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Digital Music News
825 items archivedLatest Music Industry Hires: Weverse, TuneCore, Too Lost, U2, Spirit Music, iHeartMedia, Pophouse, MoreFirstOriginal29 May, 22:32
See coverageHere’s a recap of recent music industry hires and in-house promotions as of May 29th, 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…
Live Nation Settles With Beyond Wonderland Shooting Victims Ahead of Broader TrialFirstOriginal29 May, 18:55
See coverageLive Nation has settled a lawsuit with the families of two women shot and killed during the 2023 Beyond Wonderland festival at The Gorge Amphitheatre. Live Nation has reached an undisclosed settlement with the families of two women, Brandy Escamilla, 29, and Josilyn Ruiz, 26, who…
Music Business Manager Fights to Stay Out of Prison After Allegedly Stealing Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars from Juice WRLD and OthersFirstOriginal29 May, 17:47
See coverageSean Welch, a music business manager accused of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from clients including Juice WRLD, is battling to stay out of federal prison after pleading guilty to wire fraud. Though the Industry Management Group founder Welch only entered that guilty…
“Prometheus” by MrRay: A Defining Artistic Statement of Philosophical Existentialism in Contemporary PopFirstOriginal29 May, 14:26
See coverageUkrainian-born artist and Shanghai-based educator Alex Ray — known musically as MrRay — is emerging as one of the more conceptually ambitious independent artists in contemporary pop. The following comes from Arcadia International, a partner of DMN. Balancing his work as a history…
An LA court says a Texas millionaire has to pay Katy Perry nearly $5 million in legal fees after losing a court battle over the sale of a mansion. Katy Perry has been awarded over $3 million in legal fees following a multi-year legal battle against Carl Westcott over the sale of…
Music Biz 2026: Inside the Future of Music Rights, Sync Licensing, and AI InnovationFirstOriginal29 May, 06:37
See coverageDigital Music News and Open On Sunday returned to Atlanta for Music Biz 2026 at the Renaissance Waverly Hotel. Industry leaders, executives, artists, and tech innovators gathered to focus on sync licensing and celebrate this central theme. While industry figures exchanged ideas o…
Filing Frivolity Against Nelly? Judge Saddles Attorney Suing ‘Country Grammar’ Rapper With a Heavy FineFirstOriginal29 May, 05:12
See coverageOuch. The attorney who sued Nelly for allegedly excluding his former bandmates from credits for his wildly successful debut solo album Country Grammar has been ordered to pay the rapper’s legal fees. Precious Felder Gates—the attorney for former St. Lunatics member Ali Jones, who…
The ‘Cox Effect’ Continues: Anthropic Brushes Off Vicarious Infringement Claims In Music Publishers’ High-Stakes Copyright SuitFirstOriginal29 May, 05:00
See coverageThe “Cox effect” continues to ripple across the music industry litigation landscape. In the latest development, Anthropic has shrugged off vicarious liability in the newer copyright infringement suit it’s facing from major music publishers including Concord. Judge Eumi K. Lee jus…
Last.fm is Still Scrobbling More Than Twenty Years Later (Seriously) — But It’s No Longer Part of Paramount SkydanceFirstOriginal29 May, 04:46
See coverageLast.fm is independent again, nearly 20 years after it was acquired by CBS. And it’s still keeping track of your scrobbles across streaming platforms. Remember Last.fm? It started out as an internet radio station in 2002, but became better known as a music tracking service that l…
15-Year Prison Sentence Handed Down In Taylor Swift Vienna Concert Attack Plot; Perpetrator Was Part of a Broader Global Terrorist NetworkFirstOriginal29 May, 04:25
See coverageAn Austrian court convicted a man who planned to attack a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna two years ago, sentencing him to 15 years in prison. The trial and ongoing investigation have revealed the involvement of a far broader and involved terrorist network. Nearly two years after…
LyricFind Says Musixmatch Cheated Its Way to Victory. But Is That What Really Happened?FirstOriginal29 May, 04:22
See coverageLyricFind has filed yet another amended antitrust complaint against Musixmatch and its parent company TPG, alleging an underhanded scheme involving Warner Chappell Music. But did Lyricfind get cheated out of plum deals, or simply get outmaneuvered? LyricFind has now filed its sec…
The Definitive K-Pop Rankings? Melon, Tencent Music, and Line Music Tee Up ‘Global-K Chart’ to Account for Streaming, Downloads, and Other ‘Fan Activity’ AlikeFirstOriginal28 May, 23:36
See coverageHave Melon, Tencent Music, and Line Music developed the definitive ranking authority for K-pop artists? We’re about to find out, as the companies are preparing to release a “Global-K Chart” that they’re billing as “the global K-pop standard.” Kakao Entertainment’s Melon DSP, the…
Is ‘Blue Dot Fever’ Coming for Mid-Tier Festivals? One Analyst Issues a Dire Forecast as Concertgoers Pull BackFirstOriginal28 May, 21:35
See coverageMid-tier festivals might be next to suffer from “blue dot fever,” according to analyst Annick Maas. The growing malady of “blue dot fever,” the phenomenon of seats going largely unsold at live events — as represented by endless blue dots on Ticketmaster’s site — isn’t getting bet…
Judge Considers Injunction Against Taylor Swift’s ‘Life of a Showgirl’ Branding as Trademark Battle IntensifiesFirstOriginal28 May, 19:25
See coverageA judge weighs an injunction against Taylor Swift’s Life of a Showgirl branding in light of her trademark’s prior suspension due to actual showgirl Maren Wade’s own trademark. If you thought former Vegas showgirl Maren Wade (legal name Maren Flagg) was trying to ride Taylor Swift…
Downtown Music Publishing Inks Broad-Based Biz Markie Pact, Including All-Important NIL RightsFirstOriginal28 May, 19:03
See coverageDowntown Music Publishing announces a new deal to represent the catalog of hip-hop pioneer Biz Markie, including name, image, and likeness rights. Downtown Music Publishing (DMP) has announced a new deal to represent the catalog of pioneering hip-hop legend Biz Markie, including…
Appeals Court Revives Bernie Worrell v. George Clinton Lawsuit: ‘The Rare Case in Which a Copyright-Ownership Claim May Be Brought a Half-Century After-the-Fact’FirstOriginal28 May, 17:23
See coverageMoments after George Clinton sued Universal Music over allegedly unpaid royalties, a federal appeals court has revived the years-running copyright (and contract) lawsuit filed against him by the estate of fellow Parliament-Funkadelic founding member Bernie Worrell. The U.S. Court…
The Grammy Museum has announced its third annual Hip-Hop Block Party on Tuesday, June 16th, a museum-wide celebration of music, art, culture, and community. The Grammy Museum will come alive for its third annual Hip-Hop Block Party on Tuesday, June 16, beginning at 7:30 PM. The m…
Elon Musk Is Now Beefing with Bruce Springsteen—Calling Him a ‘Billionaire Hypocrite’ and ‘Puppet’FirstOriginal28 May, 08:09
See coverageAfter Springsteen’s on-stage comments criticizing the Trump Administration and DOGE, Elon Musk has clapped back on X. Elon Musk clearly isn’t a fan of Bruce Springsteen, and to illustrate that point, he took to X, the social media platform he owns, to criticize the Boss twice on…
Apple-Backed Gamma Fires Off Defamation Lawsuit ‘To Unmask the Perpetrators’ Behind ‘LarryJacksonExposed’ and ‘GammaExposed’FirstOriginal28 May, 04:00
See coverageApple-backed Gamma is officially suing to determine who’s behind the “coordinated, malicious, and ongoing campaign targeting” it and co-founder Larry Jackson via the LarryJacksonExposed and GammaExposed websites. The lawsuit follows Gamma’s questionable decision to resuscitate th…
Three Years Later, Zayn Malik and Sony Music Move to Settle ‘Better’ Copyright SuitFirstOriginal28 May, 04:00
See coverageA copyright infringement lawsuit filed against former One Direction member Zayn Malik nearly three years ago may finally be reaching a settlement. Back in late 2023, pop star and former One Direction member Zayn Malik was hit with a copyright infringement lawsuit over his hit, “B…
ONELIVE Welcomes Matt Blum as Director of Fan Club and Membership Programs to Drive Continued Growth and InnovationFirstOriginal28 May, 03:30
See coverageONELIVE, a leader in connected commerce and fan engagement technology, is pleased to announce the appointment of Matt Blum as Director of Fan Club and Membership Programs. The following comes from ONELIVE, a partner of DMN. In this role, he will be responsible for leading, managi…
Bolloré Puts the Kibosh on Pershing’s $64 Billion Universal Music Takeover Proposal: ‘Why Would We Sell Our Stake for That Price?’FirstOriginal28 May, 01:30
See coverageLooks like the Universal Music Group (UMG) takeover battle has drawn to a close: Bolloré Group has urged the major label to reject Pershing’s $64 billion bid, indicating that “the price would be a problem.” Bolloré Group CEO Cyrille Bolloré made the seemingly definitive recommend…
Vermont Looks to Decommission Scalpers With New Ticketing-Reform Law — Including a Resale Price Cap and a Speculative Sales BanFirstOriginal27 May, 23:26
See coverageVermont has officially become the latest state to take a stab at decommissioning scalpers, as it’s enacted a ticketing-reform law featuring a resale price cap, a ban on speculative passes, and more. Governor Phil Scott signed the bill into law yesterday, and multiple reform-minde…
Kennedy Center Official Says Removing Trump’s Name from the Building Would Sever Billions In Reconstruction FundraisingFirstOriginal27 May, 23:00
See coverageA Kennedy Center official tells a federal judge that removing Trump’s name from the building would make them go broke, in a new court filing. On Tuesday, the Kennedy Center’s executive director, Charles Matthew Foca, filed a declaration in the U.S. District Court for the District…
YouTube has now improved its AI disclosure labels for viewers and creators alike, and rolls out some much-needed automatic AI detection. YouTube has announced some improvements to its disclosure labels for AI content, as well as the long-awaited rollout of automatic AI detection.…
Metropolitan Opera Still Scrambling After $200 Million Saudi Donation Falls ThroughFirstOriginal27 May, 19:44
See coverageThe Metropolitan Opera is looking into multiple funding options, including the sale of its iconic paintings, following a failed agreement with the government of Saudi Arabia. New York’s Metropolitan Opera is aggressively looking into different funding options following a failed m…
Apple Music Quickly Expands Club Live With Livestreamed Warehouse Project SetsFirstOriginal27 May, 19:06
See coverageApple Music’s Club Live expands with a partnership with The Warehouse Project, bringing livestreams from selected shows during its 20th anniversary. Apple Music has announced that Manchester’s The Warehouse Project will join Club Live, Apple Music’s livestreaming series on Apple…
‘Michael’ Is About to Become the Biggest Biopic of All Time: Box Office Totals Quickly Closing In on ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ and ‘Oppenheimer’FirstOriginal27 May, 06:30
See coverageMichael approaches $800 million at the global box office; another major milestone that fast approaches Bohemian Rhapsody and Oppenheimer for the title of the biggest biopic of all time. The musical biopic about the early career and meteoric rise of Michael Jackson has now generat…
Qobuz Is Suddenly One of the Fastest-Growing Streaming Music Platforms. But Why, You Ask?FirstOriginal27 May, 06:00
See coverageWe’ve chronicled the sudden rise of YouTube Premium and Music, an upsurge that started last year. But a quieter, albeit equally fascinating, ascent has also been taking place for the independently-owned, music-exclusive service Qobuz. That’s right: Qobuz, the high-resolution stre…
Cam’ron and J. Cole have settled the strange lawsuit surrounding their “Ready ‘24” collaboration, after J. Cole denied the claims against him. J. Cole and Cam’ron have reached a settlement in their legal battle, filed by the latter against the former over a supposed verbal agreem…
Controlled Slop? Spotify Co-CEO Defends AI-Generated Licensing Deal as Head-Scratching Questions RemainFirstOriginal27 May, 02:30
See coverageSpotify co-CEO Alex Norström is now defending the company’s expansion into AI-generated remixes, claiming it offers an alternative to unregulated AI “slop.” But the industry is still scratching its head on what this product implementation will look like, and when v1 will arrive.…
Warner Music and Crumbl Cookies Confirm Settlement Agreement In Social Media Copyright Infringement LawsuitFirstOriginal27 May, 02:30
See coverageAfter 13 months of litigation, Crumbl and Warner Music Group (WMG) are finalizing a settlement in their copyright infringement showdown. The major label and the self-described “fastest-growing dessert company in the nation” recently informed the court of their settlement in princ…
The Black Label, Home to K-Pop Acts Including Meovv, Scores $80 Million Series B Led by Tencent Music and KraftonFirstOriginal27 May, 02:00
See coverageThe Black Label, which serves as the professional home of Blackpink’s Rosé, has scored a reportedly ₩120 billion (currently $79.7 million) Series B with support from Tencent Music and Krafton. The Black Label confirmed the multimillion-dollar raise today, and regional outlets inc…
ClicknClear Moves to Dismiss Amended Tresóna Multimedia Suit, Calls Out the Expanded Complaint’s ‘Recycled Allegations’ and ‘Fundamental Defects’FirstOriginal27 May, 01:25
See coverageThe ugly Tresóna v. ClicknClear legal battle isn’t through yet: Now, ClicknClear is pushing to dismiss Tresóna’s amended false advertising and copyright infringement complaint. Co-defendants ClicknClear (CnC), CEO Chantal Epp, and director/investor David Walsh just recently moved…
Suno’s Legal Battle Against Sony Music and UMG Just Got 100 Times More Serious—LiterallyFirstOriginal27 May, 01:15
See coverageUniversal Music and Sony Music are dramatically expanding their litigation against AI music giant Suno, claiming over 61,000 copyright infringements. Just moments after Sony Music Entertainment expanded its lawsuit against AI music company Udio, Sony and Universal Music Group dra…
Live the Music: Kygo’s Palm Tree Branches into Residential with Luxurious 480-Unit Miami ComplexFirstOriginal26 May, 23:53
See coverageKygo’s global entertainment brand Palm Tree Crew is expanding into the housing space with a first-of-its-kind 480-unit complex in Miami. Palm Tree Crew, DJ and record producer Kygo’s global entertainment and hospitality brand, is moving into the housing space with plans for a lux…
Charli XCX Deliberately Withholding Latest Releases from Streaming Platforms: ‘The B-Sides Are Never Going to Go On Streaming’FirstOriginal26 May, 23:50
See coverageCharli XCX releases new music in an unusual way: by dropping the B-side to her latest single, “SS26,” and making it unavailable on streaming platforms. Charli XCX just dropped a new track, “Playboy Bunny,” which serves as the B-side to her latest single, “SS26,” which she release…
Are Ozzy Osbourne Avatar Ads Next? Jack Osbourne Defends Against Fan Backlash Following Digital Ozzy AnnouncementFirstOriginal26 May, 19:54
See coverageOzzy Osbourne’s AI avatar will be “so tasteful,” Jack Osbourne promises after rampant fan backlash to the announcement he and Sharon made last week. The Prince of Darkness, Ozzy Osbourne, hasn’t been dead for a year, but his son Jack and wife Sharon are recreating his persona as…
Ticketmaster Creates a ‘Climate of Fear,’ British Lawmakers Declare As Possible Investigation LoomsFirstOriginal26 May, 02:57
See coverageThe UK Parliamentary trade committee pushes to investigate the country’s live music industry, saying Live Nation operates in a “climate of fear.” The UK’s House of Commons Business and Trade Committee, comprising members of Parliament from both sides of the aisle, launched an inq…
Sony Music Moves to Dramatically Expand Its Udio Lawsuit, Says 30,000+ Allegedly Infringed Recordings Represent ‘Only a Fraction’ of the AI Platform’s ‘Illegal Activity’FirstOriginal25 May, 19:31
See coverageFar from winding down its lawsuit against Udio, Sony Music is now looking to supersize the copyright infringement action by accusing the AI music platform of training on north of 30,000 recordings without authorization. Sony Music has again moved to amend its high-stakes complain…
IQ Magazine Integrates Hearby’s Gig Guide Into Its Manchester Music ReportFirstOriginal23 May, 06:30
See coverageIQ Magazine has incorporated Hearby’s gig discovery platform into its Manchester Report 2026, offering a data-backed view of one of the United Kingdom’s most active live music markets. This article was created in collaboratio nwith DMN partner Hearby. The report highlights Manche…
Universal Music and TikTok Ink New Multi-Year Licensing Deal, Say They’ll ‘Work Together to Remove Unauthorized AI-Generated Music from the Platform’FirstOriginal23 May, 06:00
See coverageUniversal Music Group’s inked a fresh multi-year licensing deal with TikTok, which is teeing up expanded marketing campaigns and doubling down on efforts to decommission AI deepfakes. UMG and the self-described “best platform for music discovery and promotion” unveiled their late…
Latest Music Industry Hires: Ivors Academy, Secretly Distribution, MNRK, Spin Magazine, IDOL, UK Music, Sony Music Publishing, MoreFirstOriginal23 May, 02:09
See coverageHere’s a recap of recent music industry hires and in-house promotions as of May 22nd, 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…
As an artist and musician, Pol Sembrano has always sought to craft poignant, reflective songs. A singer, songwriter, instrumentalist, and producer, he recorded his self-titled debut album without the aid of a formal band or even other songwriters, showcasing not just a drive to s…
After 15 Years, Ed Sheeran and Warner Music Group Are Getting an Amicable DivorceFirstOriginal22 May, 22:46
See coverageAfter 15 years and eight full-length albums, Ed Sheeran confirms the rumor that he has left Warner Music—news also confirmed by the company. The rumors are true: Ed Sheeran has left Warner Music after 15 years with the company (and an impressive eight studio albums). The singer c…
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