Music Business
Sacha Mattey on Data, Deals, and Scaling Artists at Darkroom
Above Image Cred: Olivia Platt Sacha Mattey operates on a side of the music industry that rarely gets direct attention, but shapes how artists scale once momentum starts building. As Business Partnerships Lead at Darkroom Records, his role sits across strategy, finance, and execution, connecting cre
Justin Timberlake and Tiger Woods Settle Lawsuit Over Unpaid Sports Bar Wages
The lawsuit was brought by two bartenders alleging underpayment and tips being taken at T-Squared Social in New York, a sports bar Timberlake and Woods own. Justin Timberlake and Tiger Woods Settle Lawsuit Over Unpaid Sports Bar Wages Travis Bland
Saweetie & Jason Derulo Lawsuits
The two artists are facing separate lawsuits over their scrapped slots at the Japanese Afrobeats festival last summer.
Evan Whikehart named General Manager, North America at IDOL, as Paris-headquartered indie says its annual revenue topped $50m globally last year
Whikehart joins from Secretly Distribution Source
Saweetie & Jason Derulo Sued for Backing Out of Japan’s Afro Jam Fest — But Still Keeping Advances
The two artists are facing separate lawsuits over their scrapped slots at the Japanese Afrobeats festival last summer.
Japan’s Avex sees music segment revenues grow 6.8% YoY to $810M in latest fiscal year
Live entertainment was the primary growth driver, supported by arena-scale touring activity and expanding international fan engagement. Source
Sony Music Publishing UK signs songwriter and producer MNEK to global deal
The deal covers future works written by the London and LA-based hitmaker Source
Artist Record Deals
Other artist deals this week: Astrid S, Adore, CMAT, Young Franco, This Is Lorelei, Arcy Drive, Solon Holt and more.
SEGA SOUND TEAM's Role in Game Music
Billboard JAPAN talked to Tomoya Ohtani, who leads SEGA SOUND TEAM, and to Ryo Kinoshita and Go Iwasaki, responsible for music licensing.
Beyond the Game: How SEGA SOUND TEAM Is Shaping the Future of Game Music
Billboard JAPAN talked to Tomoya Ohtani, who leads SEGA SOUND TEAM, and to Ryo Kinoshita and Go Iwasaki, responsible for music licensing.
Suno sued by Poseidon Wave Media, an entity behind indie duo The American Dollar, claiming it ‘nearly eliminated’ their licensing revenue
The duo alleges that Suno has reduced their licensing revenue by nearly 80% since the AI company launched its service. Source
Music Law News: Beatles Tape, Michael Jackson Estate, George Clinton
In this week's Legal Beat newsletter, a decades-old Beatles demo sparks litigation, Michael's daughter wins a court ruling, George Clinton sues for royalties and more.
Signed: Tash Sultana Inks Record Deal With BMG; Dexys Midnight Runners Make Heavenly Pact
Other artist deals this week: Astrid S, Adore, CMAT, Young Franco, This Is Lorelei, Arcy Drive, Solon Holt and more.
Alex Wann And JUNO Talk Allo, Crosstown Rebels, And DJ Taste In The Streaming Era
Alex Wann and JUNO make their Crosstown Rebels debut with Allo, a two-track EP which dropped on May 8, 2026, on Damian Lazarus’ label. The title track brings the two artists together for a warm, groove-led collaboration, while “IDONE” gives Alex Wann a solo cut built around piano chords, textured sy
Understanding production agreements in the music industry
The following MBW op/ed comes from Manatt's Suna Izgi and Jordan Bromley Source
Beatles Tape Lawsuit, Michael Jackson Estate, George Clinton Case & More Top Music Law News
In this week's Legal Beat newsletter, a decades-old Beatles demo sparks litigation, Michael's daughter wins a court ruling, George Clinton sues for royalties and more.
Best Free Electronica Sample Packs: 15 Royalty-Free Downloads For IDM And Downtempo Production
Finding the best free electronica sample packs can save you a lot of time when you want usable drums, synth loops, glitch textures, vocal fragments, FX, drones, and ambient layers without digging through low-quality folders for an hour. I wanted this list to feel approachable, so I focused on royalt
Best Websites To Get Royalty-Free Samples: 15 Free Sample Sources Producers Should Know
Finding good royalty-free samples can save a producer hours of scrolling and keep a project moving when the original idea starts to run out of steam. The best websites to get royalty-free samples give you easy-to-use search tools, understandable licensing terms, and libraries that help you find spec
Funk pioneer George Clinton sues Universal over $1.1 million in withheld royalties
Universal Music has not been paying royalties to George Clinton for three years now, because he is involved in a legal dispute with the estate of a former collaborator over ownership of many of his recordings. But, a new lawsuit says, that dispute is no reason for UMG to withhold his money
Billboard’s Music Industry Events Calendar
A complete rundown of the most important events across the music business.