Sega unveiled some new cast additions for their upcoming action-adventure game, “Stranger Than Heaven,” including the late Tupac Shakur. At Summer Game Fest 2026 last week, Sega of America and RGG Studio unveiled new cast additions for their highly anticipated upcoming action-adv…

SACEM is once again calling for the passage of France’s Darcos Bill (Bill No. 2634), under which it would be up to AI developers to prove “in any civil dispute” that their models weren’t trained on protected works. The Society of Authors, Composers and Publishers of Music (SACEM)…

Stevie Nicks has donated $3 million to the University of Southern California’s medical school to recognize the doctor who helped care for her voice. The incomparable Stevie Nicks has donated $3 million to the University of Southern California’s medical school in recognition of th…

Virgin Music Group agrees to sell Curve Royalty Systems to Jamen Capital and Merlin in a deal designed to preserve the company’s independence. Virgin Music Group has agreed to the sale of Curve Royalty Systems to Jamen Capital and Merlin, laying the groundwork for Curve Royalty S…

The US Trade Representative opens an investigation into Vietnam a month after designating it as a “Priority Foreign Country” over its failure to deter online piracy. The U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has formally opened an investigation just a month after designating Vietnam a…

Morgan Wallen’s second show in Pittsburgh over the weekend was cancelled due to the threat of bad weather, leaving fans disgruntled when the storm didn’t roll in. Morgan Wallen made the decision after consulting with multiple parties to cancel his Saturday show in Pittsburgh at A…

Ahead of America’s 250th anniversary – and with Garth Brooks having now moved 200 million albums – why not celebrate the nation and the artist together? As the country mainstay reportedly explores a blockbuster catalog sale, “An Evening with Garth Brooks” recently did just that.…

The major labels are anticipating big things, in terms of revenue and otherwise, from their Suno and Udio agreements. But according to a new AFM lawsuit, they’ve also “failed to share in the settlement proceeds and future revenue with those same artists whose music was copied” by…

Madonna announces the release of “Confessions II – The Film,” directed by David Toro and Solomon Chase, on YouTube on June 8 at 11 AM ET. Today (June 5), Madonna announced online that she will release “Confessions II – The Film” on YouTube on June 8 at 11 AM ET. Directed by David…

Are we about to learn Udio’s definitive “training number”? Perhaps, as a federal judge has vacated an earlier motion concerning the AI music platform’s purportedly confidential data. Both Suno and Udio, repped by the same counsel in two distinct infringement complaints from the m…

Florida Senator Rick Scott sends a letter urging Raymond James Stadium in Tampa to reconsider platforming the antisemitic rapper now known as Ye. On Thursday, Florida Senator Rick Scott sent a letter to the Tampa Sports Authority Board of Directors over Kanye West’s upcoming conc…

Antoine Fuqua’s Michael Jackson biopic sensation continues dancing past its competition to become Lionsgate’s highest-grossing movie of all time. The summer box office is already heating up, and Michael Jackson continues to sizzle on the big screen. The Antoine Fuqua-directed Mic…

22 years after its founding, ticketing platform Tickets.ie has abruptly shut down – leaving some organizers unable to access revenue from their newly concluded festivals. Unsurprisingly, Dublin-headquartered Tickets.ie’s demise initially entered the media spotlight in Ireland. An…

That didn’t take long: Bill Ackman’s Pershing Square has officially offloaded its Universal Music Group (UMG) stock, and the major label itself has purchased about 14.2 million of the shares. Universal Music disclosed the buyback this morning, moments after Pershing unveiled plan…

Disrupting the UBS AI in Entertainment Summit in Santa Monica this week was the Human Artistry Campaign, who contracted a plane to circle over Santa Monica with the words “Say No To Suno.” Trucks in the city carried multiple mobile billboards with the same sentiment. On Wednesday…

Following ample criticism from on-demand music and video platforms, the Canadian government has walked back its controversial “streaming tax.” Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture Marc Miller just recently announced the regulatory pivot as well as a fresh funding package for…

Concord announces a partnership with Lito Music, marking a strategic step in the company’s expansion into the global Latin music market. Leading independent music company Concord has announced a partnership with Lito MC Cassidy’s Lito Music, marking a strategic step in the compan…

ABBA co-founder and CISAC president Björn Ulvaeus opened CISAC’s event in Paris celebrating its 100th anniversary, providing a statement on AI. CISAC, the global network representing over 5 million creators of music, audio-visual, drama, literature, and visual arts, celebrated it…

The copyright infringement lawsuit filed against Travis Scott, SZA, and Future over their 2023 track “Telekinesis” has been voluntarily dismissed. Victory Boyd, the Roc Nation-signed artist who sued Travis Scott, SZA, and Future for alleged copyright infringement over their 2023…

Ticketmaster hits pause on the sale of Celine Dion tickets after identifying “suspicious activity” that prevented real fans from securing their seats. Celine Dion’s comeback shows have fans chomping at the bit to get tickets, with the Canadian superstar slated to perform 26 shows…

John Summit expands his extensive touring schedule with four European headline dates this month, after kicking off his debut residency at [UNVRS]. On Thursday, dance music powerhouse John Summit expanded his busy touring schedule with four European headline dates this month in Pa…

Two-time Grammy Award-winning singer Peabo Bryson, known for his Disney duets in “Aladdin” and “Beauty and the Beast” in the ‘90s, has passed away. Peabo Bryson, the R&B singer best known as the voice behind the Oscar-winning Disney film duets from “Beauty and the Beast” (with Ce…

Garth Brooks is reportedly exploring his options for the sale of his extensive music catalog in a deal that could be worth a whopping $2 billion. On Tuesday, The Wall Street Journal reported that country music star Garth Brooks is looking into selling his vast music catalog, with…

A new partnership with Apple Music Classical will see all new Wigmore Hall Live releases premiere exclusively on the platform for three months. West London’s Wigmore Hall has announced a new partnership with Apple Music Classical, which will see all new Wigmore Hall Live releases…

An Amsterdam judge has allowed two upcoming shows by Kanye West to move forward in the Netherlands despite an emergency lawsuit from the Central Jewish Council. The Central Jewish Counsil filed an emergency lawsuit in a bid to prevent Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West,…

After securing a $267 million ABS tranche, Seeker Music has acquired Cocteau Twins’ Simon Raymonde’s publishing catalog, including his full body of work with the band. Songwriter Evan Bogart’s Seeker Music has acquired the music publishing catalog of acclaimed songwriter, produce…

On the heels of its failed Universal Music Group (UMG) takeover attempt, Bill Ackman’s Pershing Square is reportedly preparing to sell off its remaining interest in the major label. That’s according to an early release from Bank of America, which pointed to Pershing’s imminent di…

AXS strengthens its position in the independent venue space with new and renewed partnerships spanning some of the most iconic clubs in the nation. Today, AXS bolstered its place in the independent venue market with a fresh round of partnerships spanning iconic clubs across the U…

YouTube Music unveils its 2026 picks for its Foundry program, which has worked with over 250 artists since 2015 to help them build sustainable careers. What platform has the greatest ability to break new artists? TikTok, Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, and more have all been instr…

Suno has officially wrapped a $400 million funding round at a $5.4 billion post-cash valuation – thereby upping its six-month raise total to a staggering $650 million. Though Suno’s Series D was all but confirmed last month, the AI music platform formally disclosed the round toda…

Here’s a recap of recent music industry hires and in-house promotions as of June 3rd, 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@digitalmusicne…

Ben Folds explains the challenges now facing the National Symphony Orchestra amid Trump’s recent overhaul of the Kennedy Center in an open letter. Musician and former National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) artistic advisor Ben Folds released an open letter outlining the challenges now…

2 Live Crew have lost their prior copyright victory in appeals court, based on a technicality that affects artists’ rights under federal bankruptcy law. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit overturned the previous October 2024 jury verdict that saw iconic rap group…

Suno isn’t alone in pushing to keep its “training data number” – or a tally of the tracks used to train its models – out of the public view. Now, amid a legal battle with Sony Music, AI music rival Udio is also attempting to seal the figure. Still fending off copyright litigation…

IMPALA has unveiled a collaboration with FÉLIN’s ReDisco, a vinyl recycling initiative that’s said to have “given a second life to 1.2 million unwanted records” since launching three years ago. France’s National Federation of Independent Labels and Distributors (FÉLIN) establishe…

A new documentary chronicling the life and career of Cypress Hill co-founder Sen Dog is underway, with participation from numerous hip-hop icons. A documentary about the life and career of Cypress Hill co-founder Senen “Sen Dog” Reyes, entitled Mi Familia: Sen Dog and the America…

Amazon Prime informs users that ads will start playing for subscribers of Amazon Music in some markets, after introducing them in Prime Video in 2024. Amazon Prime has been a subscription service loaded with benefits for years, including free shipping, premium video content, musi…

The Black Crowes were booed after frontman Chris Robinson berated fans for chanting “USA” — then things truly went south. Atlanta blues-rock veterans the Black Crowes played the MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre on Sunday night as part of their Southern Hospitality tour. But a…

When it comes to AI panic, perhaps some perspective helps. Enter BubbleUp founder and tech veteran Coleman Sisson, whose company has been working for over 20 years with some of the largest acts in the world (Luke Bryan, Khruangbin, Avett Brothers, BTS, Eagles, Kelsea Ballerini, K…

An LA County court has granted Sabrina Carpenter a temporary restraining order against a man she said has been stalking her and tried to enter her home. On Monday, a Los Angeles County court granted pop princess Sabrina Carpenter a temporary restraining order against a man she al…

iHeartMedia announces the lineup for this year’s iHeartRadio Music Festival, featuring BTS, Benson Boone, Cardi B, Snoop Dogg, Lainey Wilson, and more. The lineup for the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Festival has been announced, taking place on Friday, September 18, and Saturday, Septe…

After hitting the ground running during 2026’s first four months, core music industry funding finished at a relatively modest $80 million in May. But is resumed growth in the cards for the remainder of the second quarter and the year? Time will tell, though overall, a good bit of…

The Artists Rights Alliance launches a campaign to pass the reintroduced Protect Working Musicians Act, including town halls and an artist-led press on the Hill. The Artist Rights Alliance (ARA) has launched the latest chapter in its efforts to protect and defend artists whose li…

Anthropic has started the process for an initial public offering after outpacing OpenAI in valuation as the artificial intelligence race intensifies. This week, AI company Anthropic announced the “confident” submission of a draft registration statement with the Securities and Exc…

Exactly how many tracks were used to train Suno’s generative models? The world may never know – at least if the company gets its way. Amid an ugly legal battle with the non-Warner majors, the AI music platform is fighting to conceal the figure. As some will recognize, this is the…

Italian authorities have banned Kanye West and Travis Scott concerts from taking place in Reggio Emilia, citing public order and security concerns. On Friday, Italian Prefect Salvatore Angieri announced that two concerts by Kanye West and Travis Scott will not be taking place. Th…

Primary Wave Music announces a partnership with legendary Mexican music powerhouse Intocable, including name, image, and likeness rights. Leading independent publisher Primary Wave Music has announced a partnership with the Grammy-winning and genre-defining Mexican music powerhou…

Amazon Music announces the lineup for Primavera Sound Barcelona, with performances and exclusive content streaming worldwide on the Amazon Music app, Fire TV, and Twitch. On Monday, Amazon Music unveiled the lineup of confirmed artists that will be streamed live from Primavera So…

Now that naming rights have been secured by FMB, Long Beach’s new $21 million amphitheater opens this week with a show from hometown hero Snoop Dogg. California’s new waterfront amphitheater, the FMB Amphitheater of Long Beach, will open this week, only six months after Legends G…

The AIMP Global Music Publishing Summit will feature a special fireside chat with Shira Perlmutter and Emily L. Chapuis of the U.S. Copyright Office. The Association of Independent Music Publishers (AIMP) has announced a special fireside chat featuring Shira Perlmutter, Register…

Fender won the rights to the iconic Stratocaster body shape, and now the company is issuing a cease-and-desist to PRS Guitars over John Mayer’s Silver Sky. Fender was awarded broad rights to the iconic Stratocaster guitar body shape in a landmark copyright case. Now, the company…

Another day, another international acquisition for Live Nation, which has taken a majority interest in Argentina’s Dale Play Live and deemed Buenos Aires “a priority” amid a broader expansion across Latin America. Live Nation unveiled its newest Dale Play “strategic partnership”…

M.I.A. is suing Kid Cudi for inducing breach of contract and more after being booted from the Rebel Ragers Tour, claiming that she “was terminated to generate publicity” amid low ticket sales. M.I.A. (real name Mathangi Arulpragasam) just recently submitted the straightforward su…

Code in Apple Music’s Android client beta hints at new subscription tiers and features that don’t exist in the current iteration of the music service. Apple Music has long been a streaming service that provided all users with the same level of service regardless of their subscrip…

After several artists dropped out of the planned US Freedom 250 festival, Trump said “cancel it,” calling the planned performers “overpriced” and “boring.” President Trump is cancelling the planned musical performances for the United States’ 250th birthday after several artists d…

Carpenter Brut comes to Fortnite from May 29 to June 26 in an immersive and gamified racing project with nods to the Hellfest summer rock festival. Darkwave synth artist Carpenter Brut is in Fortnite for a limited time, thanks to the ARTE Riff Mountain project, an immersive and g…

As expected, Universal Music Group’s board has formally rejected Pershing Square’s $64 billion takeover proposal after being urged to do so by Bolloré Group. We covered Bolloré Group’s clear-cut opposition to the bid earlier this week, when CEO Cyrille Bolloré criticized key elem…

A US District Court judge has now ruled that adding Trump’s name to the Kennedy Center was a violation of federal law, while further ordering the immediate removal of the Trump name from the building. A two-year renovation plan has also been nixed by the Obama-appointed judge. On…

Too Lost has appointed Jay Moore as Chief Investment Officer (CIO), signaling a deeper push into catalog investment and artist financing within the independent music sector. This article was created in collaboration with DMN partner Too Lost. The Los Angeles-based company, known…

Anthropic announces a $65 billion funding round at a valuation of $965 billion, pushing it ahead of OpenAI in the artificial intelligence race. On Thursday, Anthropic said it had raised $65 billion in its latest funding round at a post-money valuation of $965 billion, bolstering…