Digital Music News – studio recording, publishing, streaming, live concerts, talent development

The latest music news from Digital Music News, affecting recording industry, music publishing, mp3 streaming, concert industry, talent development, venture capital, and music technology, with reporting on artists new releases and where to get new mp3 songs.

1. Warner Music Acquires AI Attribution and Monetization Platform Sureel, Says the Deal Will Ensure ‘That the Creative Community Remains in Control of Its Intellectual Property’

   After inking licensing deals with Udio and Suno, Warner Music Group (WMG) has set its sights on optimizing AI attribution with the acquisition of Sureel. WMG formally disclosed the Sureel purchase this morning – albeit without shedding light on the hard numbers behind the transaction. Founded in 2022 by former Snowcrash CTO Tamay Aykut, Palo […]

2. GMR Saddles Music Choice With $14 Million Lawsuit Over ‘Willful Copyright Infringement’

   Global Music Rights is suing Music Choice over “willful copyright infringement” for continuing to play its catalog after its licensing expired. U.S.-based performance rights organization Global Music Rights (GMR) has filed a lawsuit against Music Choice for “repeatedly and willfully infringing upon nearly 100 GMR-licensed songs.” The infringement allegedly began after Music Choice’s licensing...

3. Sony Music Applies More Pressure on Udio to Reveal Its ‘Training Number,’ Says the Total Demonstrates a ‘Sweeping Disregard for Copyright Ownership’

   Udio is facing continued pressure from Sony Music to publicly disclose its “training number,” which the major label maintains “provides necessary context” about the AI platform’s alleged use of protected recordings. Sony Music, the lone major still litigating against Udio, pinpointed that figure – referring to the total number of tracks allegedly ingested to train […]

4. The Average On-Demand Streaming User Spends $434 Per Year on Recorded Music in the U.S., Up 27% from 2020, DIMA Report Finds

   The average stateside streaming user now spends $434 on recorded music annually – up nearly 30% from 2020, according to a new study. But amid a well-documented subscriber plateau in established markets, what’s the best way to drive additional growth? Those figures come from the Digital Media Association’s (DIMA’s) 2026 annual report, which doubles as […]

5. M&G-Backed Seeker Music Taps UMG’s Virgin to Amplify Its $400M Catalog

   Seeker Music Group, backed by M&G, has announced a global distribution partnership with Virgin Music Group, building on years of collaboration to expand its $400 million catalog. Seeker Music Group, led by creative executive and songwriter Evan Bogart and with backing from M&G, has announced a global distribution partnership with Virgin Music Group. The deal […]

6. Are the Right Songs Getting Tracked? MVT and Audoo Challenge PRS Proxies With Real-Time Tracking In Over 120 UK Venues

   Music Venue Trust and Audoo announce a partnership aimed at uncovering how music played in grassroots venues is represented in royalty distribution. On Tuesday, the Music Venue Trust (MVT) and Audoo announced a new partnership aimed at uncovering how music played in grassroots music venues is represented within performance royalty distribution administered by PRS for […]

7. ASCAP Litigates Against Four US-Based Radio Groups for ‘Prolonged Unauthorized Use of Members’ Music’

   Four US-based radio groups operating a total of 15 stations have been accused of broadcasting ASCAP members’ music without payment or license. Four radio groups located in South Dakota, Indiana, Mississippi, and New Hampshire have been accused of repeatedly refusing to renew their licenses to play music by members of the American Society of Composers, […]

8. Universal Music Confirms Nearly $1.2 Billion Euronext Bond Offering, Scheduled June 16th Close

   Universal Music Group (UMG) has officially confirmed plans to sell €1 billion (currently $1.2 billion) worth of bonds. Meanwhile, the major’s share price is once again sagging – to the tune of a 36% falloff during the past year. UMG disclosed the offering today, pointing in part to a €500 million ($578 million) collection of […]

9. Talay Riley, Grammy-Winning Songwriter for Dua Lipa and Many Others, Stabbed to Death in London

   Talay Riley, the Grammy-winning songwriter for artists like Dua Lipa and Jason Derulo, was the victim of a fatal stabbing in London on Friday. Talay Riley, whose real name was Mark Orabiyi, was one of two people stabbed in the West Ham area of London on Friday. Authorities identified him in a press release on […]

10. Jay-Z’s Limited-Run Tour Continues With NYC, LA, and Paris Gigs

    Jay-Z adds more cities and dates to his 30th anniversary limited comeback tour, with stops in New York City, Los Angeles, and Paris. Jay-Z has announced more shows for the 30th anniversary of his album Reasonable Doubt, with stops at Inglewood’s SoFi Stadium and Paris’ Stade de France. He’s also scheduled to hit his native […]

11. Apple Music Gets a Huge Update in iOS 27 with Siri AI

    Apple announces all the new features coming to Apple Music with the iOS 27 update at its annual WWDC conference, including Siri AI integration. At Apple’s annual WWDC conference this week, the company unveiled the new features coming to iOS 27, with some major Siri AI updates that add functionality to Apple Music. There’s redesigned […]

12. Chappell Roan Is the New Face of MAC Cosmetics Viva Glam

    MAC Cosmetics names Chappell Roan as the new face of Viva Glam, with a special edition lip collection featuring three shades co-created by the singer. MAC Cosmetics has named singer-songwriter Chappell Roan as the new face of Viva Glam, introducing three lip shades in a special edition collection co-created by the Midwest Princess herself. The […]

13. 6,000+ ‘Deceptive Ticketing URLs’ Is a Big Problem: Fix the Tix Looks to Decommission Resale Ticket Scams; NIVA Urges Broader Crackdown

    What’s the best way to decommission secondary ticketing scams? Demand refunds, call out resale platforms, and contact lawmakers, according to Fix the Tix, which has launched a “Fan Action Center” designed to help shortchanged customers. Fan Alliance and Fix the Tix rolled out the digital hub today, which marked the second day of the National […]

14. Pressure Intensifies to Cancel Kanye West’s Tampa Shows as Raymond James Digs In Its Heels

    Jewish leaders in Tampa Bay are pushing back against the Tampa Sports Authority’s decision to book and allow two concerts by Kanye West to go forward. The Tampa Jewish Federation has condemned the Tampa Sports Authority’s (TSA) decision to book (and double down on) two shows by Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, […]

15. Universal Music and Sony Music Aggressively Oppose Suno’s ‘Training Number’ Redactions Request: ‘It Speaks Directly to the Nature and Extent of Suno’s Copying’

    The public deserves to know how many recordings Suno used to train its models – at least according to the non-Warner majors, which are pushing back against Suno’s demand to keep the much-discussed tally and different data under wraps. Universal Music and Sony Music made that position clear in a recent filing, days after Suno […]