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. Is Udio Really Committed to ‘Ensuring Artists’ Rights Are Respected and Fairly Compensated’? Aggressive Push to Crush Two Creator-Led Suits Raises Questions

   Udio the creator-friendly AI music platform? Not so fast. Though the startup’s been making headlines for its pacts with the majors, Merlin, and most recently Kobalt, behind the scenes, it’s attempting to crush a pair of artist-led lawsuits. We’ve been covering those complaints – one dating back to June 2025, the other to October – […]

2. Ticketmaster Integrates Into ChatGPT—’Chat, Why Are Tickets So Expensive?’

   Ticketmaster becomes the latest company to launch a ChatGPT app, hoping to cash in on more people using AI chatbots instead of search engines. Ticketmaster has climbed into bed with OpenAI in a partnership that not only sees integration with ChatGPT, but will see “sponsored ad placements” within the AI chat platform. This move is […]

3. YouTube Music + Premium Quietly Hike Their Prices In the US In Latest ‘Streamflation’ Move — So What’s the Monthly Hit?

   YouTube becomes the latest subscription streaming service to hike prices in the US, with both YouTube Premium and ad-free YouTube Music affected. Look out, YouTube subscribers—the ‘streamflation’ is coming for you, too. Both services—YouTube Premium and ad-free YouTube Music plans—are hiking prices in the U.S., riding the wave of streaming services to have increased their […]

4. SOCAN Reports Record 2025 Revenue — But Warns ‘That Canadian Songwriters and Composers Are Living a Different Reality’ Amid Gen AI’s Rise

   Canada’s SOCAN has announced record 2025 revenue – and warned of “growing pressures” on creatives “amid accelerating digital change” in the AI era. The Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN) just recently shed light on its 2025 financials and elaborated on its AI regulatory efforts. On the financials front, the PRO […]

5. Universal Music, Sony Music, and Suno Reportedly Hit Hard Impasse in Settlement Discussions — As Warner Music’s Suno Partnership Takes Shape

   Universal Music, Sony Music, and Suno have reportedly hit a hard impasse in their settlement discussions, where, unsurprisingly, the “walled garden” hang-up is said to be taking center stage. Word of that resolution roadblock surfaced in a recent Financial Times piece – though admittedly, the rumored standstill doesn’t come as a shock. In the first […]

6. FTC Orders StubHub to Refund $10 Million Worth of ‘Unfair or Deceptive Fees’ (Check Your Email)

   The Federal Trade Commission has ordered StubHub to pay $10 million to fans for deceptively advertising ticket prices on its website. The country’s largest ticket exchange and resale ticket platform, StubHub, has to fork over $10 million to fans to settle charges lodged against it by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) over violations of the […]

7. ‘Monopolistic Bully’ or ‘Fierce Competitor’?—Final Arguments Entered in Live Nation-Ticketmaster Legal Battle Against 30+ States

   Is Live Nation a bully or is it just a really fierce competitor? Both sides enter their final arguments in Live Nation’s battle against 30+ state attorneys general. While the states have argued that Live Nation controls a whopping 86% of major concert venues and uses its position of dominance across promotion and ticketing to […]

8. Is Diddy’s Four-Year Sentence Too Harsh? His Lawyers Say His ‘Freak-Offs’ Should be Constitutionally Protected

   Attorneys for Sean Combs hope to overturn his conviction, arguing that his so-called ‘freak-offs’ were protected under the U.S. Constitution. According to lawyers for Sean “Diddy” Combs, his so-called “freak-offs” are protected by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which protects freedom of speech and expression. This extends not only to spoken and written […]

9. Hip-Hop Pioneer Afrika Bambaataa Passes Away, Leaving Behind a Complicated Legacy

   Afrika Bambaataa, a pioneering hip-hop DJ and Zulu Nation founder, who faced allegations of sexual abuse later in life, has passed away. He was 68. Bronx legend and pioneering hip-hop DJ Afrika Bambaataa, widely recognized as one of the early founders of hip-hop culture, passed away from complications related to cancer on Thursday (April 9) […]

10. Prince Estate Settles With Apollonia — Trademark Lawsuit Voluntarily Dismissed After Lengthy Dispute

    One long-running trademark dispute later, Apollonia and the Prince estate have put their legal battle to rest – albeit without prejudice. Prince’s Paisley Park Enterprises and the Purple Rain co-star Apollonia (birth name Patricia Kotero) voluntarily moved to dismiss their case yesterday, days ahead of a previously scheduled hearing. And while that case only kicked […]

11. Amazon Music Drops Third Eye Blind Exclusive Ahead of Stagecoach 2026 Livestream

    Ahead of its Stagecoach 2026 livestream, Amazon Music unveils new exclusives with Third Eye Blind and Michael Marcagi for some reimagined hits. Today, Amazon Music has announced two new exclusives from Third Eye Blind and Michael Marcagi to help build excitement for this year’s Stagecoach Festival later this month. Third Eye Blind delivers a rendition […]

12. Federal Judge Slaps Down Temu’s Attempt to Dismiss Twenty One Pilots Trademark Infringement Complaint

    Twenty One Pilots’ trademark infringement case against Temu will proceed with an amended complaint after a judge denied an attempt to dismiss it. Online marketplace Temu has faced several trademark infringement lawsuits from artists incensed over the selling of bootleg merchandise. But the company tried to have the claims dismissed—both in the matter lodged by […]

13. Udio Inks Licensing Deal With Primary Wave’s Kobalt, Tees Up ‘New Platform’ Supporting Soundalike Voice Models, Remixes, and More

    Weeks removed from its sale to Primary Wave, Kobalt has announced a strategic partnership with Udio – including plans to collaborate on a suite of forthcoming products. Kobalt and Udio reached out with word of their pact today, after the AI startup scored a Merlin deal in January. All told, then, Udio now has licensing […]

14. Another Big Blow to London’s Festival Scene: LIDO Forced to Abruptly Cancel Most of Its Shows

    In the latest blow to London’s festival scene, LIDO Festival has been forced to reschedule and cancel a majority of its shows to protect park ground conditions in Victoria Park. On the heels of the highly publicized cancellation of London’s Wireless Festival, another local festival is seemingly on the rocks. LIDO Festival has rescheduled from […]

15. Now You Can Turn Off All of Spotify’s Video Content

    Just after rebranding itself as a multi-content platform, Spotify is rolling out new controls to stop video from playing alongside music and podcasts. Spotify is introducing new video controls that enable users to turn off video content, including music videos or video podcasts, as well as Canvas looping visuals. The toggles will be available for […]