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. 2027 Grammy Awards to Feature 100 Categories, Up From 78 in 2012

   The Recording Academy announces some changes ahead of the next Grammy Awards, including five new categories and Best New Artist changes. The Recording Academy has announced some updated rules and categories ahead of the 2027 Grammy Awards, which will broadcast live across ABC, Disney+, and Hulu on February 7, 2027. This year will see five […]

2. Two Concert Livestreams in One Day? Amazon Music Tees Up ‘Free Worldwide Broadcast’ of Goose’s Madison Square Garden Show

   Amazon Music’s scored another big livestream – this time from Goose, which is now set to make an upcoming Madison Square Garden concert “available to watch for free worldwide.” Technically, the Wilton, Connecticut-based group has MSG shows teed up for Friday, June 19th as well as Saturday the 20th. But Amazon Music is preparing to […]

3. It’s Not Just AM Radio—FM Radio is Being Nixed From New Vehicles, Too

   Rivian’s new R2 electric SUV will (concerningly) require an internet connection to listen to music or radio, omitting AM and FM radio entirely. Vehicles from some of the biggest manufacturers in the world no longer ship with AM radio, which has been a thorn in the side of many buyers and lawmakers. Lawmakers assert that […]

4. Chris Stapleton, The Smashing Pumpkins, Queen Latifah Headlining America’s Block Party on July 4th

   America’s Block Party, celebrating the nation’s 250th birthday on July 4th, will include a benefit concert in Los Angeles hosted by Queen Latifah with performances from Chris Stapleton, The Smashing Pumpkins, and more. America’s Block Party, the celebration event for the nation’s 250th birthday this Fourth of July, will include a benefit concert in Los […]

5. Live Nation Studios Taps Demon Hunters Scribes for Upcoming ‘Youth Juice’ Horror-Comedy

   Live Nation Studios announces comedy-horror “Youth Juice,” written by “KPop Demon Hunters” scribes Danya Jimenez and Hannah McMechan. Live Nation Studios has broken ground in Southern California on the production of Youth Juice, a “creepy satire” starring Gideon Adlon (“Euphoria”), Luna Blaise (Jurassic World), Simon Rex (Red Rocket), and Jay Hernandez (“Magnum P.I.”). Written by […]

6. Qobuz Delivers 45.7% Revenue Growth Results as Listeners Leave Big Streaming

   Qobuz is rapidly becoming a global player alongside the music streaming giants in a major success story for the independent French company. Qobuz, the high-res streamer founded in 2007, started out as a niche platform prized by audiophiles, but has rapidly ascended as a global player among the music streaming giants. That’s especially evident as […]

7. Live-Focused Superfan Startup Swsh Announces $4 Million Seed Round With Scooter Braun, Guy Oseary, and Julie Greenwald Aboard as Investors

   Live-focused superfan platform Swsh has announced a $4 million seed round that drew support from Scooter Braun, Julie Greenwald, Guy Oseary, and others. Four year-old Swsh reached out with word of the multimillion-dollar raise – and plans for an expansion beyond music – today. Co-founded and led by Alexandra Debow, the startup bills itself as […]

8. Paying for Precision—The New Economics of Music Usage Data for Royalty Distribution

   For decades, the music industry has accepted a compromise in how royalties from public performance are distributed. When music is played in cafes, restaurants, retail stores, gyms, and other licensed venues, businesses pay fees with the expectation that the rights creators will be compensated for those plays. But in practice, collective management organizations (CMOs) have […]

9. HarbourView Scores Chaka Khan ‘Strategic Partnership,’ Acquiring a Catalog Stake and Teeing Up ‘New Creative Ventures’

   HarbourView has scored a multifaceted partnership agreement, extending to catalog development, “new creative ventures,” and more, with former Rufus lead singer Chaka Khan.   Newark-based HarbourView and Chicago-born Chaka Khan (real name Yvette Stevens) just recently announced their deal – albeit without shedding light on its hard financials. Despite the lack of specifics in this […]

10. Ricky Martin’s FIFA Anthem ‘Vida’ Was Released in 2014—and There’s Still a Raging Lawsuit Over Who Wrote It

    A songwriter’s lawsuit against Ricky Martin over his 2014 hit “Vida” has been revived on appeal in a “perpetual quest” for “copyright justice,” sending the case back to trial for another round of litigation. Songwriter Luis Adrián Cortés-Ramos has been granted the revival of his copyright infringement lawsuit against singer Ricky Martin. The case has […]

11. Judge Dismisses Diddy Sexual Assault Case Filed by MTV ‘Making the Band’ Contestant Dawn Richard

    A federal judge has dismissed singer Dawn Richard’s sexual abuse and breach of contract lawsuit against Sean Combs, citing the statute of limitations. A federal judge has dismissed all 18 causes of action in singer Dawn Richard’s sexual abuse and breach of contract lawsuit filed against Sean “Diddy” Combs, ruling that the majority of these […]

12. Target Snags Exclusive, Limited-Run Jay-Z ‘Reasonable Doubt’ White Vinyl Re-Issue

    Jay-Z’s classic 1996 debut is getting the exclusive reissue treatment as Target releases a 30th anniversary limited-edition white vinyl run. To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Jay-Z’s 1996 debut album, Reasonable Doubt, Target is offering an exclusive anniversary edition of the album in creamy white vinyl, available starting on June 26. The vinyl features a […]

13. Is Anyone’s Music Safe? Newly Identified ‘Giant Datasets’ Containing Millions of Songs Raise Fresh Questions About Music AI Training Processes

    Are gen AI companies actively developing their music models with the same collections of copyrighted tracks? And despite ongoing discussions about free-for-all training, is this process far more systematic than we’ve been led to believe? These and other pressing questions are taking center stage following an investigative report from The Atlantic’s Alex Reisner, who identified […]

14. Bonnie Tyler Emerges From Induced Coma in Portugal But ‘Very Unwell’ After Emergency Surgery

    Bonnie Tyler is no longer in a coma, but remains “very unwell” in intensive care in Portugal following emergency surgery back in May. “Total Eclipse of the Heart” singer Bonnie Tyler is still recovering after undergoing emergency intestinal surgery last month that saw her placed in an induced coma. She is no longer in a […]

15. Keeping Pace with Catalog Growth — Vydia Streamlines Rising Royalty Volumes with Tipalti Mass Payments

    Vydia operates a cloud-based platform that supports labels, artists, and agencies across the music ecosystem. As its client roster expanded, each new label deal brought a surge in payees and monthly transactions, putting pressure on Vydia’s royalty and advances processes. To keep pace with this growth, the company implemented Tipalti’s Mass Payments solution to centralize […]