Hollywood over streaming and AI

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AFM • 1 min read

US labor union American Federation Of Musicians reaches tentative agreement with Hollywood over streaming and AI

American musicians began talks last month with the Hollywood studios to negotiate revised contract terms covering music made for films and TV shows, with new provisions on streaming and AI. A tentative agreement has been reached which members of the American Federation Of Musicians will now vote on…

Chris Cooke • 26 Feb 2024

Spotify vs Apple name-calling kicks off again after EU mega-fine rumours

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Apple • 2 min read

Spotify vs Apple name-calling kicks off again after EU mega-fine rumours

Apple issued a statement last week following rumours it is facing a €500 million fine as a result of an EU investigation prompted by a complaint made by Spotify. It claims that Spotify just wants a free ride, but Spotify issued its own statement arguing it is actually seeking a level playing field…

Chris Cooke • 26 Feb 2024

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Spotify • 1 min read

Spotify launches in-house brand partnerships agency

Still searching for ways to boost revenues towards consistent profit, Spotify has launched its own in-house brand partnerships agency AUX. It will facilitate putting brands and artists together for marketing campaigns, and has kicked things off by pairing up Coca-Cola with Peggy Gou…

Andy Malt • 22 Feb 2024

Jimmy Iovine and Universal-backed NTWRK buys Complex to capitalise on the superfan opportunity

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NTWRK • 2 min read

Jimmy Iovine and Universal-backed NTWRK buys Complex to capitalise on the superfan opportunity

Buzzfeed has sold youth culture media company Complex to NTWRK, which plans to build a digital hub that can capitalise on the superfan opportunity. Universal Music is a backer of NTWRK, and its Interscope Geffen A&M and Capital labels will be the first to utilise the combined NTWRK/Complex platform…

Chris Cooke • 22 Feb 2024

Music industry’s billion dollar damages win in Cox case overturned

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Cox Communications • 2 min read

Music industry’s billion dollar damages win in Cox case overturned

In 2019 the music industry won a billion dollars in damages in a copyright lawsuit against internet company Cox Communications - but that ruling has now been overturned on appeal, even though appeal judges confirmed that the ISP is liable for copyright infringement…

Chris Cooke • 21 Feb 2024

ER report divides industry ahead of first meeting of remuneration working group

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Economics Of Streaming • 4 min read

ER report divides industry ahead of first meeting of remuneration working group

As part of its ongoing work on streaming, the UK government has published a report on the possible impact of applying performer equitable remuneration to streams. It’s one proposal for addressing concerns around artist remuneration that will be discussed by a new government-convened working group…

Chris Cooke • 20 Feb 2024