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…

Amazon says it will train AI on Twitch streamers’ content by default, unless they opt out—because “if this was opt-in, nobody would opt in.” Content creators on Twitch are raging at the Amazon-owned streaming platform, which the company says will train its AI on Twitch streamers’…

StubHub’s lobbying efforts have reached record highs in California as the company pushes against a bill that would cap resale prices. StubHub has spent millions on lobbying efforts in California, reaching an all-time high as the company fights against a bill that would place limi…

Another day, another high-profile AI licensing deal – this time between Spotify and Kobalt, which is officially set to participate in the streaming platform’s forthcoming AI-powered remix and cover tool. The involved companies confirmed their agreement today, hot on the heels of…

A Japanese K-pop influencer died seemingly by suicide during a TikTok livestream in Seoul. Police received an emergency call after concerns about her safety arose during the broadcast. A 26-year-old Japanese K-pop influencer living in South Korea has died, seemingly by suicide du…

Boy George cut his performance short at an ’80s-themed event in Frankfurt after technical difficulties. He alleged sabotage before seemingly walking back that claim. Boy George continues to make headlines in the weeks following the release of his controversial pro-Israel, AI-assi…

The latest individual to weigh in on the proposed Phonorecords V settlement? Stevie Wonder, who may have submitted a comment to the Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) as part of the ongoing rate-determination proceedings. Like a significant number of others, that comment arrived soon…

With an eye on expanding its presence in MENA’s quick-growing music markets, Influence Media Partners has taken a stake in what’s being billed as today’s “first investment platform dedicated exclusively to Arabic music catalogs.” BlackRock-backed Influence reached out with word o…

Rod Stewart is recovering after undergoing a coronary procedure, forcing him to cancel his remaining US tour dates as he takes at least four weeks off. Over the weekend, Rod Stewart was forced to cancel a performance at the last minute as he was rushed to the hospital for an emer…

Quebec is the latest market experiencing a steep decrease in local music content consumption, with album sales declining for the fourth year. As reports of major declines in local content pop up in major areas like Australia, new data from Luminate reveals that Quebec is the late…

In a broader shift toward transparency and tagging across a variety of AI platforms, Anthropic says it will watermark text generated by its AI models. As AI platforms strive for legitimacy across sectors, much of it driven by EU regulations, Anthropic says it will watermark text…

The NFL announces the Jonas Brothers as headliners of the halftime show during the Melbourne game on September 11 (September 10 in the US) on Netflix. The 2026 NFL Melbourne Game between the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams will feature a halftime show by the Jonas Brothe…

Less than one week after announcing a series of far-reaching policy changes and safeguards, Suno has inked a global licensing agreement with BMG. The AI music platform and the Bertelsmann subsidiary disclosed their “landmark” pact in a brief release (plus a separate blog post fro…

Levon Helm Studios’ new leadership team claims Helm’s daughter Amy was the cause of “millions” in damages during her tenure as president of the venue. Singer-songwriter Amy Helm, daughter of musician and actor Levon Helm, is accused of causing at least $2 million in damages to Le…

Following many ticked-off customer comments – and steadfast denials on the company’s end – D’Addario has acknowledged that generative AI pumped out the music featured in a demo clip showcasing its NYXL high-density electric strings. D’Addario, having previously defended the no-AI…

The Kennedy Center has been ordered to pay over $250,000 to jazz musician Chuck Redd, who canceled his appearance in protest of Trump’s takeover that began last year. A legal battle between jazz musician Chuck Redd and the Trump-led Kennedy Center has concluded in favor of the mu…

The American Federation of Musicians Local 47 of Los Angeles announces its support for AB 2319, the Post Production Tax Credit Bill. The American Federation of Musicians Local 47 of Los Angeles has announced its support for the passage of AB 2319, the Post Production Tax Credit B…

The high-stakes Phonorecords V rate-setting battle is now in full swing – with Word Collections and the Songwriters Guild of America (SGA) among those urging the Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) judges to reject the “demonstrably unreasonable” proposed settlement. Jeff Price’s Word…

Live Nation and MGM Resorts open Vinyl Room Las Vegas, a music-anchored dining experience in a design inspired by Japanese hi-fi listening lounges. Vinyl Room Las Vegas, located on the rooftop of Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, is now open. According to creators Live Nation and MGM…

Indie-focused global record company Exceleration Music has announced a far-reaching strategic partnership with Atlanta-based Christian hip-hop label Reach Records. Exceleration Music, a global record company focused on independent labels and artists, has announced a far-reaching…

John Oliver famously lambasted Live Nation/Ticketmaster for its “chokehold” on live entertainment. Now, he’s selling tickets for his comedy tour using Ticketmaster. In 2022, comedian John Oliver famously dumped on Live Nation and Ticketmaster during a segment on HBO’s “Last Week…

Beyoncé is being sued over an allegedly unauthorized sample on her 2022 hit “Alien Superstar” from Renaissance. A lawsuit has been filed against Beyoncé for allegedly using an unauthorized sample in the track “Alien Superstar” from her 2022 album, Renaissance. The filing claims t…

Ibiza officials consider proposals that would ban any new nightclubs from opening there, in an effort to “contain the existing nightlife.” Ibiza has reached its limit on nightclubs, according to the island’s government. Mariano Juan, Vice President of Ibiza’s self-governing counc…

Millions of machine-generated tracks – and more than a few listener complaints – later, Spotify is officially set to begin labeling AI artist profiles. The DSP formally disclosed the incoming labels and the policy particulars thereof today. At present, one can self-disclose that…

Music Reports is marking a decade since the release of Songdex Marketplace, a platform designed to simplify music licensing at scale. The Songdex name stands for more than just the world’s largest music rights registry. Over the last 10 years, the Songdex Marketplace—its revoluti…

Apple has fired off a patent non-infringement complaint against Boomcloud 360, a self-described “innovator and pioneer in audio rendering and spatial audio.” The iPhone developer just recently submitted the straightforward action to a California federal court, after Boomcloud its…

Suno announces plans for a song download cap for free and paid tiers to limit the amount of “slop” that circulates from the platform. Last week, Suno said that it had plans to impose download limits on users of its AI music generator to limit the amount of “slop” that spreads off…

Live Nation subsidiary Merch Traffic files a trademark lawsuit against an anonymous group of online sellers with allegations of counterfeiting. Live Nation Entertainment subsidiary Merch Traffic, LLC, has filed a lawsuit against a group of anonymous online sellers overseas, alleg…

Irving Azoff’s Global Music Rights has ended its $14 million licensing suit against Music Choice. Both sides seemingly reached a swift resolution. Back in June, U.S. performance rights collective Global Music Rights (GMR) sued TV music service Music Choice for “willful copyright…

Beginning next year, creators who want to monetize their YouTube channel through the Partner Program will need twice as many watch hours to qualify. On Monday, YouTube announced some major changes coming to its Partner Program, through which creators can earn ad and Premium reven…