Music Business
Sony Music Publishing acquires Monty Norman Limited, from the estate of late James Bond Theme composer
He was the credited composer of the James Bond Theme, first heard in the 1962 film Dr. No. Source
Suno AI music primer: $5.4bn valuation, industry lawsuits, data breach and more
To some people, Suno is an AI-music generator that could democratise the art of music-making so that billions of people can do it
YouTube’s subscription business ‘growing faster than ads,’ driven by Music and Premium, says Alphabet
Platform's ad revenues rose 13% YoY to $11bn in Q2 Source
JV moves: Nothing Standard x UMG and Some Action x Reservoir
There are some new joint-ventures afoot in the UK music industry this week, courtesy of sync agency Nothing Standard and independent label Some Action. The partners in question? UMG and Reservoir Media respectively.
UK recorded-music exports hit all-time high – but growth is tiny
There’s a big milestone in UK labels body the BPI’s latest export figures, but also a concerning slowdown in growth.
SynaptIQ’s AI searches decades of music contracts in seconds
Here’s another startup for the list of AI tools designed for music-industry workflows, rather than to generate music. SynaptIQ is a UK-based startup whose focus is on ‘media rights intelligence’.
Judge refuses to dismiss Reach Records’ case against UMG’s Capitol CMG over abandoned deal
Reach alleges that Capitol CMG agreed to buy the label during 2025, then pulled out months later by telling Reach the agreed price was too high. Source
Instagram now lets users swap the music on published posts and carousels
The feature, called Replace Audio, keeps a post's likes, comments, shares and reach in place when the soundtrack is changed. Source
Timo Hoffmann named Head of A&R, Germany at Frontiers Label Group
Hoffmann held roles in PR, catalog management, marketing, and product management at AFM Records and Atomic Fire Records / Reigning Phoenix Music. Source
YouTube’s subscriptions business is ‘growing faster than ads’
YouTube and Google’s parent company Alphabet has published its financial results for the second quarter of 2026, including the latest figures for YouTube’s advertising business.
Beatskip Records Exhibits Growing Influence Through Artist Momentum
Beatskip Records is demonstrating a clear upward trajectory, with key artists on its roster experiencing significant growth in Spotify followers. This collective rise strongly suggests a shrewd and effective A&R strategy, positioning the label as a notable force in the electronic music landscape.
CEX and the second-hand games market is “doomed” if Sony kills PlayStation discs, says report
“This is an extremely anti-consumer decision"
AI-Generated Music Now Dominates Deezer Uploads
Deezer has published more AI music stats, revealing that over 50% of new tracks uploaded to the streaming service are now AI-generated, on average 90,000 per day. That big stat will prompt more debate
AI Music Dominates Deezer Uploads
Deezer has published more AI music stats, revealing that over 50% of new tracks uploaded to the streaming service are now AI-generated, on average 90,000 per day. That big stat will prompt more debate
AFEM, YOYAKU, SACEM, CLIP to explore electronic music release lifecycle
Designed for artists, labels and music professionals, the session will trace the full lifecycle of an electronic music release.
AFEM, YOYAKU, SACEM, CLIP to Detail Electronic Music Release Lifecycle
Designed for artists, labels and music professionals, the session will trace the full lifecycle of an electronic music release.
Dirty Boy Pedals Now Available for Mass Market
The Junior Series presents Dirty Boy fuzz, overdrive and boost circuits in a compact stompbox, priced just 169 bucks
D4vd's Record Deal and Murder Investigation
Prosecutors are trying to prove that the singer killed Celeste Rivas Hernandez to protect his lucrative music career.
D4vd Made Millions From His Interscope Record Deal Before Murder Investigation, Court Hears
Prosecutors are trying to prove that the singer killed Celeste Rivas Hernandez to protect his lucrative music career.
AFEM Joins Call for Artist Consent in AI Music Deals
AFEM has signed the EMMA-led joint industry statement calling for artists and songwriters to retain meaningful consent, control, transparency and fair compensation in AI music deals.