Digital Music News

James McCartney and Sean Ono Lennon, the youngest children of the legendary Beatles musicians, have come together for their first Lennon-McCartney collaboration, ‘Primrose Hill.’ There’s a new Lennon-McCartney song, but this time, it’s from the sons of the Beatles legends. James McCartney, the youngest child and only son of Sir Paul McCartney, has released a […]

In a recent interview on Steve-O’s ‘Wild Ride!’ podcast, Birdman says his relationship with Universal Music enabled him to retain 100% ownership of his masters and publishing. In a climate where many artists have been quick to criticize their labels, rapper Birdman recently explained his relationship with Universal Music Group (UMG) has actually enabled him […]

Following weeks of uncertainty as to its legislative path, the TikTok ban bill is being fast-tracked in the 21st Century Peace Through Strength Act – with a House vote set for this weekend. Multiple outlets have reported on the modified legislation’s inclusion in a broader spending package, after the House first passed the forced-sale measure […]

Joel Denver is the President & Founder of All Access Music Group—which built out a radio trade publication even before most businesses were online. His life-long obsession has been radio and he’ll discuss how the medium will survive in the future. Denver says he was fascinated by radio from the age of six, spending time […]

Did Taylor Swift break Spotify? — Short answer: kinda. The music streaming service experienced brief interruptions at midnight as Swifties rushed to the platform to hear The Tortured Poets Department. Spotify quickly came back online, but a peek at this graph from Down Detector shows the service is experiencing intermittent issues throughout the day. The […]

It turns out Taylor Swift hasn’t just re-added her music to TikTok, as the video-sharing app has launched a multifaceted “in-app experience” to promote the 34-year-old’s latest album. TikTok reached out this morning with word of the marketing initiative, complete with “exclusive and first-of-its-kind features.” As most know, Universal Music Group (UMG), the owner of […]

An investment consortium spearheaded by EQT, alongside Believe’s longtime investor TCV and company CEO and founder Denis Ladegaillerie, is now securing a controlling stake of nearly 72% in digital music distributor Believe. The acquisition go-ahead follows a ringing endorsement from Believe’s Board of Directors, signaling full confidence in the deal. According to details shared late […]

The National Music Publishers Association (NMPA) is bristling against Spotify’s new audiobooks bundling feature which means it pays a lower mechanical royalty rate to songwriters. A 2022 settlement between NMPA and DSPs included a carve-out for bundled content, which Spotify now has with its audiobook offerings. Spotify added select audiobooks available for Premium users and […]

Just one day ahead of the release of her highly anticipated 11th studio album, Taylor Swift broke Spotify’s record for the most pre-saved album countdown page in the streaming platform’s history. The countdown page for Taylor Swift’s latest album, The Tortured Poets Department, launched on March 28, and has been updated all week with new […]

A Tennessee bill that would create a live music fund for venues and artists heads to the governor’s desk for a signature after passing the Tennessee General Assembly. The Tennessee General Assembly has passed a bill to create a live music fund for musical artists and venues, and now it heads to Governor Bill Lee’s […]

The NFL has announced headliners Big Sean, Bazzi, and the Detroit Youth Choir for the NFL Draft Concert Series, part of the 2024 NFL Draft from April 25-27. The 2024 NFL Draft Concert Series, presented by Bud Light, kicks off on April 25-27. The three-day event will focus on Detroit’s vibrant music scene, with performances […]

On the forefront of recent discussions surrounding fair training practices for AI companies, Soundtrack Loops — with its diverse portfolio of assets — aims to ‘kickstart a shift into more widespread ethical AI training practices.’ Moreover, the company’s founders believe their catalog ‘presents an enormous opportunity for AI generation of incidental music.’ As music IP […]

Warner Music South East Europe launches Balkan Electro, a new EDM label giving local talent across the Balkans and Ukraine a platform to promote their music worldwide. Formed in collaboration with Ensis Records, one of Eastern Europe’s most significant EDM record labels, Balkan Electro will enable Ensis’ roster to be distributed, upstreamed, and marketed through […]

Hipgnosis Songs Fund (HSF) shares surged by more than 30 percent following the announcement of Concord’s $1.4 billion all-cash buyout offer. We covered that offer, already approved by the companies’ respective boards, in detail immediately after its public disclosure late last night. The proposed selloff has arrived about one week before the deadline for the […]

Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) has officially launched a revamped royalty dashboard that it says will afford member songwriters and composers “greater transparency and insight into their earnings.” The for-profit PRO unveiled the bolstered dashboard today, via a formal release as well as a letter (penned by president and CEO Mike O’Neill) to affiliates. Beginning with […]

Merlin has announced a strategic partnership with streaming platform Audiomack to amplify independent music on the platform. The indie-centric partnership will help Merlin’s dynamic membership gain access to Audiomack’s global audience of engaged listeners, expanding the digital footprint of Merlin members’ music. The agreement also includes Audiomod, a new tool that allows fans to customize […]

Swifties went rabid yesterday after a GDrive link appeared on Twitter that appeared to leak all the songs in Taylor Swift’s upcoming album, The Tortured Poets Department. Twitter shut down searches for ‘Taylor Swift leak’—showcasing absolutely no results in the wake of the leak. The Google Drive link made its rounds early this morning, with […]

Should new cars always include an AM radio tuner for emergencies? That’s the question a new legislative hearing hopes to answer. The hearing will be held on April 30 and is titled, “Draft Legislation to Preserve Americans’ Access to AM Radio.” The House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and Ranking Member […]

Federal lawmakers have agreed to update the TikTok forced-sale bill, affording ByteDance a longer post-passage window to divest from the video-sharing app. The development suggests the bill could win critical Senate approval. This movement on the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act came to light in an update from Senator Maria Cantwell, who […]

Primary Wave has officially acquired an interest in the publishing catalog and master rights of “Oh! Carol” singer-songwriter Neil Sedaka. New York City-based Primary Wave reached out today with word of the deal, after finalizing a Village People partnership in February. In keeping with the industry-wide trend of holding catalog-play financials close to the vest, […]

Australian model Leah Halton’s TikTok video featuring YG Marley’s ‘Praise Jah in the Moonlight’ is on track to break the record for the most-viewed and most-favorited TikTok video of all time. But the sad reality is that YG Marley is only getting paid a pittance for the first view. A 12-second clip of Aussie model […]

Rebel Country, a new documentary from BMG, Fremantle, and WhyNow Studios, debuts at the Tribeca Film Festival. The film explores the tensions of race, class, poverty, gender, sexuality, and more that are still prevalent in the US, while acknowledging their connection to Nashville’s rebellious country roots. Rebel Country will have its world premiere in New […]

Phish added four dates at the Las Vegas Sphere—though they’re already sold out. The dates start April 18 to April 21 and each show at the Sphere will feature a completely different set list. In collaboration with Sphere’s audio engineers, Phish has designed an immersive sound mix and spatial audio environment that flexes the capabilities […]

Armada Music’s dance investment fund has acquired Amsterdam-based publisher Cloud 9 Music, significantly bolstering Armada’s headcount. Armada Music’s dance investment fund, BEAT Music Fund, has announced the acquisition of Amsterdam-based music publisher Cloud 9 Music, effectively tripling Armada’s publishing division headcount. As part of the deal, the teams at Armada’s existing publishing company will merge […]

Struggling restaurant chain Red Lobster is embracing AI to market its biscuits—which are really easy to make yourself at home. Read on for the recipe. The chain is reportedly eyeing a possible Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing to restructure its debt. The chain says its bottom line has been hit by expensive leases and high labor […]

The Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC) officially has a legal battle on its hands, as Pandora is firing back against the “misguided” lawsuit it’s facing over allegedly owed royalty payments. SiriusXM’s Pandora just recently took aim at the roughly two-month-old complaint – and the MLC’s alleged “gross overreach” – in its formal answer. As we reported […]

Kid Cudi is joining Coachella for Weekend 2 with tickets widely available as the live music industry seems to be cooling off following its energetic pandemic recovery. Kid Cudi will replace AP Dhillon’s set in the Sahara tent from 5:10 pm to 5:50 pm. Headliner set times for the second weekend remain the same, with […]

Concord, operating as ‘Concord Chorus Limited,’ has proposed an all-cash takeover of Hipgnosis Songs Fund Limited for roughly $1.4 billion. The respective company boards love the arrangement — though this is hardly a done deal. Details of the offer were tipped to Digital Music News late Wednesday (April 17th), with terms that could spell a […]

As Taylor Swift prepares to perform 10 UK shows in June, a new report is warning that fraudsters have already stolen an estimated $1.23 million (£1 million) via Eras Tour ticket scams. That staggering figure came to light in a concise analysis from Lloyds Bank, which said that approximately 600 of its customers had “come […]

The National Recording Registry inducts albums from ABBA, Blondie, The Cars, The Notorious B.I.G., Green Day, The Chicks, and others selected this year for preservation. Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden has announced 25 recordings worthy of preservation based on their cultural, historical, or aesthetic importance in the US recorded sound heritage. The National Recording Registry […]

As US Senators ponder a TikTok ban, Steve Mnuchin continues his work towards making a bid on the China-owned app, angling for a partnership with a tech company like Oracle to rebuild the platform’s algorithm. After House officials voted to pass a bill requiring TikTok’s Beijing-based parent ByteDance to divest the platform within six months […]

Forget about Supremium: Spotify is reportedly prepping a “Music Pro” subscription add-on, complete with “DJ remix features” and upgraded audio. The possible development of Music Pro entered the media spotlight in a report from The Verge, which cited new Spotify code findings from Redditor Hypixely. As those who’ve been patiently awaiting improved Spotify audio probably know […]

After expanding its Ticketmaster partnership in late 2023, TikTok has finalized a global ticketing pact with AEG’s AXS, enabling users to purchase event passes in-app. ByteDance-owned TikTok unveiled the AXS tie-up via a formal release today, as it stares down potential litigation from Universal Music Group. Despite this possible DMCA-violations lawsuit and the adjacent industry […]

‘Let It Be,’ the Beatles documentary that spent five decades in the vault, is getting a remaster treatment by Peter Jackson for its new life on Disney+ beginning on May 8. For the first time in over 50 years, Beatles fans will be able to watch director Michael Lindsay-Hogg’s film, which initially premiered in May […]

Amazon Music is getting in on the AI arms race in playlist generation with its new Maestro tool—available in beta to some U.S. customers. The new feature is intended to make it easier for people to generate playlists based on moods, emojis, and other input. Much like other AI-generated playlists, users start with a prompt […]

Warner Chappell Music (WCM) extends its partnership with ICE to shift all European digital licensing administration to the integrated processing hub. The expanded deal will see ICE providing the music publisher more autonomy in the way it licenses digital services across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. The announcement follows a 10-month review to assess […]

Future and Metro Boomin have announced the We Trust You Tour, produced by Live Nation and presented by Cash App and Visa. The We Trust You Tour kicks off on July 30 in Kansas City, Missouri at the T-Mobile Center. From there, the duo will make stops across North America including Detroit, Atlanta, Brooklyn, Houston, […]

SiriusXM has announced the launch of The Clive Davis Channel, a new limited-run channel to celebrate the iconic producer and music executive. Starting April 16, SiriusXM listeners will have access to an audio memoir of Clive Davis’ celebrated career and the lasting impact he has made in the music industry. The channel will be available […]

The better part of two years after reportedly initiating an antitrust investigation into Live Nation, the Department of Justice (DOJ) is reportedly preparing to file a related lawsuit against the Ticketmaster parent “in the coming weeks.” This possible legal action entered the media spotlight in a Wall Street Journal report, after the New York Times […]

Indie artists like you and I are always looking for ways to get our music in front of new people. Sometimes we can do that organically. But sometimes we have to pay. And Spotify Marquee is another way to spend some money for exposure to new listeners. What Is Spotify Marquee? Spotify Marquee is “a […]

If you enjoyed watching Universal Music Group remove its entire catalog from TikTok, you’ll absolutely love what’s potentially coming next. For those who enjoy high-stakes showdowns between major media companies and tech giants, Universal Music Group vs. TikTok has been action-packed. But you might need a fresh bowl of popcorn for what’s next. According to […]

The Taylor Swift album release machine goes into overdrive this week with a ‘Spotify library installation,’ leading up to the Friday release of her new album, Tortured Poets Department. Taylor Swift is teaming up with Spotify to launch an “open-air” Tortured Poets Department pop-up library installation at The Grove in Los Angeles, open to the […]

Gustavo Lopez has launched a new full-service independent music entertainment company—Globalatino Music Partners. The new venture will encompass label services, artist management, publishing, branding, distribution, acquisitions, touring, content creation, and strategic marketing. Mr. Lopez is Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the new company, which will leverage his team’s unprecedented track record to become the […]

SAG-AFTRA and the major labels have revealed a tentative multiyear deal that includes several “artificial intelligence guardrails.” The union, which says north of 600 music companies are signed to its Sound Recordings Code, just recently unveiled the proposed agreement. Spanning January 1st, 2021, through the end of 2026, the deal, made specifically with Disney Music […]

Cutting Edge Group has announced the completion of a $500 million debt refinancing, which it says will set the stage for continued song-rights investments. The Cutting Edge Media Music (CEMM) parent reached out with word of its half-billion-dollar refinancing today. According to the 18-year-old business, the new facility was made possible by “a syndicate of […]

Warner Chappell Music teams up with Electronic Arts in an exclusive partnership to deliver music across EA’s expansive gaming library and create new music projects for the company. The agreement will see Warner Chappell Music (WCM) administering music across Electronic Arts’ (EA) expansive library, including sports simulation titles from EA Sports, to the action, adventure, […]

Believe and Kidding Aside announce a strategic partnership to create All Night Long, an electronic music label set to draw in artists spanning techno to EDM. Management agency Kidding Aside and indie label Believe have joined forces to create a diverse and expansive electronic label in All Night Long. Created to provide personalized support for […]

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei says he believes that his company’s use of copyrighted works is sufficiently transformative and that “the law will back us up.” In a recent New York Times interview speaking to Ezra Klein about the future of artificial intelligence and its development at break-neck pace, Amodei addressed the issue of these large […]

A new report suggests ticket seller StubHub is looking to make an initial public offering (IPO) this summer, valued at $16.5 billion. That valuation is based on StubHub’s last round of private funding in 2021. The Information reports that the ticket company has been working with JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs over the last two […]

Hipgnosis Songs Fund has promoted Cindy Rampersaud to Senior Independent Director as of April 12. Rampersaud has served on the music royalty investor’s board as a non-executive director since August 2023. The Hipgnosis Songs Fund remains in dispute with its investment adviser, alleging misconduct against Hipgnosis Songs Management Ltd and its Founder Merck Mercuriadis. HSF […]

The Taylor Swift album marketing machine stops for no one—not even Universal Music execs. A new report details how Swifties on TikTok got their music back, thanks to Taylor, regardless of the implications for other artists. Universal Music Group pulled all of its music from TikTok in January over a dispute in royalty payments earned. […]

The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) has officially named a new CEO: former Google global director of public policy Victoria Oakley (née Dean). The IFPI announced Oakley as its head via a formal release today, after revealing in July of 2023 that Frances Moore would step down as CEO. Having started in the […]

Coachella 2024 has an impressive list of celebrity cameos and guest performances in Weekend One, between Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce, Rihanna and A$AP Rocky, Olivia Rodrigo, Billie Eilish, Shakira, and more — yet Weekend Two passes are still not sold out. Never short on surprise guests and celebrity cameos, Coachella 2024 is going all […]

Following more than a few takedown-related headaches – complete with many muted videos and justifiably irked streamers – Twitch is poised to ink licensing deals with the major labels, according to the Amazon subsidiary’s CEO. Twitch head Dan Clancy shed light on the possible agreements during a recent sit down with streamer TweakMusicTips. In keeping […]

Taylor Swift withheld her music from Spotify in 2017 with the release of Reputation. The singer sent fans to traditional outlets for downloads, vinyl, and CD sales. Now ahead of the release of The Tortured Poets Department, Swift’s music has returned to TikTok despite the UMG row—where artist payouts are even less. One suggested reason […]

Here’s a recap of recent music industry hires and in-house promotions as of April 12th, 2024. If you have a job shuffle to share, we’re all ears. Send us a note to news@digitalmusicnews.com. If you’d like to post a job on our Job Board, just send us a request to noah@digitalmusicnews.com. And, keep track of all the […]

Amazon Music is officially “the exclusive merch provider” behind Mariah Carey’s new Celebration of Mimi Las Vegas residency. The Amazon-owned streaming platform just recently announced the deal, with the artist’s latest residency kicking off at Park MGM’s Dolby Live theater today. Those who attend the shows (and those who visit Park MGM’s lobby gift shop) […]

South Korean singer Park Bo Ram has passed away at the age of 30, just as she was preparing to celebrate her tenth anniversary in the K-pop industry. The latest in an unfortunate trend of K-pop singers dying young, Park Bo Ram was just 30 years old. News of her passing was confirmed by her […]

Olivia Rodrigo wraps up the first North American leg of her GUTS World Tour with four sold-out shows at Madison Square Garden. On Tuesday, April 12, pop sensation Olivia Rodrigo wrapped up the first leg of her highly anticipated GUTS World Tour with her fourth and final sold-out show at Madison Square Garden. Among the […]

Warner Music Group announces the launch of Warner Music South Asia, an affiliate handling its recorded music operations in Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and more. Headquartered in Dubai, Warner Music South Asia will be headed by Jay Mehta (pictured), working alongside Alfonso Perez Soto, Warner Music’s President of Emerging Markets. The new entity will […]

Amazon Music announces the launch of ‘bonfire,’ a genre-blending flagship playlist that focuses on ‘country music that’s smoky, wistful, and warm.’ Though not tied to a specific genre, “bonfire” aims to be a first-of-its-kind home for fans of contemporary storytellers like Zach Bryan, Hozier, Kacey Musgraves, boygenius, Lainey Wilson, and Chris Stapleton. The playlist is […]

Rapper French Montana claims he received a $1 million offer to perform in United Arab Emirates—while Taylor Swift received a $9 million offer. The rapper shared a screenshot of text messages he received from someone offering him that amount to perform. “Somebody just sent me a show offer who y’all think the 9 million is […]

Rap beef drives prime sales for Future, Metro Boomin, and Kendrick Lamar as the latter took aim at Drake and J Cole in his guest verse on “Like That.” The drummed-up beef has earned the track the fastest-selling track of 2024 as it reached over one million units sold in just 18 days. The guest […]

Digital Music News is hosting an upcoming event for DMN Pro members focused on the state of radio in 2024. Industry veteran will.i.am will be joining the discussion as a panelist—alongside SoundExchange President & CEO Michael Huppe. SoundExchange is a non-profit organization established by US Congress and officially started in 2003. Today, it’s a central […]

A new report suggests Spotify is developing tools to allow DIY remixes from its Premium subscribers—if new licensing deals are put into place. Here’s the latest. The audio giant is developing tools to allow subscribers to speed up, mash up, and edit songs from their favorite artists, according to a Wall Street Journal report. Spotify […]

With Spotify zeroing in on “new promotional and social features” as part of its expanded Universal Music partnership – and as TikTok faces an uncertain future in the U.S. – is the streaming platform plotting a short-form buildout? That question has emerged due to several new job postings from Spotify, which isn’t a stranger to […]

TikTok-owner ByteDance saw profit surge 60% in 2023 to $40 billion, though the future of the app remains uncertain in the US, Europe, and Indonesia amid regulatory concerns. ByteDance saw earnings surge from $25 billion to $40 billion in 2023, according to a report from Bloomberg, marking a 60% increase from the year prior for […]

After skyrocketing to fame in the hip-hop world, Ice Spice is set to make her acting debut in Spike Lee’s Apple and A24-backed upcoming crime thriller ‘High and Low’ starring Denzel Washington. “High and Low,” an English-language reinterpretation of Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 police drama, is the fifth collaboration between actor Denzel Washington and director Spike […]

The judge overseeing the Astroworld civil litigation has ruled in Drake’s favor in his request to be dismissed from the lawsuit — but Travis Scott and Apple remain on the hook despite similar dismissal requests. Two and a half years ago, during the 2021 edition of Travis Scott’s Astroworld Festival, 10 people were killed in […]

Aerosmith’s ‘Peace Out’ farewell tour is back on with rescheduled dates following abrupt cancellation last year due to frontman Steven Tyler’s damaged vocal chords and larynx. Last year, Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler damaged his vocal chords and fractured his larynx just three shows into the band’s farewell tour, forcing them to call off the tour […]

Phonographic Performance Limited (PPL) revenue hit a record £283.5 million (currently $355.9 million) in 2023, when income attributable to usages in U.K. public establishments experienced a double-digit increase, per a new report. The London-based collective management organization posted its complete 2023 financials today, after shedding light on the year’s evidently distinct distribution details ($351 million/£279.6 […]

Silvia Montello has resigned her position as CEO of the Association of Independent Music (AIM). COO Gee Davy will take on the role of interim CEO and the newly created position of Chief Policy Officer. The non-profit organization champions the UK’s independent music community, with Davy joining AIM in 2017. She will assume day-to-day operation […]

Days after Warner Music Group (WMG) announced that it wouldn’t submit a bid for Believe after all, the French music company’s directors have provided an update on the Denis Ladegaillerie-led consortium’s privatization plans. Those plans officially entered the media spotlight in mid-February, when the mentioned consortium, featuring Ladegaillerie (Believe’s founder and CEO) as well as […]

Taylor Swift — a Republic Records/UMG-inked artist — is suddenly back on TikTok despite Universal Music Group’s high-profile removal of its catalog from the platform. So what’s going on? The Digital Music News bat-phone was ringing off the hook this morning with some unexpected news. Taylor Swift, a marquee Republic Records/UMG artist, is now back […]

Media entrepreneur Ian Rowe has launched a boutique management company, Hudson Royal Management. Rowe is building on his experiences as a recording artist and then an artist manager, channeling his unique insights to capture talent from the global artist landscape. The following comes from Hudson Royal Management, a company DMN is in collaboration with. Hudson […]

The chair of the US Senate Commerce Committee said that the TikTok divestiture period could be extended to one year, pushing a potential ‘ban’ into 2025. After the US House of Representatives voted an overwhelming 352-65 last month in favor of giving TikTok’s Chinese parent company ByteDance approximately six months to divest its US TikTok […]

Former Google DeepMind researchers have launched Udio, a new AI-powered music app that allows anyone to create music in an instant. Backed by a16z, with participation from angel investors like will.i.am, Kevin Wall, Common, and Mike Krieger (Co-Founder of Instagram), Udio enables everyone from clasically trained musicians to those with pop-star ambitions to create music […]

Hot97 confirms that legendary DJ Mister Cee, official DJ for Big Daddy Kane and associate executive producer for Biggie Smalls’ debut record, has passed away at age 57. The legendary DJ, a Brooklyn native born as Calvin LeBrun, enjoyed an iconic career as one of NYC’s most prominent DJs. Hot97, where Mister Cee worked for […]

SESAC Music Group has announced the expansion of its Music Services division. AudioSalad, Audiam, HFA, Mint, Music Services, and Rumblefish will together provide a global solutions platform and shared services offering for SESAC artists and songwriters. The growing Music Services team is dedicated to delivering best-in-class licensing, royalty collection, and administration services to clients worldwide. […]

Blackpink’s Lisa (real name Lalisa Manobal) has inked a solo deal with RCA Records – complete with “full ownership of all her recordings,” according to the Sony Music Entertainment subsidiary. RCA and 27-year-old Lisa formally revealed their agreement today, roughly four months after Blackpink itself re-upped with YG Entertainment. That renewed pact was followed by […]

A new study from Music Canada finds Canadian artists to be punching well above their weight on the global streaming platform stage. Music Canada, a non-profit organization representing the interests of the country’s music industry, has commissioned a study by economist and streaming music market analyst Will Page to examine the presence of Canadian artists […]

Twitter/X has officially pushed back against the remaining copyright infringement claims it’s facing in a complaint levied by the National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA). The social media platform just recently submitted its answer to the NMPA’s suit, which was filed in June of 2023. In that initial action, the organization (and a number of member […]

Legendary tenor Andrea Bocelli signs an exclusive global publishing agreement with Universal Music Publishing Group. Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG), the global publishing division of Universal Music Group, has announced classical icon Andrea Bocelli has been signed to an exclusive publishing agreement through UMPG’s Classics & Screen department. One of the most successful classical singers […]

Coachella returns to Fortnite for the third year running, bringing new skins, emotes, and items for fans to celebrate two weekends of Coachella. Fortnite Festival’s Jam Stage got a Coachella makeover, featuring Coachella’s Le Grande Wheel, Spectra Tower, and more. New outfits include the Horizon and Cosma outfits, based on the iconic Coachella astronaut. Both […]

Live Nation has purchased a controlling interest in First Fleet Concerts—entering the Des Moines concert industry. First Fleet Concerts has influence with most of Des Moines’ major venues. Owner Sam Summers confirmed the news to Axios on April 1, stating the transaction completed September 2023 after 18 months of negotiations. Summers also co-owns venues including […]

As China’s music industry continues to expand – and with a growing portion of domestic talent tapping into international fanbases – Universal Music Group (UMG) has inked a partnership deal with Beijing-headquartered TF Entertainment. UMG announced the TF Entertainment tie-up today, executing the seemingly far-reaching pact specifically via Universal Music Greater China. Founded in 2009, […]

Newly introduced legislation would require generative AI companies to disclose copyrighted source material used to train their models. California Representative Adam Schiff (pictured) introduced a new bill on Tuesday, April 9 that would require companies creating generative artificial intelligence platforms to publicly disclose all copyrighted source material used to train their models. Called the Generative […]

Close to two months after ordering a new damages trial in the long-running infringement battle between Cox Communications and the major labels, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals has officially agreed to stay the underlying mandate as the ISP pursues an appeal. Cox submitted the motion to stay the mandate in late March, and the […]

Amazon Music is officially set to serve as “the exclusive streaming destination” for Stagecoach 2024, which is scheduled to kick off on April 26th. The Amazon-owned streaming platform and the Goldenvoice-organized festival just recently reached out with word of their livestream-focused tie-up. Recent years have seen Amazon Music stream a number of live music events, […]

TikTok’s upcoming photo sharing app to rival Instagram, currently in development, will possibly be called TikTok Notes. Some TikTok users have started noticing pop-up notifications mentioning TikTok Notes, a new app to share photos. The notification says the company will soon launch “a new app for photo posts,” currently called TikTok Notes (though this may […]

Music data analytics company Chartmetric has released Onesheet out of beta. Chartmetric acquired Onesheet in 2022 and now the brand emerges as one of the best places to create artist onesheets on the web in just a single-click. Each one sheet created on Onesheet offers a unique, media-rich webpage containing the most impactful and up-to-date […]

Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has endorsed an effort that requires ByteDance to divest from TikTok or face a potential ban in the United States. “America’s greatest strategic rival is threatening our security right here on U.S. soil, in tens of millions of American homes,” the Senate Republican Leader said yesterday on the Senate floor. “I’m […]

Yesterday’s solar eclipse sent a swath of the world outside (with eye protection!) to behold the last solar eclipse in America until 2044. Classic rock band Pink Floyd saw immediate benefits as fans sought to ‘sync’ “Eclipse” with the four and a half minutes of totality. The moon completely covered the sun in 15 states, […]

Beyonce’s latest venture into country music with ‘Texas Hold ‘Em’ has been a smash commercial success, but it has also sparked a huge debate within the tight-knit genre. Does a Black pop star like Beyonce have ‘the right’ to make country music? The following comes from Open On Sunday, a company DMN is proud to […]

Over four years after closing a strategic investment in Neon Hum Media, Sony Music Entertainment (SME) has officially acquired the LA-based “boutique podcast production company.” SME just recently disclosed the Neon Hum buyout and its plans for the business. Established in 2018 by ARRVLS host Jonathan Hirsch, Neon Hum has created original programs including Smoke […]

Mary J. Blige’s 1992 hit ‘Real Love’ is at the center of a copyright infringement lawsuit filed against Universal Music Publishing Group. On Thursday, April 4, Tuff City Records filed a complaint alleging that Universal Music Group’s publishing arm used an unlicensed sample from the Honey Drippers’ 1973 funk song, “Impeach the President,” in Mary […]

As AI-generated content runs rampant on Facebook and Instagram, Meta says it is making some changes to how it labels manipulated media. Meta says it agrees with the Oversight Board’s argument that the company’s existing approach to AiIcontent is not enough since it only covers images in which a person is being manipulated. The manipulated […]

Today Bill 539 passed the Maryland legislature, moving the anti-scalping measure closer to becoming law. If passed, the law would make it illegal for resale companies to engage in speculative ticket sales. The legislation will make online resale platforms like StubHub, TicketNetwork, SeatGeek, and Vivid Seats accountable under Maryland’s Consumer Protection Act. Selling speculative tickets […]

About one month after being slapped with a nearly $2 billion European Union fine in connection with a years-old complaint levied by Spotify, Apple has officially updated its App Store policies for music streaming platforms in the EU.   The Cupertino-based company just recently announced these streaming-specific pivots, after being ordered by the European Commission […]

After dropping an AI DJ to guide playlist choices, now Spotify is experimenting with prompting to create AI playlists in the UK and Australia. Spotify says creating a playlist based on tastes is now as simple as typing in phrases like “indie folk playlist to give my brain a big warm hug” or “relaxing music […]