Universal Music Group (UMG) has officially kicked off another share buyback program by repurchasing nearly $60 million worth of its own stock. UMG shed light on this latest multimillion-dollar transaction today, just weeks after confirming that it’d deployed €500 million (current…

Sportswear brand Champion announces BTS’ V as the new global ambassador for its “True Champion” fall campaign. Classic sportswear brand Champion has tapped V, from K-pop mega-star group BTS, as the latest brand ambassador for its new global fall campaign, “True Champion.” Known f…

Rod Stewart was rushed to the hospital to undergo a medical procedure, forcing him to postpone his Cincinnati concert at the last minute. Rod Stewart was hospitalized for a medical procedure, forcing him to postpone his Cincinnati concert at Riverbend Music Center at the last min…

On August 9, Mattel released the Barbie Signature Whitney Houston Doll, celebrating the singer’s career and legacy on what would have been her 63rd birthday. Whitney Houston has been immortalized in her first-ever Barbie doll, released on August 9, which would have been the iconi…

Morrissey has canceled his four-date Vegas residency just a week before it was due to kick off. It’s the latest cancellation for the Smiths frontman. Morrissey was scheduled to perform at the Wynn Las Vegas’ Encore Theater for four nights, starting on Friday, August 14. But the 6…

The inaugural LA Jazz Festival, which was expected to feature performances from the likes of John Legend and Janelle Monáe, has been abruptly nixed due to “unanticipated last-minute public safety and municipal costs.” That explanation comes from LA Jazz Fest founder Martin Ludlow…

Boy George’s “We Will Dance Again” was removed from Bandcamp for violating its no-AI policy, but the singer claims it’s because of the song’s message. Boy George accused Bandcamp of “bowing to the pressure of antisemites” after it removed his controversial pro-Israel song, “We Wi…

Here’s a recap of recent music industry hires and in-house promotions as of August 7th, 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@digitalmusic…

Australia’s New Year’s bash Beyond the Valley 2026 has sold out before tickets even reached the general public. This year’s edition of Australia’s New Year’s festival, Beyond the Valley, has already sold its entire ticket allocation before they even reached the general sale. The…

British powerhouse music producer William Orbit, known for his work with Madonna, Blur, Pink, and All Saints, has died at age 69. William Orbit, a giant among British music producers best known for his work with the likes of Madonna, Blur, Pink, and All Saints, has passed away. A…

A year and change later, a federal judge has partially dismissed the declaratory judgment complaint filed by Designer Shoe Warehouse (DSW) against Sony Music, Universal Music, and BMG. However, the wider copyright infringement battle, complete with multiple intensifying actions,…

Amazon Music tees up another Outside Lands livestream, with Twitch, Prime Video, Fire TV, and Samsung TV Plus all part of the network. Amazon Music may not have maintained the momentum of its rivals Apple Music, YouTube Music, and Qobuz in terms of subscriber growth, but it conti…

Kickstarter launches the Kickstarter Culture Fund, a $1 million fund supporting independent creators across music, art, fashion, film, and music. Kickstarter has announced the launch of the Kickstarter Culture Fund, a $1 million fund to support independent creators working across…

Hot on the heels of Music Canada securing a mass court order to block YouTube stream-ripping sites, IFPI takes aim at Musi—after Apple already roughed them up. Back in June, major labels in Canada secured a major win against stream-ripping sites with a mass court order from the F…

Katseye’s Sophia becomes the latest member of the group to take a step back from upcoming promo activities, citing prioritizing her mental health. Katseye member Sophia Laforteza has become the latest in the group to take a break from Katseye’s upcoming promotional activities. In…

Live Nation’s aggressive international expansion has delivered yet another high-profile play – this time in Prague, where the promoter’s scored a JV deal covering venues including the O2 Arena. The Ticketmaster parent shed light on its Czech Republic buildout today, just days aft…

The sequel to Lionsgate’s record-setting Michael Jackson biopic could start filming later this year for a 2028 release, according to studio executives. No sooner had Lionsgate reported some serious profits last quarter, thanks in no small part to the success of Michael, than the…

Tyga isn’t bothered to admit he used Suno to create his new album. But does that fact make it chart ineligible per new rules laid out by the IFPI? Tyga’s new album, the ‘80s synthpop-inspired project $tarface, faced allegations of AI use from the beginning. But the West Coast rap…

WMG plows ahead with more AI licensing deals, counting its money while UMG and Sony continue to duke it out in court with AI companies like Suno and Udio. While Universal and Sony continue battling it out with AI companies in the court system, Warner is breaking new ground with A…

Suno sent out an update and then quickly issued a new press release that excluded a previously announced partner. The company says nothing has changed about the partnership. Earlier today (August 6), AI music company Suno sent out an industry update titled “How We’re Building the…

APAC-focused live events specialist Triangle Group (formerly Creation Collective) has announced a $15 million raise and welcomed ex-Live Nation higher-up Roger Field to its executive team. Singapore-headquartered Triangle Group revealed the funding and the appointment in a formal…

Live Nation’s majority-owned livestreaming platform Veeps has begun the process of mass layoffs across its entire music media portfolio. Veeps, the ticketed livestreaming platform majority-owned by Live Nation, has started the process of laying off massive swaths of employees acr…

After announcing a massive expansion in the heart of Nashville, TikTok shutters its office in Music City, laying off 250 people to “streamline” its operations. TikTok’s U.S. joint venture has laid off 250 employees in Nashville as the office closes its doors on October 5. Notably…

Some artists spend lots of time, lots of money and personal capital winning a statue. So what? Every musician wants to hear their name followed by two magical words: “Grammy winner”. For decades, winning a Grammy has been considered one of the highest achievements in the music in…

Two weeks after the American Federation of Musicians (AFM) fired off an amended suit against Warner Music and Universal Music, the latter major is doubling down on its dismissal push. This latest dismissal demand surfaced in a newly submitted motion from Universal Music Group (UM…

ZZ Top canceled their Tuesday performance in Chula Vista and their Wednesday show at the Hollywood Bowl, citing “insurmountable obstacles.” Their touring partner Cheap Trick held an “intimate” show at the Troubadour. This week, ZZ Top canceled their Tuesday show in Chula Vista, C…

As it fends off multiple high-stakes copyright suits – and eyes additional licensing pacts – Suno has unveiled plans to adopt “new audio watermarking” tech and implement “a new downloads policy designed to limit the ability to mass distribute songs on streaming platforms.” The ge…

You can snag some unbelievably cheap tickets to BTS shows in the Boston area if you’re quick, with nosebleeds going for as little as $8. If you’re in the Boston area this week looking for tickets to see BTS at Gillette Stadium, you’re in for a treat. Tickets to shows for August 5…

Anthropic is looking to chip away at the second copyright suit it’s facing from major music publishers including Concord – in part by urging the court to toss a direct infringement claim centering on co-founder Dario Amodei’s alleged torrenting. Having brushed off vicarious infri…

A musicologist has identified a pattern that’s emerged in modern pop music. He’s calling it the Gen Alpha Melody and it’s everywhere. Danish musicologist Carl E. Martin discovered an emerging pattern in popular music while he was researching for his thesis at the University of Co…

Udio has come up short in its attempt to toss the copyright class action lawsuit filed by indie artists including Attack the Sound frontman David Woulard, but the case is being transferred to the Southern District of New York. Both the dismissal denial and the venue change surfac…

Roblox loses $70 billion in value as platform growth plateaus, largely thanks to child protection concerns. But the company blames a lack of viral games on its platform. Roblox has lost a staggering $70 billion in value as the gaming platform matures and plateaus in growth. The c…

Hot off the heels of her debut album, Addison Rae comes to Fortnite’s Icon Series on August 6, bringing looks from her new video and sold-out tour. Epic Games has revealed a release date for Addison Rae’s debut in Fortnite, featuring two Addison Rae Fortnite skins dropping on Thu…

The Walt Disney Company and TikTok announced a first-of-its-kind global deal bringing fans and creators a “unique way” to discover and create content. On Wednesday, August 5, The Walt Disney Company and TikTok announced a first-of-its-kind global deal designed to bring fans and c…

A longtime Nike music supervisor and an alleged co-conspirator are facing felony racketeering and aggravated theft charges for allegedly slapping the athleticwear giant with inflated bills en route to stealing over $1 million. Local outlets including Oregon’s FOX 12 were first to…

16 months later, the Korea Music Copyright Association (KOMCA) has walked back its zero-tolerance artificial intelligence policy by allowing the registration of AI-assisted musical works. KOMCA announced the pivot in a formal release that quickly made way for reports from regiona…

Wendy Day has spent 34 years in the trenches fighting for artists to keep their rights, their money, and their futures. As the founder of Rap Coalition and a member of the beatBread Advisory Board, she partnered with beatBread to put together the kind of honest, no-fluff breakdow…

New data from The Harris Poll suggests that over half of Gen Z experiences “weekend loneliness” because they simply can’t afford to go out. In a survey of 4,100 American adults conducted in May and June, The Harris Poll found that the harsh economic climate is keeping the younger…

LA rapper Fenix Flexin denies the allegations that his new hit single was AI-generated, despite critics—and the AI platform it was said to be created with—noting the “telltale” signs. Fenix Flexin’s freestyle “Rubberz” rapidly climbed to #58 on the Billboard Hot 100 after its deb…

Merlin has officially licensed Spotify’s AI-powered remix and cover feature, thereby setting the stage for member labels and their artists to participate in the walled garden offering if so inclined. The indie giant and the DSP formally announced their tie-up this morning, which…

Ticketmaster has launched in Uruguay and has agreed to a strategic acquisition of RED UTS, a local ticketing platform. The move expands Ticketmaster’s regional footprint while tying local market know-how to its global technology stack. Ticketmaster says the new setup is meant to…

Ariana Grande has announced she’s taking a step back from public-facing work after her most recent tour ends. The news comes amid renewed attention to the singer’s gaunt appearance, especially in her latest “petal” music video and the conclusion of the Wicked: Part 2 press tour.…

Spotify appears to be testing a skip ahead button for podcast ads, including ad spots that Spotify itself has sold. The move would let listeners jump past embedded ad breaks more easily, which is exactly the kind of control many Spotify Premium users have complained about—ads in…

Spotify’s Q2 2026 financials are in, and thanks in part to 300 million paid subscribers, the DSP is now knocking on the door of 800 million overall users. However, execs are anticipating slower growth for 2026’s third quarter. All told, Spotify pointed to an average of 777 millio…

BMG acquires Andrew Stockdale’s publishing, recorded music royalties, and neighboring rights interests in the catalog of Aussie rock band Wolfmother. BMG has announced the acquisition of musician Andrew Stockdale’s publishing, recorded music royalties, and neighboring rights inte…

The ugly BTS v. Recording Academy dispute isn’t showing any signs of resolving: Now, the K-pop mainstay’s performance videos are no longer live on the Grammys’ website and YouTube channel. Those pulldowns entered the media spotlight in reports out of South Korea, though it was ea…

Following an abrupt leadership shakeup on Friday afternoon – and a double-digit post-earnings falloff for Universal Music stock – Warner Music Group (WMG) has released its “preliminary estimated” financials for April, May, and June 2026. WMG shed light on its calendar Q2 (the fis…

Apple Music Classical launches the first time-synchronized “Listening Guide” to Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen for the epic’s 150th anniversary. Apple Music Classical is elevating the classical listening experience for enthusiasts once again with the release of the first time-s…

Cher’s request for Sonny Bono’s widow to reimburse her $1 million in legal fees after their court battle was denied. Now, she’s appealing the decision. If you thought you’d heard the last of Cher and Mary Bono’s legal battle over the singer’s Sonny and Cher royalties, think again…

Boy George revealed he has split from the manager of his record label, Boy George Presents, who wanted “nothing to do” with his new pro-Israel track. Culture Club singer Boy George sparked much controversy last week after releasing a song in support of Israel’s military campaign…

The hunted has become the hunter in UMG v. Grande, where the ISP is urging an appeals court to issue a definitive decision in and award it costs from the nearly decade-long legal battle. Both Grande (which has been operating as Astound for some time) and the major label plaintiff…

Alicia Keys signs with Creative Artists Agency (CAA) after being previously represented by William Morris Endeavor (WME) for nearly 15 years. Creative Artists Agency (CAA) has announced the signing of award-winning singer-songwriter, musician, and producer Alicia Keys. Managed by…

Chase the streams, chase the playlists, chase the algorithm. Sound familiar? Ples Jones’ Artist Immunity Blueprint built an artist coaching framework around one core premise — artists don’t have a performance problem, they have a nervous system problem. The following comes from A…

Singapore has banned both current members of British band Massive Attack after they displayed a Palestine flag during their concert in the city-state. The two current and core members of British band Massive Attack have been banned from reentering Singapore after displaying a Pal…

Musician Warren “Oak” Felder and veteran manager Lucas Keller are suing tech entrepreneurs the De Brouwers over allegedly stolen AI music software. Grammy-winning producer and songwriter Warren “Oak” Felder and music management mogul Lucas Keller of Milk & Honey have filed a $5 m…

Global label organization IFPI has now announced a new set of three principles governing the eligibility of recordings developed with generative AI for official music chart rankings. On July 30, IFPI, the organization representing the recording industry worldwide, announced the r…

Lollapalooza 2026 was hit with downpours and delays, culminating in a swampy but sunshine-filled Sunday. This year’s Lollapalooza was undoubtedly many things to many people, but attendees seem to agree on one thing for sure: it was very wet in Chicago over the weekend. As a resul…

New Radicals of the ‘90s hit “You Get What You Give” debut their first new track in nearly 30 years, with a song on the soundtrack for an upcoming rom-com. Remember the New Radicals? They had a hit in the late ‘90s with the alt/indie rock track “You Get What You Give,” and then s…

Here’s a recap of recent music industry hires and in-house promotions as of July 31st, 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…

Canadian publishing society SOCAN announces a purchase agreement to acquire mechanical rights society CMRRA from SoundExchange. The Society of Composers, Authors, and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN) and SoundExchange have announced that the two entities have entered into a pur…