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. Unthinkable? New York AG Letitia James Demands Nothing Short of a ‘Breakup of Live Nation’s Monopoly’

   After a jury found Live Nation liable for monopolization earlier this month, 33 states plus D.C. are pushing for a breakup of Live Nation-Ticketmaster. Here’s the latest. While a jury determined on April 15 that Live Nation-Ticketmaster was liable for operating as a monopoly, the final decision as to the total monetary damages and other […]

2. Scooter Braun’s Name Surfaces in Hollywood Smear Operation, Court Filing Reveals

   A court filing alleges Scooter Braun’s involvement with the entertainment industry’s clandestine smear-site operation, The Hollywood Reporter reveals. The entertainment industry’s emerging smear-site scandal has been heating up since The Hollywood Reporter first exposed it in February. Now, the outlet has revealed a new court filing that appears to tie Scooter Braun more closely to […]

3. Court Denies Kim Kardashian’s Bid to Seal $6M Ray J Sex Tape Settlement

   A California judge has refused to keep the details of Kim Kardashian’s reported $6 million settlement with musician Ray J (William Ray Norwood Jr.) under seal. That opens the door for the 2023 agreement to become public record. The ruling, issued by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Steven A. Ellis on March 30, undercuts Kardashian’s […]

4. Alxchange Partnerships Now Include BUMA/Stemra, AFEM, CAPASSO, and SAMPRA as ‘Creative Weight’ and Ethical AI Attribution Gain Momentum

   BUMA/Stemra has become AIxchange’s marquee CMO partner as the creator-friendly attribution framework takes center stage at IMS Ibiza and Africa Rising Music Conference Johannesburg. Other early believers are also rallying around the recently formed AI music initiative. In the wake of multiple major label tie-ups with generative AI music giants, an influential wing of the […]

5. YouTube Expands Likeness Detection Tool to Entertainment and Music — Enabling Artists and Others to Flag AI Deepfakes

   With an eye on doing away with deepfakes, YouTube has officially made its likeness detection tool available to the music and wider entertainment industries. The video-sharing giant just recently announced the expansion in a concise release. As some will recognize, the development didn’t come out of left field: It was only a month and change […]

6. D4vd Quietly Dropped by Interscope/UMG; All Label Affiliations Scrubbed From Streaming Platforms

   Musician D4vd has been quietly dropped by his label Interscope, with affiliations scrubbed from their websites and on streaming platforms, amid his murder arrest. Singer-songwriter D4vd has been dropped by Interscope/UMG amid his arrest on suspicion of the murder of Celeste Rivas Hernandez, the 14-year-old girl whose body was found in his Tesla last year. […]

7. Post Malone’s ‘Big Ass Stadium Tour’ With Jelly Roll Is Having Serious Problems Selling Tickets

   Post Malone is struggling to sell tickets to his Big Ass Stadium Tour with Jelly Roll and Carter Faith, with less than a month left before showtime. Post Malone’s Big Ass Stadium Tour Part 2 featuring Jelly Roll and Carter Faith kicks off on May 13 in El Paso, TX, at the Sun Bowl Stadium. […]

8. Anthropic Doubles Down on Fair Use Claims In Attempt to End Music Publishers’ Copyright Suit: ‘Training on Lyrics (and Other Copyrighted Text) Is Transformative’

   Does training generative AI models on protected lyrics without permission constitute fair use? After years of debate – and a couple court rulings – the question is taking center stage in Anthropic’s new push for summary judgment in a copyright lawsuit filed by Concord and others. On the heels of a $25 billion investment, the […]

9. Spotify Quietly Starts Identifying Songs Using AI (Or At Least Some of Them)

   Spotify is quietly introducing a new feature that exposes artificial intelligence contributions within track credits, making a notable step in platform-level transparency. That comes with the caveat that these labels are all self-reported, however. The update is currently in beta and allows listeners to view AI involvement directly in the ‘Song Credits’ section of the […]

10. Kanye’s Upcoming Italy Concert Draws Condemnation After UK and France Cancellations

    Kanye West’s upcoming concert in Italy is causing an uproar due to the rapper’s descent into antisemitism, after the UK and France already cancelled gigs. Kanye West, who now goes by Ye, is scheduled to headline the Hellwatt Festival on July 18 at the RCF Arena in Reggio Emilia, Italy. With a capacity of 103,000, […]

11. Bandsintown Teams Up with Amazon Music Following Similar Deal with Apple Music

    Bandsintown teams up with Amazon Music to offer concert listings on Amazon Music artist profiles, like previously announced deals with Apple Music and Spotify. Bandsintown has announced a global collaboration with Amazon Music to enable concert listings across the service. For fans on Amazon Music, the integration offers a way to discover tour dates and […]

12. Bella Figura Acquires Producer and Songwriter Paul Epworth’s Catalog — Including Stakes in Releases from Adele, Paul McCartney, Coldplay, and Others

    Bella Figura Music has purchased the catalog of veteran songwriter and producer Paul Epworth – including interests in works popularized by Adele, Florence and the Machine, Lil Wayne, Paul McCartney, and many others. London-headquartered Bella Figura and Bishop’s Stortford-born Epworth formally disclosed their tie-up today. Though the official announcement is light on price-tag particulars...

13. Is Eurovision Going Down in Flames? Severe Infighting and Boycotts Hit Extreme Levels Just Weeks Before Showtime

    Over a thousand artists are calling for a boycott Eurovision over Israel’s inclusion, while another thousand push back. Five countries have quit the contest. With just weeks to go before the 2026 edition of the Eurovision Song Contest kicks off in Vienna, Austria, five countries have dropped out in protest of Israel’s continued participation. At […]

14. Warner Chappell Music Officially Launches in India

    Warner Chappell Music launches in India, with Jay Mehta appointed to lead the charge in one of the world’s fastest-growing creative economies. Warner Chappell Music (WCM), the global publishing arm of Warner Music Group (WMG), has announced its launch in India in a strategic move that marks a transition from its previous sub-publishing model. Now, […]

15. RCN’s Multi-Year Legal War With UMG, WMG, and Sony Music Takes a Dramatic Turn

    Cox v. Sony Music is factoring into yet another copyright dispute: RCN has cited the unanimous Supreme Court decision in its marathon legal battle with the major labels. That ugly courtroom confrontation’s been in motion for the better part of a decade, and unsurprisingly, the core claims closely resemble those seen in a number of […]