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. Black Sabbath Bassist Uses AI to Bring Unreleased Songs to Life

   Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler reveals he’s using AI to bring his previously unreleased material to life, some of which he wrote back in the 80s. It’s easy to forget the practical applications of artificial intelligence amid the controversy surrounding the technology, but musicians like Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler are using AI to realize […]

2. South Park Writer Snags Trump Kennedy Center Website Ahead of Renaming — Then Trolls the President

   A former writer on the animated hit South Park bought two website domains to troll Donald Trump ahead of his Trump Kennedy Center unveiling. Toby Morton, a former writer on South Park, rightly predicted that Donald Trump was poised to rename the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Back in August, Morton purchased two domain names: […]

3. Spotify Is Now Sunsetting the ‘Basic’ Music-Only Subscription — And Further Reducing Songwriter Royalties In the Process

   Spotify’s ‘Basic’ music-only subscription now comes with an important caveat—you can never cancel it or you’ll lose access to the tier forever. Is Spotify simply sunsetting this tier — and further slashing songwriter royalties? After Spotify integrated audiobooks into its Premium Individual, Family, and Duo plans in late 2023, it reclassified these tiers as ‘bundled […]

4. MTV Shutters Music-Only Video Channels After Nearly 40 Years

   MTV has shut down several music-only video channels across the UK, Australia, Poland, France, and Brazil after nearly 40 years. Almost 40 years after debuting outside the United States, several MTV music-only video channels across the UK, Europe, and South America have retired as of December 31. BBC News reports that the closure affects MTV […]

5. Will Smith Slapped With Sexual Harassment & Wrongful Termination Lawsuit Following Attempted Comeback Tour

   Touring violinist Brian King Joseph is suing Will Smith and Treyball Studios Management as defendants, accusing Smith of “predatory behavior” and “deliberately grooming and priming Mr. Joseph for further sexual exploitation.” According to the lawsuit, Smith hired Joseph in November 2024 to perform at a show in San Diego. Afterwards, Smith invited Joseph to join […]

6. Musician Sues Stability AI for Training Despite Opt-Out Requests

   A musician is suing Stability AI for copyright infringement, alleging that works were used for AI training purposes without authorization. A musician alleges that Stability AI is using his work for AI training despite his requests to opt out after the company’s public-facing “artist-first” promises. In a federal copyright infringement lawsuit filed on December 29, […]

7. Did Taylor Swift Single-Handedly Save the UK’s Vinyl Market In 2025?

   Taylor Swift led the charge in 2025 as sales of vinyl LPs increased for the 18th consecutive year in the UK, with growth also witnessed in long-declining CDs. The British Phonographic Industry (BPI) released its annual report this week, revealing that Taylor Swift fans’ hunger for vinyl contributed to another boom year for physical formats […]

8. Spotify Stock (NYSE: SPOT) Finishes 2025 Well Beneath $600 Per Share — Will Analysts’ Bullish Forecasts Prove Accurate in 2026?

   Spotify stock (NYSE: SPOT) is set to finish 2025 at well beneath $600 per share – a price that represents a sizable increase from the year’s beginning but a 26% slip from SPOT’s 52-week high. While it probably doesn’t need saying, the mixed-bag performance is raising questions about the trajectory of Spotify stock heading into […]

9. LG Electronics Expands will.i.am xboom Partnership, Preps Four New Speaker Launches for 2026

   LG and will.i.am are taking their partnership to the next level in 2026, which is officially set to deliver a new line of xboom speakers. The Seoul-headquartered business revealed its bolstered will.i.am tie-up today, about one year after first partnering with the FYI founder and CEO. And as LG noted then, the innovation-minded artist and […]

10. Damon Dash’s Film Company Sells for a Paltry $100 In Bankruptcy Auction

    Former Jay-Z business partner Damon Dash’s filmmaking company was sold for a paltry $100 at a bankruptcy auction held to offset the million he owes. Damon Dash, former Jay-Z business partner and hip-hop mogul, owes nearly $1 million from defamation lawsuits. Despite making an attempt to offset some of that debt through a bankruptcy auction, […]

11. Despite a Flurry of Cancellations, One Bluegrass Artist Refuses to Nix His Trump Kennedy Center Gig—”Our Tribalized Country Needs More Music & Art, Not Less”

    The newly renamed Trump Kennedy Center has sparked a wave of backlash from artists who have canceled their scheduled performances. The Trump-renamed facility has seen several performances cancelled—but at least one bluegrass artist says he aims to connect with people. The Cookers withdrew from their slated ‘A Jazz New Year’s Eve’ performance tonight, stating the […]

12. Warner Bros. Board Expected to Vote Against Paramount Offer—Will ‘Stay the Course’ With Netflix’s $80B Buyout

    The Warner Bros. Discovery board is expected to reject the amended takeover offer from Paramount Skydance. The offer came after Warner Bros. Discovery had already struck an agreement to merge with Netflix in a deal worth $80 billion+. Paramount Skydance isn’t giving up on the takeover offer, making a tender offer to WBD shareholders. Shares […]

13. UK Recorded Music Sales Grow a Respectable 4.9% to 210.3 Million Albums In 2025 — Here’s the Just-Released BPI Data

    The UK recorded music industry grew for the 11th consecutive year at a respectable 4.9% in 2025, according to the latest data from BPI. Breakthrough artists like Olivia Dean, Lola Young, and Skye Newman led a British music renaissance in the UK, leading the region’s recorded music market growth in its 11th consecutive year. The […]

14. Remembering Those We Lost in 2025—From Industry Titans to Celebrity Musicians to Behind the Scenes Operators

    Every year, the music world loses irreplaceable voices, visionaries, and pioneers whose impact continues to echo long after their final notes fade. In 2025, the industry mourned artists, executives, and creatives who helped shape genres, launch movements, and define eras—from stage legends and studio innovators to architects of entire soundscapes. This remembrance honors those who […]

15. Live Nation Redoubles Efforts to Shut Down US Government Antitrust Case — Late-Year Summary Judgment Filing Questions Whether ‘Real World’ Damages Are Actually Occurring

    Live Nation makes a high-stakes move to kill the US government’s antitrust lawsuit, claiming that prosecutors have failed to produce any evidence. Live Nation hopes to cut off the U.S. Department of Justice’s antitrust case at the legs before it makes it to trial. In the latest move, Live Nation’s attorneys filed a brief on […]