Digital services and platforms news - CMU | the music business explained (Page 7)

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

public

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

public

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”

public

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

public

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

public

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”

public

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

public

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

public

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

Hackers claim to have accessed personal data about 560 million Ticketmaster customers

public

Live Nation • 1 min read

Hackers claim to have accessed personal data about 560 million Ticketmaster customers

A group of hackers claim to have stolen 1.3TB of data after hacking the Ticketmaster platform, including the personal data of more than half a billion ticket-buyers. The Australian government has confirmed it is already investigating the hack, working with Ticketmaster to “understand the incident”…

Chris Cooke • 29 May 2024

US court agrees to fast-track legal challenge over TikTok ban

public

TikTok • 1 min read

US court agrees to fast-track legal challenge over TikTok ban

The legal challenge over the proposed TikTok ban in the US will be fast-tracked, so that oral arguments will begin in September. Under a law passed by US Congress, TikTok owner ByteDance has until 19 Jan 2025 to sell the app or face a ban, meaning its legal efforts to block the ban are pretty urgent…

Chris Cooke • 29 May 2024

Culture select committee urges the next Parliament to continue its work on streaming and grassroots venues

public

CMS Select Committee • 3 min read

Culture select committee urges the next Parliament to continue its work on streaming and grassroots venues

With a UK General Election now set for July, Parliament will be officially dissolved on Thursday. Ahead of that, the culture select committee Chair has written an open letter calling on future MPs and the next government to build on its recent work around music streaming and grassroots touring…

Chris Cooke • 28 May 2024

Spotify’s conduct proves US compulsory licence isn’t working, says NMPA boss

public

National Music Publishers Association • 6 min read

Spotify’s conduct proves US compulsory licence isn’t working, says NMPA boss

Earlier this week the US National Music Publishers Association said that publishers should be allowed to opt out of the compulsory licence relied upon by streaming services. Yesterday its CEO said that change is required because Spotify’s conduct has proven the current system isn’t working…

Chris Cooke • 23 May 2024