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. Atlantic Screen Group Secures $30M from Corrum Capital for Film, TV Score, Music Catalog Acquisitions

   Atlantic Screen Group announces a $30 million injection of funds from Corrum Capital to accelerate its strategic acquisitions of film and TV scores. Atlantic Screen Group (ASG) has secured $30 million in funding from Corrum Capital, which will enable the company to continue its strategic acquisition of film and television scores. The investment will also […]

2. Judge Tosses Chris Brown’s $500M Defamation Lawsuit Over ‘A History of Violence’ Documentary

   A judge dismisses Chris Brown’s $500 million defamation suit against Warner Bros. Discovery over the documentary “Chris Brown: A History of Violence.” Chris Brown’s aggressive lawsuit against Warner Bros. Discovery and Ample Entertainment over the documentary “Chris Brown: A History of Violence” has been quickly shot down by a Los Angeles judge. According to Judge […]

3. SXSW Sydney Cancelled After Just Three Years

   After only a three-year run, Australia’s SXSW Sydney has been cancelled following the New South Wales government pulling its funding. SXSW Sydney, Australia’s version of the music, technology, and media conference, will not return this year after the New South Wales government pulled its funding. Organizers confirmed the news in a message posted on the […]

4. Instagram Wants You to Personalize ‘Your Algorithm’ for 2026

   Instagram starts rolling out a new set of controls to enable users to personalize the topics recommended to them, starting with the Reels algorithm. Instagram began rolling out a new set of controls to enable users to personalize the topics recommended to them by the Reels algorithm, starting last month. Now, the company is expanding […]

5. Emo Night Brooklyn Organizer Burwoodland Scores ‘Significant Investment’ from Mark Cuban, Says It’s Sold Over 1.5 Million Tickets

   Burwoodland, the social entertainment events organizer behind Emo Night Brooklyn and more, has scored “a significant investment” from Mark Cuban. New York City-headquartered Burwoodland confirmed the investment – but not the deal’s dollar amount or ownership stake – today. Founded 11 years back by Ethan Maccoby and Alex Badanes, Burwoodland is said to produce north […]

6. Here We Go Again: BTS Premium Seats Already Hitting $5,000 on Resale Sites, Pre-Sale ‘Applications’ Now Being Accepted

   BTS is back, and it’s already a circus to try to secure tickets across the monster 79-show stadium run. Expect to pay a pretty penny to see the K-pop kings in action. The long-awaited return of BTS to the global stage is much more than just a milestone for the K-pop sensation’s devoted ARMY fanbase: […]

7. Bandcamp Takes a Stand and Bans AI-Generated Music

   Bandcamp takes an official stance against artificial intelligence by banning AI-generated audio and music from its platform. Bandcamp keeps providing users with even more reasons to love its platform. The latest move came in an announcement on Tuesday, in which Bandcamp Support took to Reddit to announce the company’s stance on artificial intelligence: Bandcamp has […]

8. Google Aggressively Moves to Dismiss Billboard Parent Penske Media’s AI Antitrust Suit: ‘It Remains Legally Defective in Every Way’

   Google is doubling down on its push to dismiss Penske Media Corporation’s amended antitrust suit, which allegedly “remains legally defective in every way.” The tech giant and its Alphabet parent just recently moved to toss the high-stakes complaint with prejudice. We last checked in on the legal battle closer to December’s start, when the Billboard […]

9. How Labelcaster Is Powering the New Generation of Indie Labels

   Independent labels are no longer fringe players in the music industry—they’ve become a powerful global force in the recorded music economy. Independent labels have risen to a 35% share of the overall U.S. on-demand audio streaming market in 2025. With the onslaught of uploaded music to DSPs, now over 120,000 tracks per day*, indie labels’ […]

10. Fugees Collaborator John Forté Dead at 50, No Cause of Death Yet Revealed

    John Forté, Grammy-nominated musician best known for his work with the Fugees, was found dead in his home in Massachusetts. He was 50 years old. Grammy-nominated musician John Forté, best known for his work with the Fugees and the Refugee Camp All-Stars, including Wyclef Jean, A Tribe Called Quest, and Busta Rhymes, has died at […]

11. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals Hands Down Landmark Vetter v. Resnik Copyright Termination Decision — ‘No Explicit Geographical Limitation’ to U.S. Copyright Recaptures

    The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has handed down a landmark copyright ruling in Vetter v. Resnik, determining that U.S. copyright termination rights apply worldwide. That significant appellate court decision, affirming a prior district court ruling in the recapture showdown, was filed yesterday. And as we’ve reported, the underlying legal battle kicked off in 2023, […]

12. Artificial Intelligence Attribution and Licensing Startup Musical AI Scores $4.5 Million Raise: ‘We Have Made Attribution Simple and Turnkey’

    Artificial intelligence attribution startup Musical AI (formerly Somms.ai) has announced a $4.5 million raise and set its sights on inking “breakthrough industry deals.” Ottawa-headquartered Musical AI unveiled that multimillion-dollar round’s close today, a little under one year after securing $1.5 million from investors. Heavybit, the self-described “leading early-stage investor in enterprise...

13. Who’s Gonna Blow Up in 2026? Spotify, Vevo, Shazam Release Their Lists of Artists and Songwriters to Watch This Year

    Spotify, Shazam, and Vevo release their lists of artists and songwriters to watch in 2026, spotlighting emerging talent about to hit the mainstream. Who’s going to make it big in 2026? Spotify, Vevo, and Shazam have each released a list of artists and songwriters to keep an eye on this year, poised to make a […]

14. Too Lost Acquires MAYK’s ‘Social Meme Music’ Catalog—Cementing Its Role In the UGC Music Era

    Music distributor Too Lost has acquired the full catalog of MAYK, the user-generated content (UGC) music creation platform behind a wave of viral ‘social meme music’ popularized on TikTok and other social media platforms. This article was created in collaboration with DMN partner Too Lost. This move follows a multi-year partnership that began in 2021 […]

15. Cher Demands $1 Million in Legal Fees From Mary Bono After Resounding Copyright Win

    Cher asks a judge to force Sonny Bono’s widow to cover her $1 million legal fees after the legendary singer’s resounding win in her copyright battle. After winning her legal battle with Sonny Bono’s widow Mary, Cher is now asking a federal judge to put Mary on the hook for her $1 million legal fees, […]