Music Business
Virgin and Downtown to Sell Curve Royalty Systems to Merlin, Jamen Capital
The spin-off of Curve, a royalty accounting and rights management business, fulfills a stipulation made by regulators when they approved the Downtown sale.
Spotify Faces Lawsuit Over Royalty Policies Affecting Independent Artists
A Connecticut-based indie musician and attorney alleges the streamer's policies "materially reduce compensation to small creators."
Awich Discusses Motherhood and Women's Role in Hip-Hop
Awich spoke candidly about balancing motherhood and a career and the environment for women in the music industry.
Awich Talks ‘Okinawan Wuman,’ Motherhood & The Fight for Women’s Place in Hip-Hop: Billboard Japan Women In Music Interview
Awich spoke candidly about balancing motherhood and a career and the environment for women in the music industry.
Spotify Hit With Lawsuit Claiming Royalty Rules ‘Disproportionately Harm Independent Artists’
A Connecticut-based indie musician and attorney alleges the streamer's policies "materially reduce compensation to small creators."
Omnivore Recordings to Acquire Catalog of Baltimore Label Chariot Records
Two of the label’s co-owners discuss Omnivore’s 15-year history of putting out reissues of music by legacy acts — some never before released.
Omnivore Recordings to Acquire Catalog of Baltimore Label Chariot Records
Two of the label’s co-owners discuss Omnivore’s 15-year history of putting out reissues of music by legacy acts — some never before released.
Billboard’s Music Industry Events Calendar
A complete rundown of the most important events across the music business.
Judge vacates order that sealed Udio’s ‘confidential’ data in Sony Music’s copyright lawsuit
The decision reopens the question of how much of the material that Udio has designated confidential will stay off the public docket. Source
US musicians’ union sues Universal and Warner over AI deals, claims breach of ‘new use’ clause in record industry’s performer agreement
As the majors start to do deals with AI companies, artists are increasingly concerned about how those deals work and how the money will be shared. Now the American Federation Of Musicians has gone legal, claiming Universal and Warner have breached a ‘new use’ provision in their musicians’ agreement
Spotify’s rule changes and thresholds are “unfair and deceptive practices”, says new lawsuit
An independent musician, who also happens to be an attorney, has sued Spotify claiming that changes it made to “filtering criteria” resulted in “legitimate plays” of his music not being counted as streams. He also wants a court in Connecticut to rule that Spotify’s 1000 plays threshold is unlawful
220+ rights orgs worldwide urge France’s National Assembly to adopt bill that would force AI firms to prove copyrighted content wasn’t used to train their tech
The Darcos bill would reverse the burden of proof in AI copyright disputes in France Source
Universal Music signs Mandopop star Jason Zhang to develop his international career
New agreement with Zhang and his Planet Culture label extends across music, live business and strategic development. Source
What does an attribution engine actually do?
Monica Corton, a music publishing veteran and the founder of Go To Eleven Entertainment, talks about AI — and to the industry’s one great hope for deciding who actually gets paid when machines make music… Source
Ground16 Talks Breaking Through EP And The Soft Skills Behind DJing
Ground16 (@grnd16) joins the SEVEN family with Breaking Through EP, the first release on the Berlin-based label’s new a.2aum sublabel. Arriving June 5, 2026, the project introduces a platform focused on broken rhythm, ambient detail, and warm spatial texture, giving Ground16 a fitting place for musi
Curated music-streaming service Cantilever raises £250k from independent labels
UK-based startup Cantilever has raised £250k of pre-seed funding from a group of 20 independent labels and individuals from those companies.
American Federation of Musicians sues majors over AI deals
US-based musicians’ union the American Federation of Musicians (AFM) has launched a lawsuit against UMG and WMG over their AI deals.
Portishead’s Geoff Barrow says ‘Gone’ composer admits ripping off his ‘Devs’ score
"It’s time that producers and directors realise you can’t just be ripping off professionals in your own industry and get away with it"
Portishead’s Geoff Barrow says ‘Gone’ composer admits ripping off his ‘Devs’ score
"It’s time that producers and directors realise you can’t just be ripping off professionals in your own industry and get away with it"
Suno asks court to block UMG and Sony from expanding copyright lawsuit to over 61,000 recordings
Suno argued that granting the labels' request would deny the company a timely ruling on whether training its AI model on copyrighted music is fair use. Source