Lady Gaga has defeated a trademark infringement suit filed by a surfboard brand, as a judge dismisses the case, citing insufficient evidence. On Tuesday, a judge dismissed the trademark infringement lawsuit filed against Lady Gaga by a surfboard brand over her Mayhem album title…

Jay-Z’s efforts to appeal the dismissal of his defamation suit against attorney Tony Buzbee are met with a skeptical appeals court. In 2024, Houston-based attorney Tony Buzbee filed a short-lived lawsuit against rap mogul Jay-Z accusing him of raping a 13-year-old Jane Doe alongs…

Shake a stick in this business, and you’ll quickly find a contentious lawsuit involving social media music licensing. Great for the lawyers, as they say, but is there a better way? Sadly, that’s a critical question for a growing number of major brands. Currently, the music indust…

Jaafar Jackson says the second “Michael” film will address the child abuse allegations that the star faced by challenging the “agenda” behind them. The sequel to Lionsgate’s wildly successful Michael film is moonwalking ever closer to production, and actor Jaafar Jackson—Michael’…

13 months after unveiling plans “to greatly expand” its patent portfolio under a Liquidax Capital joint venture, Universal Music Group (UMG) has officially licensed the AI-focused IP to both Udio and GRAI. The UMG-Liquidax JV itself, Music IP Holdings (MIH), disclosed the high-pr…

Apple Music reveals more information on its upcoming AI labeling system, due to launch “later this year.” Apple Music unveiled more information about its upcoming move to label tracks created using artificial intelligence in an email sent out to the music industry on Thursday. Th…

As Apple Music subscriptions increasingly come from bundled offerings, Apple quietly raises the prices of its Apple One Family and Premier bundled tiers. Apple Music just saw a price increase last month, and now, two Apple One bundled plans are receiving price increases worldwide…

FKA twigs wins the first stage of her trademark infringement legal row against indie group The Twigs, which has been simmering for more than a decade. FKA twigs has won the first stage of the trademark infringement trial against indie duo The Twigs. On Tuesday, U.S. District Judg…

On the heels of Universal Music’s latest stock buyback, Spotify has set aside a cool $1.5 billion to repurchase its own shares – for a planned overall capital deployment in excess of $2.2 billion when factoring for the remaining portion of an existing tranche. Spotify (NYSE: SPOT…

With an eye on expanding its reach in India’s quick-growing entertainment sector, KKR has taken a minority stake in Mumbai-headquartered ticketing platform and promoter BookMyShow. KKR just recently shed light on its BookMyShow investment – albeit while opting against disclosing…

Marquee TV partners with Quincy Jones’ Qwest TV to expand its music film offering with landmark performances across jazz and global music. Marquee TV, the global streaming service for dance, opera, theatre, and contemporary music, has announced a strategic content partnership wit…

Patreon announces 30 new features coming to the platform, designed to address the “failure” of the current internet for creators and fans alike. The news follows mass layoffs at the company last month. Today, Patreon CEO Jack Conte announced nearly 30 new features coming to the p…

Nine months after launching, Quantizr, billed as an AI-powered “financial command center for live entertainment,” has secured a $5 million seed raise. The Park City, Utah-headquartered startup formally disclosed its multimillion-dollar round, led by Exactuals backer TTV Capital,…

A judge has approved Ariana Grande’s request to subpoena information that will help reveal the identities of the hackers who allegedly leaked unreleased music and recording session footage. A Los Angeles judge has granted Ariana Grande permission to subpoena information that will…

Christian metal band Demon Hunter has filed a trademark lawsuit in federal court against Netflix over its wildly successful film Kpop Demon Hunters. Demon Hunter, a Christian metal band that’s been on the scene for about 25 years, has filed a trademark lawsuit in federal court ag…

TikTok announces a partnership with All Things Go Music Festival tied to its Music on Stage competition, offering creators major performance slots. On Tuesday, All Things Go Music Festival and TikTok Live announced a new partnership tied to TikTok’s global live music competition,…

Virgin Music Group announces a global distribution deal with Indian label Sur Music, one of the fastest-growing labels in the country. Universal Music’s Virgin Music Group, a world leader in partnering with independent music entrepreneurs, has announced a global distribution part…

Universal Music and The Beatles’ Apple Corps Ltd. announce a major merchandising partnership ahead of the upcoming four-part documentary series. The Beatles’ Apple Corps Ltd., founded in 1968 to oversee the band’s creative and business interests, has announced an exclusive global…

For the last few years, musicians have been asking the wrong question about artificial intelligence. Can AI write a song? Of course it can. Can it compose music, imitate a voice, generate an orchestral cue, a techno track, an ambient soundscape, a country song, a film score, a ja…

Following “two years of close collaboration” on artist campaigns, Universal Music Group (UMG) and authorized-remix platform Hook have finalized a “landmark” licensing deal. The major and the self-described “social music app” reached out with word of their agreement this morning.…

At the 2026 NAMM Show, the 60,000+ attendees this year represented more than $9.8 billion in combined buying power. That figure comes from the NAMM 2026 Post Show Report and highlights how the show floor has become a marketplace of staggering scale over 125 years. But the real op…

Nearly 40 years after the debut of C+C Music Factory, founding member Robert Clivillés has fired off a $30 million trademark infringement and defamation lawsuit against “Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)” writer and rapper Freedom Williams. 62-year-old Clivillés submitte…

A new Harvard study on distracted driving has found a 15% increase in traffic fatalities in the US on days that major albums are released on streaming platforms. Major album releases can lead to a major surge in traffic deaths, according to a new Harvard study by Dr. Vishal Patel…

Kanye will perform two shows in Russia in October, becoming the biggest act to play the country in four years since the start of the Ukraine war. Ye, the controversial rapper formerly known as Kanye West, is scheduled to perform two shows in St. Petersburg, Russia, this October.…

Seven months later, “Someone You Loved” songwriter Romans and Paramount Pictures have officially settled a lawsuit centering on the allegedly unauthorized use of two works – one recorded by Rihanna – in 2025’s Smurfs. 39-year-old Romans (real name Sam Roman) and Paramount Picture…

ABC/Disney is suing the Trump-led FCC over challenges to its broadcast licenses, alleging violations of its First Amendment rights. Disney-owned ABC is suing the Trump administration’s Federal Communications Commission (FCC) over challenges to its broadcast licenses, saying the c…

Madonna leads the charge at the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards with 11 nominations, followed by Taylor Swift with nine. It’s her material world, and we’re just living in it. Pop superstar Madonna is leading the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards nominations with an impressive 11 nods—two m…

The NFL continues stacking halftime shows the world over, with Pedro Sampaio and Ricky Martin headlining the halftime show of the 2026 NFL Rio Game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Dallas Cowboys. On Monday, the National Football League announced that Pedro Sampaio and Ricky…

A documentary on Oasis’ 2025 reunion is set for a cinematic release on September 11 from Hulu in partnership with Disney+. A new Oasis documentary covering the band’s 2025 reunion tour is due for release next month. The Hulu Original film, made in partnership with Disney+ and Pea…

With its stock price still hovering around a record low – and with analysts divided about what comes next – Universal Music Group (UMG) last week repurchased more than $160 million worth of its own shares. UMG disclosed the massive buyback, specifically executed between August 10…

Two months later, Merlin and Jamen Capital have officially completed their acquisition of Curve Royalty Systems from Virgin Music Group/Universal Music. The indie giant and Matt Spetzler’s Jamen confirmed the purchase’s wrap today, after disclosing plans in June to scoop up the r…

The 71-year-old mail-order music club Columbia House, which most recently sold DVDs and books, is shutting down after a rocky two-and-a-half decades. Wow! 12 CDs for a penny?! Columbia House, the umbrella brand for Columbia Records’ mail-order music clubs, including the well-know…

When two AI copyright lawsuits end, two more begin: Round Hill has fired off high-stakes infringement complaints – each involving sought damages that could “conceivably exceed $1 billion”– against Suno and Anthropic. Round Hill submitted the actions to the U.S. District Court for…

Warner Music Group announces a significant expansion of its global tech division with the upcoming opening of a new technology hub in Bengaluru. Warner Music Group (WMG) has announced a major expansion to its Global Tech division with the imminent official opening of a new intern…

YouTube is changing the way it counts public views on long-form videos, with a view being registered the moment a video begins playing. YouTube is implementing changes to the way it counts public views on long-form videos. Starting on August 24, a view will be registered as soon…

Independent Vermont venue The Stone Church has sued StubHub for trademark infringement, false advertising, and deceptive marketing practices under the Lanham Act. In a classic David vs. Goliath battle with the potential for major implications, indie Vermont venue The Stone Church…

After eight years lying dormant, Ozzfest will officially make its return to its late namesake’s hometown in 2027, at Villa Park in Birmingham, England. Although the Prince of Darkness has passed away, Ozzfest walks again in 2027. A post to the Ozzfest official Instagram confirmed…

Another mid-size venue is popping up in Southern California, where Live Nation is officially set to restore the Wonder Bread building into a 4,000-capacity venue. Live Nation disclosed its renovation plans today, just shy of two weeks after local outlets noted the Wonder Bread bu…

Self-driving cars from Waymo steer further into pop culture with Blackpink wraps on its fleet to celebrate the K-pop girl group’s 10th anniversary. As autonomous vehicles from Waymo become the new status symbol for getting around some of the biggest cities in America, the company…

The Motion Picture Association and ByteDance have inked a deal for IP protections across ByteDance’s AI products, including Seedance and Seedream. On Monday, the Motion Picture Association and ByteDance announced a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in the development of a framewo…

Spotify killed off its Car Thing several years ago, creating e-waste and alienating customers. Now, custom firmware has given the auto dongle a new lease on life. Spotify discontinued its auto dongle, Car Thing, after only a few months, rendering the device nonfunctional overnigh…

Ellie Goulding is suing her former managers, TaP Music co-founders Ben Mawson and Ed Millett, for allegedly failing to disclose Live Nation’s ownership stake in their business. Hereford-born Goulding just recently submitted the complaint to a UK court, weeks after joining WME and…

Spitfire Audio, a UK-based creator of virtual instrument sample libraries was handling royalty payouts through manual, Excel-based processes. The processing time took weeks and the work was cumbersome, which is why Spitfire implemented Tipalti Mass Payments to help automate its r…

The U.S. Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism has opened a bipartisan investigation into Roblox over child safety concerns. When it rains, it pours. Gaming platform Roblox is facing increased scrutiny over concerns regarding child safety as the U.S. Senate…

Requests for ticket refunds at Vancouver’s summer fair have increased since Boy George, a slated performer since April, released his controversial pro-Israel song. Boy George and his band Culture Club have been on the roster to perform at Vancouver’s PNE (Pacific National Exhibit…

QUESTION: Can a culture be filled with music while musicians become economically disposable? The answer seems to be an overwhelming “yes”. In fact, that may be the defining contradiction of the modern music business. We are way past the commoditization of music, folks. Music is e…

Here’s a recap of recent music industry hires and in-house promotions as of August 14th, 2026. 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@digitalmusi…

The Colorado Artist Company Act has gone into effect, and in keeping with its title, the law is designed to enable creatives to form “artist companies,” or LLCs featuring “a stated artistic mission.” Technically signed into law in June, the Colorado Artist Company Act took effect…

Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. issues a statement implying the Grammys may reconsider its new Asian Pop Music category after BTS withdrew from consideration. After BTS announced they would not submit music for consideration for the Grammy Awards in February, the Recording…

The Isley Brothers have finally settled their long-running legal battle over their trademark, though the details of the settlement remain undisclosed. Ronald Isley and the estate of his late brother Rudolph Isley have filed a stipulation of dismissal in Chicago federal court, end…

Megan Thee Stallion has entered into a partnership with Interscope Records/UMG, while retaining full ownership of her masters and publishing. On Friday, Megan Thee Stallion announced signing a deal with Interscope Records, with the label providing global distribution and support…

Just months after being filed, two copyright infringement lawsuits against Suno – one submitted by The American Dollar, another by Jamendo – have abruptly ended. Both the Queens-based duo and Winamp’s Jamendo recently moved to voluntarily toss their separate Suno complaints; the…

Selena Gomez, her mom, and their company co-founder face a lawsuit with accusations of defrauding investors of mental health startup Wondermind. Singer and actress Selena Gomez, her mother Mandy Teefey, and their company co-founder Daniella Pierson are among the defendants in a l…

Google announces a slate of new connected apps coming to its Gemini AI assistant, including Ticketmaster, Pandora, and iHeartRadio. This week, Google announced a slew of new connected apps coming to its Gemini AI assistant, including several music and live events-focused favorite…

AB 1720, the California Fans First Act, failed to advance in the Senate Appropriations Committee after StubHub spent a record high in lobbying efforts to oppose it. On Thursday, California’s Senate Appropriations Committee held AB 1720, the California Fans First Act, preventing i…

Trump’s handpicked Kennedy Center board has found a new way to potentially circumvent a federal judge’s order to remove his name from the building. On Thursday, the Trump-appointed board of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts voted to inscribe “Restored and Renovat…

Ongoing share buyback program aside, Universal Music stock is still hovering around a 52-week – and all-time-low – price that represents a nearly 40% falloff during the past 12 months. When trading wrapped today, this price was €14.65 (currently $16.89) per share, down from north…

Beatport has officially added AI tags – and committed to booting “fully or majority AI-generated music” – under an expanded Beatdapp partnership. Denver-based Beatport and Vancouver-headquartered Beatdapp, having inked a fraud-prevention pact back in 2024, unveiled their bolstere…

TikTok announces the return of Music on Stage, its global music program dedicated to discovering emerging artists and helping them grow their fanbases. Today, TikTok has announced the return of its global music program Music on Stage, hosted by Cat Burns and Songkarn. The program…

Suno announces Studio 2.0, a browser-based creative platform that more closely resembles a comprehensive DAW, with MIDI support and more. Creators looking to dabble in AI rejoice: Suno’s Studio 2.0 is here, and it’s the company’s most comprehensive attempt at a proper digital aud…