Digital services and platforms news - CMU | the music business explained (Page 13)

After suing Apple, the EU is going after Meta for DMA breaches

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Meta • 2 min read

After suing Apple, the EU is going after Meta for DMA breaches

The European Commission has published a second preliminary finding in relation to big tech and the EU Digital Markets Act, having previously ruled on Apple. This time it’s Meta’s personal data policies in the spotlight which, the Commission says, are not compliant with the DMA…

Chris Cooke • 02 Jul 2024

55% of Nordic consumers pay to stream music, though number in Sweden has slipped

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Digital services and platforms news • 2 min read

55% of Nordic consumers pay to stream music, though number in Sweden has slipped

Polaris has published a new study on streaming trends in the Nordic markets. The total number of people streaming music in the region has increased since the last study in 2022. Radio remains a key discovery platform for the total population, though TikTok is more important for younger consumers…

Chris Cooke • 28 Jun 2024

Udio responds to record label lawsuit insisting its AI model ‘listens’ rather than ‘copies’

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Udio • 3 min read

Udio responds to record label lawsuit insisting its AI model ‘listens’ rather than ‘copies’

Udio has responded to the lawsuit filed by the record companies earlier this week. It insists that its AI model only ‘listens’ to existing recordings, learning the art of music-making just like a human creator. The record industry maintains that that listening involves unlicensed copying…

Chris Cooke • 26 Jun 2024

Stability AI raises new finance, appoints Sean Parker as Chair

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Stability AI • 2 min read

Stability AI raises new finance, appoints Sean Parker as Chair

Cash-strapped AI company Stability has announced it has raised $80 million in new finance. It has also appointed Napster co-founder and early Spotify investor Sean Parker as Chair, who says the new cash will allow “the creation of even more powerful AI models”…

Chris Cooke • 26 Jun 2024

SiriusXM breaches consumer rights by charging an extra music royalties extra fee, says lawsuit

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Sirius XM • 3 min read

SiriusXM breaches consumer rights by charging an extra music royalties extra fee, says lawsuit

SiriusXM charges its users in the US an extra Music Royalty fee - on top of the advertised price of its subscriptions - to cover payments to the music industry. But, says a new lawsuit, music royalties are a core expense for a music service and shouldn’t be paid for out of a mysterious add-on fee…

Chris Cooke • 25 Jun 2024

Apple’s amended app rules still don’t comply with Digital Markets Act, EU confirms

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Apple Music • 2 min read

Apple’s amended app rules still don’t comply with Digital Markets Act, EU confirms

Apple recently changed its rules around the sign-posting of alternative payment options within iOS apps in a bid to comply with the EU’s Digital Markets Act. Spotify, among others, say the changes are not good enough, and - in a newly published preliminary view - the European Commission agrees…

Chris Cooke • 25 Jun 2024

Suno boss accuses music industry of “reverting to its old lawyer-led playbook”

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Suno • 3 min read

Suno boss accuses music industry of “reverting to its old lawyer-led playbook”

The US record industry yesterday sued AI companies Suno and Udio for copyright infringement. Suno’s CEO says that the labels are just coming out guns blazing without first having a proper conversation. The RIAA says that labels are quite happy to do that with people who don’t first steal their stuff…

Chris Cooke • 25 Jun 2024

Apple says EU rules will delay launch of Apple Intelligence in Europe

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Apple • 2 min read

Apple says EU rules will delay launch of Apple Intelligence in Europe

The roll out of Apple’s new generative AI tool Apple Intelligence could be delayed in Europe because of the European Union’s Digital Markets Act. Apple says that three new features it unveiled earlier this month will be delayed in the EU because of interoperability requirements in the DMA…

Chris Cooke • 24 Jun 2024

Artists still in the dark about new EU rights, says study

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International Artist Organisation • 4 min read

Artists still in the dark about new EU rights, says study

The 2019 EU Copyright Directive provided artists and musicians with five new rights in relation to the use of their music in the digital market. Has that had an impact? A new study from the IAO says that more education and clarity is needed to truly make a difference…

Chris Cooke • 14 Jun 2024

Investors welcome Spotify price increases, big up the service’s “pricing power”

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Spotify • 3 min read

Investors welcome Spotify price increases, big up the service’s “pricing power”

Spotify is increasing its prices for the second time in less than a year. Investors have welcomed the move, reckoning that it won’t negatively impact on total user numbers and will help Spotify in its ongoing bid to become a profitable business…

Chris Cooke • 10 Jun 2024

TikTok offered US government “kill-switch” in a bid to avoid sell-or-be-banned law, new report reveals

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TikTok • 3 min read

TikTok offered US government “kill-switch” in a bid to avoid sell-or-be-banned law, new report reveals

As TikTok continues in its legal bid to stop a sell-or-be-banned law in the US, a Washington Post report has revealed concessions the social media company previously offered the American government to overcome data security concerns. That included “a kill switch that would shut the app down”…

Chris Cooke • 31 May 2024

Spotify sued over decision to stop supporting Car Thing

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Spotify • 3 min read

Spotify sued over decision to stop supporting Car Thing

Spotify has been sued by subscribers who are still using its Car Thing device to control use of the service in their vehicles. Sales of Car Thing stopped in 2022 and the device will no longer be supported from December, meaning remaining devices won’t work. That, says a lawsuit, is not acceptable…

Chris Cooke • 30 May 2024