Casey Wasserman is in talks to sell his stake in the company to private equity firm Providence Equity Partners, which already owns a majority stake. The Team, the talent agency formerly known as Wasserman, which renamed itself after its founder Casey Wasserman was forced to step…

Earlier this week, Apple Music dropped the unexpected industry bombshell by quietly surpassing Spotify’s subscriber count in the US. But Spotify may also want to keep an eye on another fast-surging DSP: YouTube Music. ‘YouTube’ and ‘artist-friendly’ are rarely used in the same se…

A new Roblox experience from Live Nation and Livewire lets players build their own music festivals, featuring CORTIS as the first headlining artist. Music Festival Tycoon, a new Roblox experience from Live Nation and Livewire, lets players build and grow their own in-game music f…

Latin music artists will unite at Miami’s Kaseya Center on August 16 for a benefit concert and national telethon supporting Venezuelan communities affected by the devastating earthquakes in June. On August 16 at 6 PM, a lineup of Latin artists will join forces at Miami’s Kaseya C…

Madison Square Garden’s controversial surveillance cameras were not at full capacity at Taylor Swift’s wedding, with the majority of security staff forcibly locked out of the network during the event according to a new report. Despite Madison Square Garden owner James Dolan touti…

A federal judge has officially rejected Capitol Christian Music Group’s motion to dismiss a breach of contract lawsuit filed by Reach Records. Now, the case, centering on an acquisition deal turned sour, is scheduled to receive a trial next year. Judge Waverly Crenshaw Jr. just r…

Despite growing modestly from 2024, UK recorded music exports last year topped £800 million for the first time on record. That’s according to the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), which today identified £800.3 million (currently $1.07 billion) worth of recorded exports for 202…

As the FCC considers loosening or removing caps on broadcast TV and radio station ownership in the U.S., Beasley Media and others are speaking out against the restrictions. Meanwhile, the musicFIRST Coalition remains adamant that the limits should be left in place. Beasley and mu…

The Weeknd’s recent French stadium run alone drew over 500,000 fans, exceeding the total attendance of a typical North American arena tour. The Weeknd is absolutely killing it in France. The artist became the first artist in history to sell out six nights at Stade de France in Pa…

Financial details emerge as a preliminary hearing involving singer D4vd kicks off to determine whether the murder case will proceed to trial. A preliminary hearing regarding David Anthony Burke, better known as singer D4vd, began on Tuesday (July 21) to determine whether the case…

The Beach Boys have abruptly cancelled a bunch of scheduled summer performances, including multiple state fair appearances. The Beach Boys had a busy summer planned, but the band suddenly cancelled dozens of appearances, including multiple planned stops at state fairs. The band i…

Google releases its Q2 financials, featuring major gains for its cloud services and a spike in ad revenue for YouTube, thanks in part to FIFA. On Wednesday, Google’s parent company, Alphabet, released its second quarter 2026 financials, with results exceeding expectations as clou…

Johnny Cash’s personal archive will be housed at Belmont University in a partnership with the Cash family and the John R. Cash Revocable Trust. A collection from Johnny Cash’s personal archive will be permanently housed at Belmont University. The archive will serve as a centerpie…

Multiple years and legislative twists later, France has become the first European nation to pass a law banning children under the age of 15 from using social media. Both chambers of the French Parliament voted in favor of the relevant measure, and President Emmanuel Macron touted…

It’s a dizzying time to be in the music industry, with catalog investments, creative outputs, and AI-generated mayhem part of a pedal-to-the-metal explosion. On the ground, that means more companies are battling an avalanche of data overload and disconnected processes, with hair-…

A Suno security breach last year allowed a hacker to steal the personal information of over 55 million people, including names, addresses, and more. Last year, AI music generator Suno was the subject of a cyberattack, enabling a hacker to steal the personal information of over 55…

Indie-focused web3 platform Nina Protocol, billed as an alternative to big streamers, shut down in May, but now finds new life in its acquisition by SoundCloud. Nina Protocol, an indie-focused web3 platform built on the Solana and Arweave blockchains, shut its doors in May. Bille…

An autopsy report reveals that opera singer Jubilant Sykes was stabbed over 73 times, allegedly by his son, in December 2025 at his Santa Monica home. New details have emerged in the killing of opera singer Jubilant Sykes, who was found dead in his Santa Monica home in December.…

Massachusetts is moving forward with its “Great Divide Act” ticketing reform bill, which is drawing support from the Music Artists Coalition (MAC), the Future of Music Coalition (FMC), the National Independent Talent Organization (NITO), and a number of others. Governor Maura Hea…

Instagram now lets users swap out the music on their published posts and carousels without having to delete the post and re-upload it. On Tuesday, Instagram announced a new feature enabling users to swap out the music on their published posts and carousels. Previously, the only w…

Major music publishers including BMG/Concord are doubling down on their copyright claims against Anthropic, which is now facing dialed-back secondary infringement allegations and high-stakes direct infringement claims. Technically, the publishers previously axed their contributor…

AIM reveals the nominees for the 2026 Independent Music Awards, with New York electronic group Fcukers leading the charge with three nominations. The Association of Independent Music (AIM) has revealed the nominees for the 2026 Independent Music Awards, with New York electronic g…

Universal Pictures announces the release of “Snoop,” the “definitive” biopic of artist, mogul, and rap icon Snoop Dogg, on August 6, 2027. On Tuesday, Universal Pictures announced a release date for Snoop, directed by Craig Brewer (“Song Sung Blue,” “Hustle & Flow”), on August 6,…

An astonishing 90,000 “fully AI-generated tracks” – representing north of 50% of new uploads – are pouring onto Deezer each day. Now, the platform has confirmed plans to permanently remove certain machine-generated audio. Deezer announced the disconcerting slop stats and the corr…

The World Cup final made history as the most-watched soccer game of all time in the United States, averaging nearly 39 million viewers. The 2026 FIFA World Cup final on Sunday broke records in the United States as the most-watched FIFA World Cup final and most-watched soccer game…

A Dual Practice: Live-Stage Execution Meets Rapid Digital Finishing Digital Music News is proud to partner with outside agencies to highlight key innovators and operational leaders driving today’s music and media landscape. Runyu (Martin) Li operates at the rare intersection of l…

The American Federation of Musicians’ AI-focused lawsuit against Universal Music and Warner Music is getting really hot, really fast. Now, the union is aggressively pushing back against the defendants’ aggressive dismissal arguments and urging the court to let discovery proceed.…

A month and change after announcing expanded support for full-length videos, Spotify has doubled down by launching a “video ecosystem” that includes a pitching tool and its first chart dedicated exclusively to music videos. Spotify disclosed the latest components of its aggressiv…

Composer A.R. Rahman launches ARR Immersive, an app for Apple Vision Pro (and later Meta Quest), featuring decades of his work in an immersive format. Two-time Oscar-winning Indian composer A.R. Rahman, best known in the U.S. for his work on Slumdog Millionaire, is launching ARR…

Hybrid genres are no longer fringe experiments; they are quietly becoming the backbone of global music listening. Chartmetric’s collaboration with Splice highlights how this shift is happening with hard data rather than hype. This article was created in collaboration with DMN par…

There’s no shortage of conversation around direct-to-customer (D2C) in the music industry. Artists and labels capture fan data, sell directly to their fans, giving the independent artist or label ownership of that relationship. The more interesting question is what happens next?…

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…