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. As 2025 Draws to a Close, What Are the Year’s Biggest Music Industry Funding Rounds? Catalog, Premium Events, and AI Raises Stand Out Heading Into 2026

   As DMN Pro preps its in-depth review of 2025 music industry funding, here’s a quick look at the year’s largest rounds and their significance heading into 2026. Like with our prior funding analyses and the upcoming full-year report, this overview is made possible by the Music Industry Funding Tracker. As many are aware, the one-stop […]

2. Late-2025 Legal Paperwork Flies Between the Majors (Minus Warner Music) and Suno — New Confidentiality Order Points to Intensifying 2026 Showdown

   With days remaining in 2025 – and despite Warner Music’s Suno settlement – the legal paperwork is continuing to fly between the AI platform as well as Universal Music Group (UMG) and Sony Music Entertainment (SME). This latest indication of a protracted courtroom confrontation arrived in the form of a signed-and-sealed confidentiality order. Just recently […]

3. FTC Fires Back Against Key Investment Group As Ticket Reseller Moves to Dismiss Case

   The FTC claps back against Key Investment Group’s motion to dismiss their suit against the ticket reseller, asserting violations of the BOTS Act. Key Investment Group (KIG), which was sued by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in August with allegations of violations of the BOTS Act, filed a motion to dismiss the FTC’s case against […]

4. Beyoncé Becomes a Billionaire—and Fifth Musician in the 3-Comma Club

   Beyoncé is now a billionaire, joining her husband Jay-Z, as well as Taylor Swift, Bruce Springsteen, and Rihanna, in the highly coveted club. Beyoncé is now officially a billionaire, making her the fifth musician to reach the milestone, Forbes reports. The megastar joins her husband Jay-Z, as well as Taylor Swift, Bruce Springsteen, and Rihanna, […]

5. Mariah Carey, Wham!, Sia, and Others Battle It Out for Christmas Chart Supremacy — ‘Last Christmas’ Tops ‘All I Want for Christmas Is You’ on Spotify’s Global Rankings

   Mariah Carey, Wham!, Brenda Lee, Sia, and other perennial holiday favorites are duking it out for Christmas chart supremacy. Globally, however, Wham!’s “Last Christmas” has managed to dethrone Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” on Spotify’s weekly chart. In the end, that impressive charting feat came down to a relatively small number of […]

6. Sound Stock Launches the World’s Largest AI-Cultivated Royalty-Free Audio Library

   Sound Stock has entered the market with what it calls the world’s largest AI-cultivated royalty-free audio library, housing more than 10 million original assets. The company’s launch aims to disrupt the stock audio space by combining in-house production, AI-driven curation, and a transparent subscription model designed to remove download barriers for creators. This article was […]

7. The Cure Guitarist/Keyboardist Perry Bamonte Dead at 65

   The Cure’s longtime guitarist and keyboardist Perry Bamonte has passed away after a battle with an undisclosed illness. He was 65. Perry “Teddy” Bamonte, guitarist and keyboardist for The Cure since 1990, has passed away after battling an undisclosed illness. He was 65. The band wrote in an announcement on their website that Bamonte was […]

8. Daddy Yankee Joins Stacked New Year’s Rockin’ Eve Lineup with Live Puerto Rico Broadcast

   Daddy Yankee joins an already stacked lineup for Puerto Rico’s celebration as part of Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest. Reggaeton icon Daddy Yankee and actress/producer Roselyn Sanchez have been announced to lead Puerto Rico’s celebration as part of an already stacked lineup for this year’s “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve […]

9. Jane’s Addiction, Perry Farrell Settle Their $10 Million Lawsuit — And Yes, This Band Is Over, Folks

   The members of Jane’s Addiction have settled the $10 million lawsuit against lead singer Perry Farrell as the band announces breaking up for good. Jane’s Addiction announced splitting up just a week before the band settled its $10 million assault and battery lawsuit against lead singer Perry Farrell, which was filed back in July. The […]

10. Apple Music’s Per-Stream Payouts Are Still Dramatically Higher Than Spotify’s—According to the Latest Artist Data Dump

    Welsh indie rock band Los Capesinos!’s public breakdown of Spotify royalties offers a concrete, fan-facing snapshot of how little per-stream payouts are for working indie artists—even with a successful album cycle. While Spotify wins on volume, Apple Music’s per-stream payouts are 62% higher in the breakdown. After seeing the 2025 Spotify Wrapped frenzy on social […]

11. Jazz Musicians Who Canceled ‘Trump Kennedy Center’ Performance Face $1 Million-Plus Lawsuit

    The cancellation of a jazz performance on Christmas Eve at the newly renamed ‘Trump Kennedy Center’ has prompted a lawsuit seeking $1 million in damages. Musician Chuck Redd called off the performance after the Kennedy Center was renamed to include current President Donald Trump. The new name on the building’s facade is “The Donald J. […]

12. Former Sire Exec and Reprise President Howie Klein Passes Away At 77 Following Cancer Battle

    Former Sire exec and Reprise president Howie Klein has passed away at 77 following a long battle with pancreatic cancer. That unfortunate news surfaced on Down With Tyranny!, the self-described progressive politics blog founded by Klein in 2000. Additionally, the exec’s sister confirmed the passing on social media. After establishing 415 Records (the home of […]

13. YouTube Reportedly Terminates Channels Behind Fake AI Film Trailers — With an AI Music Crackdown Potentially Next

    YouTube has reportedly started terminating some of the channels behind unauthorized artificial intelligence film trailers. Is a crackdown on AI music accounts next? Though it’ll be up to the new year to deliver an answer, we can be sure of two related points at present. First, the video-sharing giant has booted Screen Culture and KH […]

14. Public Domain Set to Add Several Noteworthy Classics — From Bing Crosby’s First Film to ‘On the Sunny Side of the Street’ — in 2026

    2026 is set to see multiple classics – including “On the Sunny Side of the Street,” “Dream a Little Dream of Me,” and Bing Crosby’s first film – enter the public domain. Duke Law’s Center for the Study of the Public Domain just recently shed light on a variety of these works, which will become […]

15. Höfner, the Maker of Paul McCartney’s Famous Violin Bass, Declares Bankruptcy — Owner Seeks ‘A Strong Partner to Position the Höfner Brand for the Future’

    Höfner, the 138-year-old company best known for making Paul McCartney’s famed Violin Bass, has “filed for insolvency” and is now seeking “a strong partner to…secure business operations and jobs in the long term.” Hagenau, Germany-headquartered Höfner announced the news in an Instagram post last week. But the straightforward message only recently started gaining stateside media...