A federal judge has denied Cher’s request to force Sonny Bono’s widow to reimburse her for over $1 million in legal fees after their royalty court battle. After Cher’s triumph in court against Mary Bono, widow of her ex-husband Sonny, the singer requested Bono cover her legal fee…

Lizzo is the July 2026 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover model, the fruits of her labor with her brand Yitty while designing its swimwear line years ago. It’s a good year for Lizzo. The singer released a new album in May, and now she’s the July 2026 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit co…

Weeks after a federal court rejected Sony Music’s request to supersize its Udio copyright lawsuit, the major label has responded by firing off a fresh complaint alleging the infringement of over 30,000 recordings. Sony Music made that follow-up action official today, after Judge…

A copyright lawsuit over a paparazzi video? Celebrity photograph business Bauer-Griffin is suing Gamma, its Vydia subsidiary, French Montana, Kanye West, and others for allegedly incorporating a caught-on-camera outburst from West into a track without authorization. This outburst…

I never planned on starting a music publishing administration company. The following comes from 3 Hats Music Publishing, a partner of DMN. My name is Mateo Correa, born in the vibrant city of Medellin, Colombia. My parents immigrated with my siblings and me to the United States,…

Two years later, the Muvox v. BMG patent infringement case has drawn to an abrupt close. But Muvox isn’t finished taking legal action, as it’s fired off two more complaints – this time against Amazon and Apple – involving the same patent. We’ve been covering Muvox’s BMG showdown…

MSG’s database of celebs and other alleged fan-tracking activity catches the eye of NY legislators, who set their sights on the use of facial recognition tools. As Madison Square Garden and its owner James Dolan come under media scrutiny over a leaked database of VIP attendees, l…

Qobuz announces a year-long partnership with WYXR 91.7 FM, a Memphis-based, non-profit, community-powered radio station. Qobuz, the independently owned music streaming platform, has announced a year-long partnership with WYXR 91.7 FM, the non-profit, community-powered radio stati…

Indonesia prepares major changes to its laws that could make the country the first in Southeast Asia to incorporate AI into its copyright framework. Indonesia is proposing a landmark copyright bill that could make the country the first in Southeast Asia to explicitly regulate AI…

The UK’s competition regulator is poised to investigate Live Nation and its domination of the country’s live music industry, echoing US moves. The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is reportedly gearing up for a major inquiry into Live Nation and the company’s power ac…

The 60th Montreux Jazz Festival drew in over 250,000 attendees across 16 days of music and over 700 shows and events, featuring a blend of genres. The Montreux Jazz Festival’s 60th edition has drawn to a close after welcoming more than 250,000 attendees across 16 days of music. T…

TikTok is testing an opt-in tool that scans for AI likenesses and enables creators to report them to the company. Initial tests are limited to a few US-based creators. TikTok has started testing an opt-in function that scans for AI-generated likenesses and enables creators to rep…

The star-studded halftime show at the FIFA World Cup was the first of its kind, featuring Madonna, BTS, Shakira, Burna Boy, Justin Bieber, and even the Muppets. Soccer purists bristled at the Super Bowl-style spectacle — though when in America, FIFA did what Americans do. The FIF…

Radio broadcasters from across the US have been gathering in Washington to once again lobby Congress in support of the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act, a proposed bill that would require AM radio in all new passenger vehicles. The law would apply to both vehicles manufactured in t…

Drake reveals he put $1.5 million on Argentina beating Spain in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final—adding to his reputation for bad betting. Fans aren’t the least bit surprised to learn that the so-called ‘Drake Curse’—a superstition in which the rapper’s stake in or presence at a spo…

Two AI music platforms, two very different strategies: As Suno adds features and eyes a developer API launch, Udio is fortifying its walled garden under a new deal with BuyDRM. Austin-headquartered BuyDRM unveiled the partnership agreement in a formal release that largely flew un…

Major music publishers and Elon Musk’s X have abruptly dropped their lawsuits against one another, but information about a settlement (if any) has yet to be revealed. For now, neither side is talking. After years of outright legal war and licensing impasses, X and major music pub…

Here’s a recap of recent music industry hires and in-house promotions as of July 17th, 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@digitalmusicn…

Madison Square Garden is filing a defamation suit against Wired for alleged defamation over the outlet’s coverage of the leaked MSG celebrity database. Madison Square Garden Entertainment is suing Advance Magazine Publishers, the publisher of Wired, over the outlet’s coverage of…

On the heels of fresh U.S. price increases from Spotify, Amazon Music, and YouTube Music, Apple Music has once again upped its own subscription charges – including a nearly 18% bump for Family. The Apple-owned DSP reached out to DMN with word of the upward adjustments, which went…

Warner Music Group and NetEase Cloud Music announce the renewal of their strategic multi-year licensing agreement, deepening their partnership. Warner Music Group (WMG) and NetEase Cloud Music, a leading interactive music streaming service provider in China, have announced the re…

Ricky Martin canceled his concert in Georgia only a day before the show was scheduled to kick off. Refunds will be issued at the point of purchase. Puerto Rican star Ricky Martin has canceled his concert in Georgia at the Rustavi International Motorpark, which was scheduled for T…

Lorde called out Spotify over the company’s new AI feature after it shared incorrect information about the context of one of her songs. On Thursday, Lorde dragged Spotify over the streaming platform’s AI-based “About the Song” feature, after the AI incorrectly provided informatio…

The battle over Warner Music’s Suno licensing deal just got even uglier: Now, the AI music platform has officially fired back against Universal Music’s and Sony Music’s continued push to obtain a copy of the contract. As many know, said push, one component of a broader infringeme…

The state attorneys general who won in court against Live Nation are now pushing for more information about the ticketing giant’s deal with the DOJ. The states that sued Live Nation for monopolizing the live entertainment industry are asking a federal judge to allow them to seek…

Target announces the expansion of its Tiny Vinyl with a dedicated line of products and accessories, including a Tiny Vinyl Player. After the breakout success of their miniature vinyls, Tiny Vinyl unveils its own dedicated line of products and accessories, including a Tiny Vinyl P…

Handcraft Entertainment and Takasago International announce a strategic partnership to build the “small, taste, and feel” of global J-pop. Handcraft Entertainment and Takasago International Corporation USA, one of Japan’s largest and one of Asia’s leading fragrance and flavor com…

Following the passage of anti-scalping laws in D.C., Vermont, and Maine, Massachusetts has become the latest state to propose a strict limit on ticketing resale prices as well as a straight ban on speculative passes. Governor Maura Healey detailed the Bay State’s forthcoming tick…

VuHaus Group announces its newest affiliate, KCSN The SoCal Sound in Los Angeles, whose local page now appears on the NPR Live Sessions website. VuHaus Group has announced the addition of its newest affiliate, KCSN “The SoCal Sound” in Los Angeles. The SoCal Sound’s local page no…

The Killers and Olivia Dean headline the first Santa Monica Beach music festival in September, with sets from Jack White, Sublime, and Khruangbin. On Thursday, Goldenvoice announced the headliners and other performers at the inaugural Ocean Way Festival, the first major music fes…

Half a decade ago, a trio of copyright suits accused all manner of artists and companies of infringing on reggaeton releases including “Fish Market.” Now, having come up short in their summary judgment push, Bad Bunny and Rimas Entertainment are asking the court to reconsider its…

Reservoir and Nacional Records announce a partnership that marks a comprehensive expansion of Reservoir’s Latin music strategy with the acquisition of Nacional’s recorded and publishing catalogs, plus a new joint venture. Reservoir Media has announced the acquisition of the catal…

Rich The Kid’s birthday bash saw the chart-topping rapper perform alongside Fenix Flexin, Bay Swag, Cash Cobain, Jay Critch, and Trampa Billione. New York City has been bustling with celebrity events this month, from Taylor Swift’s wedding to Jay-Z’s Yankee Stadium shows, and eve…

A federal court has officially entered a $3.2 million default judgment against Triller in a missing-compensation lawsuit filed by Merlin. Meanwhile, the social media company has resumed trading on NASDAQ, changed its name, and deemed 2026 “the monetization year.” We exclusively c…

iPhone users with the Suno app installed can now generate songs from their iMessage app using text or voice prompts, leaning into the TikTok trend. One of the most popular AI song-generation platforms on the market, Suno sees 7 million songs generated each day. Copyright concerns…

FIFA adds another big-name artist to its impressive World Cup Finals performance cast. Post Malone will headline the closing ceremony on Sunday. As if the FIFA World Cup 2026 halftime show wasn’t already stacked with iconic performers, global superstar Post Malone has been announ…

Amid double-digit streaming consumption growth for dance/electronic and world music, U.S. on-demand streams increased by about 4.8% during H1 2026, when physical sales topped 38 million units. These and other stats come from Luminate, which today released its midyear report. Cloc…

A new hack sheds some light on how Suno pulled from streaming services and websites like YouTube Music, Deezer, and Genius to train its product. As Suno brawls with the majors over copyright infringement, a hacker who breached the company’s data shared information with 404 Media…

Cutting Edge Group acquires the music rights and royalties of composer Brian Tyler, marking one of the largest deals with a single film composer. Cutting Edge Group (CEG), a leading investor in and manager of media music rights, has announced the acquisition of the music rights a…

BandLab announces the acquisition of Aiode, an AI-powered music studio utilizing fully licensed audio-to-audio models developed with professional session musicians and producers. BandLab Technologies has added a third music-making platform to its repertoire alongside BandLab and…

Too Lost has announced a partnership with GYRO.Group, a Brisbane-based company widely regarded as Australia’s largest independent music distribution and artist services provider. The move marks Too Lost’s first acquisition following its recent strategic investment led by GoldStat…

Samsung has launched a strategic collaboration with Amazon Music to bring the app to the Galaxy Store and pre-install it on millions of Samsung devices. Samsung has announced a strategic collaboration with Amazon Music to bring the Amazon Music app to the Galaxy Store and pre-ins…

Lily Allen trades her arena shows for smaller venues across most of the dates of the upcoming U.S. leg of her West End Girl Tour. Due to somewhat soft demand, Lily Allen is turning most of the arena dates on the U.S. leg of her West End Girl Tour into smaller engagements, the sin…

The Australian government has announced plans to develop a comprehensive artificial intelligence regulatory framework featuring training-related protections for artists and others. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese revealed his government’s “Australian Standards for AI” in a Sydney…

Anthropic is currently embroiled in multiple lawsuits against major music publishers, with billions of dollars at stake. But according to legal filings shared with Digital Music News, the Claude creator is also locking horns ‘mano-a-mano’ with Gang Tyre attorney Donald Passman, a…

The Justice Department has officially published its proposed Live Nation settlement for comment, and NIVA is urging the public to speak out about how the promoter and its Ticketmaster subsidiary “have made for a terrible live experience for them.” The DOJ-Live Nation agreement wa…

Washington DC passes a robust consumer protection law for concert fans in the form of the RESALE Act, which establishes a 10% price cap for resellers. Independent Concert Promotion (IMP) joins the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) and the Fix the Tix Coalition in appl…

Bangkok police have arrested five individuals in connection with an alleged BTS concert ticket scam ring, ranging in age from 18 to 27. Police in Thailand have arrested five suspects in connection with an alleged BTS concert ticket scam ring, which is accused of defrauding over a…

LANDR is moving its Fair Trade AI program into a new phase, introducing an upfront payment program and an expanded revenue model that directly compensates independent artists for AI training use. The initiative now includes more than 30,000 artists. LANDR will begin issuing its f…

The UK government has unveiled its “Turn It Up” music industry support (and reform) plan, including fresh funding, “stable, pro-growth regulatory framework” commitments, music education initiatives, and more. To put it mildly, there’s quite a lot going on in the newly published “…

Pophouse Entertainment has scored a high-profile catalog partnership with Iron Maiden, acquiring a stake in the group’s publishing, masters, and all-important name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights. Iron Maiden and Pophouse formally announced their tie-up today, pointing, at the…

Nicki Minaj faces yet another legal battle over her unpaid debts—this time from a law firm that claims the rapper is ghosting them over the $230,000 she owes them. Law firm Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani (GRSM) filed a collection lawsuit against rapper Nicki Minaj over $229,541 in…

With most of their claims tossed out, Fuerza Regida still retains a crucial bid to declare obligations to their label expired under California’s seven-year rule. Their claims for unfair competition, unjust enrichment, and statutory damages were tossed out. But Fuerza Regida holds…

Hundreds of fans who didn’t have tickets tried to force their way into Jay-Z’s last show at Yankee Stadium, forcing a several-hour delay on Sunday. After thousands of fans were left waiting outside Yankee Stadium for hours before Jay-Z’s third and final anniversary show on Sunday…

StubHub’s CEO is also the managing partner of a ticket broker that has made millions on the platform. To consumers, that revelation spells fraud. After reports on Friday that StubHub CEO Eric Baker has an ownership stake in ticket broker Andro Capital—which has made millions of d…

The trade association representing music streamers issued a response to the recorded music industry’s announcement of a new AI labeling program. Trade organization Digital Media Association (DIMA), which represents music streaming services like Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, Amaz…

Warner Music Group (WMG) is officially looking to toss the breach of contract lawsuit filed against it by the AFM, maintaining, among other things, that the agreement at the case’s center “does not cover AI licenses.” WMG recently shed light on its dismissal arguments when reques…

After years of back-and-forth litigation, a federal judge has officially ruled on dueling summary judgment motions – and dismissed one complaint altogether – in the ugly Epidemic Sound v. Meta showdown. Technically, Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley resolved the summary judgment ques…

Meta pulls its controversial Instagram AI image tool, which automatically opted in photos from all public accounts, just days after its launch. Following intense backlash over privacy concerns, Meta has already pulled the plug on its new Instagram AI image feature, less than a we…

TikTok and iHeartRadio set a new viewing record for the biggest TikTok Live on July 2, with over 2.16 million unique viewers tuning in for Madonna. Madonna’s iHeartRadio and TikTok Live received over 5.75 million likes and 139,000 comments, setting a record for the biggest TikTok…