Music Business
BMG and Concord are now officially merged under the BMG name
What was that we wrote this morning about BMG and Concord expecting to complete their merger this month? Within hours, it was signed off. The post is from Music Ally.
The Sony and Warner music publishers finally get round to suing Anthropic
The Sony and Warner music publishing companies are the latest publishers to sue AI firm Anthropic for copyright infringement. They also name Anthropic founders Ben Mann and Dario Amodei as defendants, arguing they were personally involved in the illegal downloading of pirated sheet music and lyrics
US recorded-music revenues grew by 6.9% in the first half of 2026
The RIAA has published its 2026 mid-year report, revealing total wholesale revenues of $5.97bn for recorded music in the US in the first half of this year. The post is from Music Ally.
Chaka Khan and Q Parker Honored for Contributions to Black Music
‘Some of the most important contributions are the ones we never see,’ notes Khan of this year’s slate of Black music industry trailblazers.
Soundplate acquires AI music-mastering company Stemmer
Soundplate started as a record label before evolving into a company that makes marketing tools for independent artists. The post is from Music Ally.
Suno and Bright Data sued again by ‘Blurred Lines’ lawyer Richard Busch – this time for Regional Mexican label Gerencia 360
Gerencia 360 alleges that Suno copied its Spanish-language works so that it could capture a significant share of the Spanish language AI user market. Source
Lindsey Buckingham on Fleetwood Mac's "Rumours" Follow-Up
In previously unpublished extracts from a major interview, Buckingham discusses the band’s classic albums and more
RIAA 2026 Mid-Year Report: Streaming Growth Drives Revenue to $6 Billion, CD Sales Increase More Than 50%
Streaming remains the largest revenue driver, having grown by 4.7% to $4.9 billion.
Chaka Khan & 112’s Q Parker Named to Honorary Roles for Living Legends 35th Anniversary Gala
‘Some of the most important contributions are the ones we never see,’ notes Khan of this year’s slate of Black music industry trailblazers.
The BMG and Concord merger is complete; Bob Valentine begins role as CEO of new company
The new company will be owned approximately 67% by Bertelsmann and approximately 33% by affiliates of Great Mountain Partners Source
RIAA 2026 Mid-Year Report: Streaming Growth Drives Revenue to $6 Billion, CD Sales Increase More Than 50%
Streaming remains the largest revenue driver, having grown by 4.7% to $4.9 billion.
“We’d made this record that was so far to the left of Rumours. And when it didn’t sell 16 million copies, that was hard. There was a lot of anxiety”: Lindsey Buckingham on the highs and lows of life with Fleetwood Mac
In previously unpublished extracts from a major interview, Buckingham discusses the band’s classic albums and more
TikTok, Instagram and YouTube reveal latest user numbers in EU
Thanks to the European Union’s Digital Services Act (DSA), big online platforms have to regularly publish their user numbers in the region, giving nosy folk like us a glimpse at their growth. The post is from Music Ally.
Bertelsmann expects to complete BMG-Concord merger this month
The music-numbers story from media giant Bertelsmann’s latest financial results was 5% growth for BMG’s revenues in the first half of this year. However, the music-deals story was the imminent completion of BMG’s merger with Concord. The post is from Music Ally.
Strategy Spotlight: Music Ally Marketing Week
We are delighted to officially announce Music Ally Marketing Week 2026 - in association with TikTok. After the success of the inaugural event in 2025, our new tentpole online event will return across 5 days this 16-20 November. If you want to stay at the forefront of global music marketing excellenc
Sony Music and WMG hit Anthropic with new publishing lawsuits
The financial and tech press are abuzz with talk of AI firm Anthropic’s upcoming “mega-IPO”. It could happen as soon as late September or early October and smash the record set earlier this year when SpaceX raised $86bn by going public. The post is from Music Ally.
An Open Letter on the Music Rights Market
Music rights are now an international asset class, priced by institutional capital. The question is no longer whether music is an asset. It is who holds the data to price […] The post is from Music Ally.
Martyn Ware Discusses Music Industry Barriers
When we spoke to the Sheffield synth supremo back in 2020, Ware explained how the affordability of modern tech has levelled a once unfair playing field
Suno Faces New Lawsuit Over Alleged Unauthorized Use of Mexican Music Catalog
A regional Mexican label and publisher claims its catalog helped Suno "capture a significant share of the Spanish language AI user market."
Suno Sued Again, Accused of Training Model on Mexican Music Catalog to Make Spanish AI Songs
A regional Mexican label and publisher claims its catalog helped Suno "capture a significant share of the Spanish language AI user market."