Music industry legal news

Music industry, movie studios and tech companies welcome reintroduction of digital replica right creating NO FAKES Act in Congress

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Artificial Intelligence • 4 min read

Music industry, movie studios and tech companies welcome reintroduction of digital replica right creating NO FAKES Act in Congress

The music industry has welcomed the reintroduction of the NO FAKES Act in US Congress, which will introduce a new right allowing performers to control their voice and likeness in the context of AI. Some tech and digital companies are supportive too, though others still have some concerns…

Chris Cooke • 10 Apr 2025

Diddy lawyers want to block testimony from additional accusers in sex trafficking trial

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Diddy • 4 min read

Diddy lawyers want to block testimony from additional accusers in sex trafficking trial

Diddy’s criminal trial kicks off next month. Four alleged victims are involved in the case, but prosecutors want to call other people who accuse the musician of sexual assault to the witness stand. His lawyers object, saying the prosecution just wants to “pollute the trial with decades of dirt”…

Chris Cooke • 09 Apr 2025

Eventim plays down court ruling restricting how it promotes ticket insurance

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CTS Eventim • 2 min read

Eventim plays down court ruling restricting how it promotes ticket insurance

A German court recently told ticketing company CTS Eventim to change the way it promotes ticket insurance when people buy tickets on its platform after a consumer rights group argued it was breaching EU law. However, Eventim says the ruling only relates to the specific language it has used…

Chris Cooke • 08 Apr 2025

Orchestral players call on UK culture minister to ensure all musicians earn when their music is streamed

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Musicians’ Union • 3 min read

Orchestral players call on UK culture minister to ensure all musicians earn when their music is streamed

Musicians from over 20 UK orchestras have backed a letter to culture minister Chris Bryant asking him to ensure that any performers who appear on a recording that is streamed share in the revenue that is generated. Achieving that will require an industry-wide agreement or changes to copyright law…

Chris Cooke • 08 Apr 2025

Yet another reprieve for TikTok as Trump pauses ban after tariffs up-end deal to sell US operations

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TikTok • 4 min read

Yet another reprieve for TikTok as Trump pauses ban after tariffs up-end deal to sell US operations

The latest deadline for ByteDance to sell TikTok in the US was this weekend. It was not met, because officials in China were in no mood to approve a deal after Trump ramped up the tariff on Chinese imports. But Trump has extended the deadline by another 75 days in the hope a deal can still be done…

Chris Cooke • 07 Apr 2025

NewJeans rebrand socials to mhdhh_friends as “unique” legal battle with Ador rumbles on

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NewJeans • 3 min read

NewJeans rebrand socials to mhdhh_friends as “unique” legal battle with Ador rumbles on

The legal battle between NewJeans and HYBE’s Ador was in court in Seoul last week, with the judge observing that this is a “unique” dispute because it centres on a loss of trust rather than unpaid royalties. Shortly after the hearing NewJeans removed their new name, NJZ, from social media accounts…

Chris Cooke • 07 Apr 2025

Mariah Carey wants song theft accusers to cover $186,000 in legal costs incurred responding to “frivolous” and “unsupported” claims

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Mariah Carey • 3 min read

Mariah Carey wants song theft accusers to cover $186,000 in legal costs incurred responding to “frivolous” and “unsupported” claims

Mariah Carey last month successfully defeated a song-theft lawsuit over ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’. The judge also sanctioned Carey’s accusers for making “frivolous” and “unsupported” claims, ordering them to pay the singer’s legal costs. Which, a new court filing says, came to $186,000…

Chris Cooke • 04 Apr 2025

Universal’s $775 million Downtown deal under threat after Dutch competition regulator calls for EU to intervene

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Universal Music • 3 min read

Universal’s $775 million Downtown deal under threat after Dutch competition regulator calls for EU to intervene

More trouble for Universal Music as its acquisition of Downtown Music is referred to EU competition regulators by authorities in the Netherlands, delivering another blow to the major’s share price, which is now 14.46% down year on year…

Chris Cooke • 03 Apr 2025

Tony Bennett’s children in legal battle over management of their father’s legacy

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Tony Bennett • 2 min read

Tony Bennett’s children in legal battle over management of their father’s legacy

A dispute between Tony Bennett’s children over the management of the late singer’s rights and legacy has gone legal. Bennett’s business affairs were long managed by his son Danny, but his sisters now say their brother exploited his position of power to boost his own earnings to their detriment…

Chris Cooke • 02 Apr 2025

Korean collecting society says AI-assisted works cannot be registered

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KOMCA • 2 min read

Korean collecting society says AI-assisted works cannot be registered

Korean collecting society KOMCA has told its members that songs and compositions created using AI cannot be registered with the organisation. Which means if AI has played any role in the creation of a song, it can’t be registered or earn royalties. At least for the time being…

Chris Cooke • 02 Apr 2025

Live Nation sucks up to Trump after US president targets ticket scalpers

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Secondary Ticketing • 4 min read

Live Nation sucks up to Trump after US president targets ticket scalpers

Donald Trump has issued an executive order instructing the FTC to ramp up its efforts regulating ticket scalpers in the US, including by better enforcing the BOTS Act. Although scalper-centric, the order could also impact on the wider ticketing business, and especially Live Nation and Ticketmaster…

Chris Cooke • 01 Apr 2025

Merlin gears up for legal rumble with bare knuckle fight championship owner Triller over $2.5 million in unpaid fees

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Triller • 3 min read

Merlin gears up for legal rumble with bare knuckle fight championship owner Triller over $2.5 million in unpaid fees

While Triller let many of its music licences lapse a few years ago, indie label digital rights organisation Merlin is still owed $2.5 million from a 2020 licensing deal. The extra payment was due because of a most favoured nation clause in that deal. Merlin has now sued to get its money…

Chris Cooke • 01 Apr 2025

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