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. Spotify Stock Tanks Beneath $500 — Down 19% from 2026’s Beginning — Despite Citi & Goldman Buy Ratings

   Despite receiving buy ratings from Citigroup and Goldman Sachs, Spotify stock (NYSE: SPOT) has tanked beneath $500 per share. And while multiple analysts believe SPOT is poised to climb, one firm has now settled on a $487 target. At the time of writing, SPOT was hovering around $465 – for a roughly 8% slip from […]

2. Atlantic’s Don Toliver Plots 2026 Arena Tour Ahead of ‘Octane’ Studio Album Release

   Don Toliver announces a high-octane 2026 arena tour in support of his fifth studio album, Octane, hitting 30 cities across North America this summer. Rapper and songwriter Don Toliver has announced his 2026 Octane Tour, a massive arena run in support of his fifth studio album, Octane, with special guests SahBabii, SoFaygo, and Chase B. […]

3. Jive 2.0: Sony’s RCA Records Revives Jive Label—Ex-UnitedMasters Execs Mike Weiss and David Melhado to Lead

   Jive Records is back in a big way thanks to Sony’s RCA Records, with former UnitedMasters execs Mike Weiss and David Melhado to lead as co-presidents. RCA Records has announced the relaunch of the iconic Jive Records, with former UnitedMasters executives Mike Weiss and David Melhado set to serve as its co-presidents. Jive Records returns […]

4. Kid Rock to Lead Alternative to Super Bowl Halftime Show; NFL Commissioner Reaffirms Support for Bad Bunny

   Kid Rock is headlining Turning Point USA’s alternative halftime show, set to stream on conservative websites during the official NFL event on Sunday. Kid Rock will headline Turning Point USA’s Bad Bunny-less alternative halftime show, which will stream exclusively on conservative media. Conveniently during the same time slot that Bad Bunny is performing for the […]

5. Spotify Allegedly Removes 25M Streams from 21 Savage’s Latest Album

   Spotify reportedly removes 25 million streams from songs by 21 Savage, raising questions about ongoing bot activity and the integrity of streaming. The conversation around streaming integrity and rampant botting intensified this week as reports surfaced of Spotify allegedly removing 25 million streams from 21 Savage’s latest album, What Happened to the Streets? Spotify has […]

6. Ticketmaster, Viagogo, and StubHub Face Regulatory Scrutiny In Mexico Over BTS Comeback Tour Ticketing ‘Irregularities’

   Viagogo, StubHub, and Live Nation’s Ticketmaster are facing a new round of scrutiny – this time in Mexico, where the Federal Consumer Protection Agency (PROFECO) is calling out alleged ticketing “irregularities” affecting BTS’ comeback tour. PROFECO detailed its latest regulatory actions as well as a Ticketmaster fine during a press conference and in a formal […]

7. PARMA Recordings Acquires MSR Classics in Latest Classical Catalog Expansion Play

   PARMA Recordings acquires classical label MSR Classics and its catalog of nearly 800 commercial releases. PARMA Recordings has announced the acquisition of classical label MSR Classics and its catalog of nearly 800 commercial releases. Founded in 1998 by music industry veteran Robert LaPorta, the company will become a new member of the PARMA family of […]

8. Live Nation’s LATAM Push Continues with $110 Million 10-Year Deal Involving Argentina’s Estadio Monumental

   Live Nation will sell the naming rights to River Plate’s Estadio Monumental as part of a decade-long deal with the Buenos Aires-based soccer club. Live Nation will sell the naming rights to River Plate’s Estadio Monumental as part of their ten-year deal with the Argentinian soccer club. Beginning January 1, 2027, the partnership will also […]

9. Tencent Music, JYP China, and CJ ENM Form ‘ONECEAD’ Joint Venture to Focus on Chinese-Speaking Fans

   JYP China, CJ ENM, and Tencent Music have partnered to launch a new joint venture focused on management and production in the Chinese-speaking market. Tencent Music Entertainment (TME), CJ ENM, and JYP Entertainment’s Chinese subsidiary, JYP China, have announced a partnership focused on artist management and music production in the Chinese-speaking market. On Monday, JYP […]

10. Music Industry Funding Kicks Off 2026 with a Bang — January Core Raises Top a Cumulative $2.4 Billion, DMN Pro Data Shows

    Thanks in large part to continued capital commitments on the catalog side, the music industry has kicked off 2026 with a funding bang. As compiled by DMN Pro’s Music Industry Funding Tracker, that bang refers to north of $2.43 billion in core funding for January 2026 – up materially from January 2025’s $404.14 million. (The […]

11. Apple Music’s Aggressive Super Bowl Halftime Show Push Continues — Press Conference and ‘Official Bad Bunny Interview’ Scheduled for February 5th

    Six days ahead of Super Bowl LX, Apple Music is pulling out all the stops to market its halftime show, including with a press conference featuring Brandi Carlile, an “official Bad Bunny interview,” and more. The Super Bowl halftime show sponsor detailed the week-of promotional push today, after blitzing a Bad Bunny-equipped trailer in mid-January. […]

12. How Splice Revolutionized Royalty Payments With Tipalti

    Splice, a leading platform for music creation, faced growing challenges managing manual payments to its global network of creators. As the company expanded, so did the complexity of its financial operations. Splice spent more than 15% of its year on processing royalty payments. Digital Music News takes a peek at how Tipalti Mass Payments helped […]

13. Marsha Blackburn Leads a Coalition of US Senators Urging the FTC To Take Legal Action Against Ticketmaster

    Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) is leading a coalition of Senators who are urging the FTC to take action against Ticketmaster and its parent company, Live Nation. The filing supports the FTC’s ongoing lawsuit against both companies and focuses on the allegations of enabling anticompetitive behavior in ticket sales. The case was filed in the U.S. […]

14. Epstein Files Reveal Grateful Dead, Dead & Company, Coachella Ticket Resale Operation

    Court documents released among the Epstein files reveal claims that a ticket resale operation profited from several 2015 tours and festivals. According to official court documents released among the Epstein files, a ticket resale operation may have profited from several tours and live events in 2015. These include the Grateful Dead’s 50th anniversary tour, Dead […]

15. Apple Music Says It Flagged Roughly Two Billion Fake Streams During 2025 — With Penalties for Alleged Fraud Now Doubled

    Just how deep does the AI fraud problem run? A one-stop answer remains elusive, but Apple Music has provided a closer look at the issue’s scope – to the tune of approximately two billion “fraudulent streams” detected during 2025. This telling stat emerged during a new Hollywood Reporter sit down with Apple VP of music, […]