Universal Music Group news

German courts turn to EU judges to clarify key questions in UMG’s piracy battle with Cloudflare

public

Cloudflare • 3 min read

German courts turn to EU judges to clarify key questions in UMG’s piracy battle with Cloudflare

Germany’s top court is reviewing a legal battle between Universal and Cloudflare, which began when the major sought a web-blocking order against piracy site DDL-Music. German judges have now asked the EU courts for guidance, which could impact on the industry’s wider battle with piracy in Europe…

Chris Cooke • 26 Nov 2025

Indie community welcomes EU’s ‘statement of objections’ over Universal’s Downtown deal

public

Universal Music • 3 min read

Indie community welcomes EU’s ‘statement of objections’ over Universal’s Downtown deal

The European Commission yesterday confirmed it has sent a statement of objections to Universal regarding its bid to buy Downtown, raising data concerns, particularly in relation to Downtown’s Curve platform. Indie labels have welcomed the development and continue to argue the deal should be blocked…

Chris Cooke • 25 Nov 2025

European regulators warn Universal’s takeover of Downtown “will likely impede competition”

public

Universal Music • 3 min read

European regulators warn Universal’s takeover of Downtown “will likely impede competition”

Competition regulators in the EU investigating Universal’s bid to buy Downtown are about to send the major a ‘statement of objections’ about the deal, which happens if regulators conclude a planned merger will “likely impede competition”. UMG will then have ten days to respond to those objections…

Chris Cooke • 19 Nov 2025

Regulators must consider UMG’s AI deals in Downtown case, says IAO President

public

Universal Music • 3 min read

Regulators must consider UMG’s AI deals in Downtown case, says IAO President

As EU competition regulators continue to investigate Universal’s bid to buy Downtown, the President of global artist group IAO has written to European Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis to stress that the major’s new AI licensing deals must be considered as part of that investigation…

Chris Cooke • 17 Nov 2025

North American songwriter groups join call for transparency and creator consent as music companies start signing AI deals

public

MCNA • 3 min read

North American songwriter groups join call for transparency and creator consent as music companies start signing AI deals

Music Creators North America have called on labels and publishers to commit to deal transparency and creator consent around any agreements they reach with AI companies, such as Universal’s deal with Udio. They join the US Music Artists Coalition and UK Council Of Music Makers in making those demands…

Chris Cooke • 14 Nov 2025

Artists must have creative control in AI deals or risk ending up with “scraps”, says US artist trade body

public

Music Artists Coalition • 3 min read

Artists must have creative control in AI deals or risk ending up with “scraps”, says US artist trade body

Last week Universal Music settled its legal dispute with AI company Udio and licensed a new AI-powered music service that Udio will launch next year. While it’s good Udio is engaging with the industry, that deal raises an assortment of concerns and questions, says the US Music Artists Coalition…

Chris Cooke • 03 Nov 2025

Universal has settled its lawsuit with Udio, and signed AI deals with Udio and Stability

public

Universal Music • 3 min read

Universal has settled its lawsuit with Udio, and signed AI deals with Udio and Stability

Universal has announced big AI deals with Udio and Stability. The Udio agreement brings to an end the major’s legal battle with the AI start-up which was accused of copyright infringement. As the majors start to do deals like these, the debate around music creator consent in AI will get more heated…

Chris Cooke • 30 Oct 2025

Universal Music beats artists in three separate streaming royalty lawsuits

public

Universal Music • 3 min read

Universal Music beats artists in three separate streaming royalty lawsuits

A Dutch court has ruled on three lawsuits filed against Universal by artists who claimed that the major was incorrectly interpreting old record contracts and paying excessively low royalties on streaming income as a result. Judges concluded that the artists had failed to establish that was happening…

Kaya Robertson • 24 Oct 2025

Lucian Grainge says artist consent will be sought on AI deals - though only for voice clones and AI-generated adaptations

public

Universal Music • 3 min read

Lucian Grainge says artist consent will be sought on AI deals - though only for voice clones and AI-generated adaptations

Lucian Grainge has sent a memo to UMG employees updating them on the major’s negotiations with AI companies. Most interestingly he identifies two scenarios where artist consent will be sought before employing AI tools: voice clones and AI-generated songs that “incorporate an artist’s existing songs”…

Chris Cooke • 14 Oct 2025

Drake vows to appeal after judge throws out defamation lawsuit against Universal

public

Drake • 3 min read

Drake vows to appeal after judge throws out defamation lawsuit against Universal

A New York judge has dismissed Drake’s defamation action against Universal Music over Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Not Like Us’, concluding that Lamar’s lyrics cannot be understood to “convey as a factual matter” that Drake is a pedophile. Drake’s legal team have already vowed to appeal the ruling…

Chris Cooke • 10 Oct 2025

As indie labels ramp up campaign for EU to block the UMG x Downtown merger, a French music lawyer says concerns around data are “fantasy or paranoia”

public

Universal Music • 9 min read

As indie labels ramp up campaign for EU to block the UMG x Downtown merger, a French music lawyer says concerns around data are “fantasy or paranoia”

As the UMG and Downtown puppet show rumbles on, an old-school French music lawyer who doesn’t have a website pops his head above the parapet and says anyone with concerns about data is suffering from fantastical paranoia. Just wait till he learns about AI…

Chris Cooke & Sam Taylor • 03 Oct 2025

Universal’s Downtown deal must be blocked by regulators before “cultural diversity is weakened irreversibly” says Dutch indie label group president

public

Universal Music • 3 min read

Universal’s Downtown deal must be blocked by regulators before “cultural diversity is weakened irreversibly” says Dutch indie label group president

The debate over Universal’s bid to buy Downtown continues. Kees van Weijen, President of Dutch indie label group STOMP and board member at IMPALA, has set out why he believes the EU competition regulator needs to step in before market consolidation irreversibly weakens cultural diversity in Europe…

Chris Cooke • 05 Sep 2025