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. Live Nation and AEG Reportedly Face Criminal Antitrust Probe Over Alleged Ticket-Refund Collusion

   Live Nation is reportedly grappling with yet another wave of Justice Department scrutiny. Now, a reported criminal antitrust probe is zeroing in on alleged refund-related ticketing collusion during the early days of the pandemic. This possible probe just recently entered the media spotlight and was confirmed by Live Nation. At the time of writing, however, […]

2. Music Organizations Pen Letter to Members of Congress About Maintaining Library of Congress and US Copyright Office Under Legislative Branch Following Mass Firings

   Music organizations pen a letter about maintaining the Library of Congress and US Copyright Office under the control of the Legislative Branch. The Songwriters Guild of America, the Society of Composers & Lyricists, and Music Creators North America have banded together to pen a letter to members of Congress regarding the importance of maintaining the […]

3. Spotify India, Other Services Reportedly Remove ‘All’ Pakistani Releases Following Government Order

   DSPs including Spotify India have reportedly removed “all” Pakistani music in response to a related government advisory. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting issued that advisory eight days ago. Without diving too far into the underlying conflict – India and Pakistan have reportedly extended their ceasefire until May 18th – the notice compelled streaming platforms […]

4. SoFi Partners with Kelsea Ballerini and tnAchieves to Invest $2 Million for Tennessee’s Next Generation

   SoFi’s Rising Stars program provides post-secondary students with financial skills and resources they need to achieve their ambitions. SoFi Technologies has teamed up with Kelsea Ballerini and tnAchieves, a nationally recognized nonprofit dedicated to college access and success, to launch the Rising Stars Program. This $2 million initiative is aimed at helping the next generation […]

5. Apple Rejected Fornite’s Return to the iOS App Store—Game is Blocked in the EU Now, Too

   Apple has one again blocked the return of Fortnite to the iOS App Store—also impacting the game’s availability in Europe. The game could be installed on iOS devices through the Epic Games Store on European iOS devices, but no longer. This move marks the latest escalation in an ongoing legal and regulatory battle between Apple […]

6. Anthropic Counsel Apologizes for Citation ‘Hallucination’ in Music Publishers Lawsuit — Pinning Most of the Blame on Claude

   Time to lay off the use of AI in legal documents? Amid a high-stakes copyright battle with music publishers, Anthropic attorneys have apologized for an apparent citation “hallucination,” pinning the blame mainly on Claude. We broke down the citation crisis after counsel for the music publisher plaintiffs formally voiced related concerns to the court. Anthropic […]

7. Smokey Robinson Faces Criminal Investigation Following Sexual Assault Lawsuit

   A criminal investigation has been launched into the sexual assault allegations against Smokey Robinson in a lawsuit filed by his former housekeepers. Legendary singer-songwriter Smokey Robinson was sued last week by former employees who allege assault, sexual battery, and false imprisonment. The four Jane Does, who worked for the singer between 2006 and 2024, filed […]

8. YouTube Shorts Revenue Now Equals Regular Videos

   YouTube Shorts has reached a pivotal milestone—it’s revenue per watch-hour now matches that of regular long-form YouTube videos in the United States and other countries. YouTube CEO Neal Mohan shared the news at the MoffettNathanson investor conference, stating, “It’s something that we have been working on for a while and it’s a testament to both […]

9. Apple Music Is Testing a Playlist and Library Transfer Tool in Australia & New Zealand

   Apple Music has introduced a highly anticipated feature—a built-in music tool to make transferring from another digital service provider (DSP) like Spotify much easier. The tool will help users import their libraries and playlists from other music services directly into Apple Music. The only caveat is that the tool is currently in a testing phase […]

10. Reservoir Kicks Off India Expansion by Acquiring ‘Entire’ Musicraft Entertainment Catalog

    One month after launching a Mumbai-based subsidiary called PopIndia, Reservoir Media (NASDAQ: RSVR) has officially closed its first catalog deal in India. New York City-headquartered Reservoir today revealed the song-rights purchase, executed via PopIndia and covering the IP of 45-year-old Musicraft Entertainment. According to the involved parties, PopIndia scooped up the “entire” catalog at...

11. Fresh Questions Surface On Justin Bieber’s $200 Million Catalog Sale to Hipgnosis

    Justin Bieber’s camp denies allegations that he sold his catalog for $200 million because he was “on the verge of financial collapse.” Justin Bieber sold his catalog for $200 million to Hipgnosis back in December 2022—a strange move for such a young artist. According to a new documentary from TMZ, the 31-year-old R&B star made […]

12. Sony Taps Post Malone to Launch Latest Noise Canceling Headphones

    Sony has tapped Post Malone to launch its WH-1000XM6 noise canceling headphones. Posty is now a big face in Sony’s ‘For the Music’ campaign. “Great sound is essential for me when I’m making and listening to music,” says Post Malone. “These new noise canceling headphones make you feel completely inside the music.” And so the […]

13. Chris Brown Arrested for Attack in Manchester Ahead of Tour

    Chris Brown was arrested at a hotel in Manchester on suspicion of causing bodily harm to producer Abe Diaw at a London nightclub in 2023. Police arrested Chris Brown on suspicion of causing “grievous bodily harm” to music producer Abe Diaw at the Tape nightclub in London back in February 2023. Brown was arrested just […]

14. Taco Bell Launches ‘Feed the Beat’ Vinyl Record Club

    Taco Bell announces the launch of the Feed the Beat Record Club, bringing vinyl records from Feed the Beat artists to 300 Taco Bell Loyalty Members. On the heels of announcing its Feed the Beat Class of 2025 artists—100 artists across the globe whose content will be featured in Taco Bell content—Taco Bell unveils the […]

15. FTC Issues Formal Warning to StubHub Over Slow Rollout of ‘All-In’ Pricing

    The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has issued a formal warning to StubHub over the secondary ticket market’s slow rollout of all-in pricing. The FTC’s rule requiring ticket sellers to display the total price of tickets upfront went into effect on May 12. The regulation applies to all ticket sellers, both primary and secondary. Ticketmaster was […]