Do YouTube’s terms of service grant Google “a broad license” to train AI on uploaded music? The tech giant believes so, and it’s doubling down on the position as it aggressively pushes to dismiss an artist-led copyright lawsuit. That class action suit set sail in March and counts…

Two former antitrust attorneys at the DOJ had strong words for the department and its abrupt settlement with Live Nation just a week into the trial. Two former antitrust attorneys at the U.S. Department of Justice—both of whom were central to its case against Live Nation and Tick…

At its 2026 Annual Meeting, NMPA announces industry-wide publishing deals with two AI music companies, Udio and Klay Media. During its Annual Meeting at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall, the National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA) announced two industry-wide AI music deals…

Primary Wave Music partners with the estate of Donna Summer to manage the iconic singer’s catalog and branding, including name, image, and likeness. Primary Wave Music, a leading independent publisher, has announced its partnership with the estate of the legendary Donna Summer. S…

Wu-Tang Clan played an unusual halftime show during Wednesday’s NBA Finals Game 4, with the New York Knicks down 27 points against the San Antonio Spurs at Madison Square Garden. After the Wu performed their magic set, however, something strange happened. After Trump caught flak…

As mainstream rap shows signs of slowing, the search for hip-hop’s next leaders has intensified. The answer may not come from where the industry has typically looked. This article was written by Harry Levin in collaboration with How Music Charts. Music Trends on Digital Music New…

Michael is not only Lionsgate’s highest-grossing movie in history, but is now just $11 million shy of surpassing Bohemian Rhapsody as the highest-grossing musical biopic of all time. The record-smashing Michael Jackson biopic Michael just crossed another threshold with $900 milli…

Secretly earns 11 wins while Qobuz, True Panther Records, and rock band Geese also clean up at A2IM’s Libera Awards 2026. Secretly and its artists, labels, affiliate companies, and distributed label partners earned 11 wins at the 2026 Libera Awards. Heading into the night with no…

After inking licensing deals with Udio and Suno, Warner Music Group (WMG) has set its sights on optimizing AI attribution with the acquisition of Sureel. WMG formally disclosed the Sureel purchase this morning – albeit without shedding light on the hard numbers behind the transac…

Global Music Rights is suing Music Choice over “willful copyright infringement” for continuing to play its catalog after its licensing expired. U.S.-based performance rights organization Global Music Rights (GMR) has filed a lawsuit against Music Choice for “repeatedly and willfu…

Udio is facing continued pressure from Sony Music to publicly disclose its “training number,” which the major label maintains “provides necessary context” about the AI platform’s alleged use of protected recordings. Sony Music, the lone major still litigating against Udio, pinpoi…

The average stateside streaming user now spends $434 on recorded music annually – up nearly 30% from 2020, according to a new study. But amid a well-documented subscriber plateau in established markets, what’s the best way to drive additional growth? Those figures come from the D…

Seeker Music Group, backed by M&G, has announced a global distribution partnership with Virgin Music Group, building on years of collaboration to expand its $400 million catalog. Seeker Music Group, led by creative executive and songwriter Evan Bogart and with backing from M&G, h…

Music Venue Trust and Audoo announce a partnership aimed at uncovering how music played in grassroots venues is represented in royalty distribution. On Tuesday, the Music Venue Trust (MVT) and Audoo announced a new partnership aimed at uncovering how music played in grassroots mu…

Four US-based radio groups operating a total of 15 stations have been accused of broadcasting ASCAP members’ music without payment or license. Four radio groups located in South Dakota, Indiana, Mississippi, and New Hampshire have been accused of repeatedly refusing to renew thei…

Universal Music Group (UMG) has officially confirmed plans to sell €1 billion (currently $1.2 billion) worth of bonds. Meanwhile, the major’s share price is once again sagging – to the tune of a 36% falloff during the past year. UMG disclosed the offering today, pointing in part…

Talay Riley, the Grammy-winning songwriter for artists like Dua Lipa and Jason Derulo, was the victim of a fatal stabbing in London on Friday. Talay Riley, whose real name was Mark Orabiyi, was one of two people stabbed in the West Ham area of London on Friday. Authorities identi…

Jay-Z adds more cities and dates to his 30th anniversary limited comeback tour, with stops in New York City, Los Angeles, and Paris. Jay-Z has announced more shows for the 30th anniversary of his album Reasonable Doubt, with stops at Inglewood’s SoFi Stadium and Paris’ Stade de F…

Apple announces all the new features coming to Apple Music with the iOS 27 update at its annual WWDC conference, including Siri AI integration. At Apple’s annual WWDC conference this week, the company unveiled the new features coming to iOS 27, with some major Siri AI updates tha…

MAC Cosmetics names Chappell Roan as the new face of Viva Glam, with a special edition lip collection featuring three shades co-created by the singer. MAC Cosmetics has named singer-songwriter Chappell Roan as the new face of Viva Glam, introducing three lip shades in a special e…

What’s the best way to decommission secondary ticketing scams? Demand refunds, call out resale platforms, and contact lawmakers, according to Fix the Tix, which has launched a “Fan Action Center” designed to help shortchanged customers. Fan Alliance and Fix the Tix rolled out the…

Jewish leaders in Tampa Bay are pushing back against the Tampa Sports Authority’s decision to book and allow two concerts by Kanye West to go forward. The Tampa Jewish Federation has condemned the Tampa Sports Authority’s (TSA) decision to book (and double down on) two shows by Y…

The public deserves to know how many recordings Suno used to train its models – at least according to the non-Warner majors, which are pushing back against Suno’s demand to keep the much-discussed tally and different data under wraps. Universal Music and Sony Music made that posi…

Stage Tour, the new rhythm game being created as a spiritual successor to Guitar Hero and Rock Band, will feature a slew of artists revealed over the weekend. Stage Tour, the new rhythm game in development from RedOctane Games and envisioned as a spiritual successor to Guitar Her…

Charli XCX has announced the “Music, Fashion, Film Tour,” headlining arenas across North America through September and October. Today, Charli XCX has announced the “Music, Fashion, Film Tour,” promoted by Live Nation. The UK artist will headline arenas across North America throug…

A tribute to B.B. King’s “Lucille Talks Back” for its 50th anniversary is coming to Memphis alongside the all-star remake of the original 1975 album. A landmark tribute to one of blues music’s most transcendent and overlooked recordings is coming: an all-star remake of B.B. King’…

Chicago’s 1901 Project, a plan to redevelop the area surrounding the United Center to create a mixed-use entertainment hub, has broken ground. Last week, Chicago’s 1901 Project broke ground with a $7 billion plan to redevelop the area surrounding the United Center to create a mas…

Gotham lights up this week with a gaggle of major music industry events, including A2IM Indie Week, the Music Investor Conference, and New York Music Month. And that’s just scratching the surface on a panoply of workshops, shindigs, and awards ceremonies dotting the city. New Yor…

Spotify wants to add another feature to its repertoire: live concerts. The company is reportedly in talks with promoters to secure licensing rights, though this is an ultra-competitive arena (and it has been for years). As part of its strategy to provide more video content, Spoti…

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…