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. Latest Music Industry Hires: Soundmouse, Gibson, AFM, Spirit Music, ICMP, TouchTunes, SoundExchange, More

   Here’s a recap of recent music industry hires and in-house promotions as of June 26th, 2026. If you have a job shuffle to share, we’re all ears. Send us a note to news@digitalmusicnews.com. If you’d like to post a job on our Job Board, just send us a request to noah@digitalmusicnews.com. And, keep track of all the […]

2. Backstreet Boys Look to Decommission AI Deepfakes by Trademarking Their Voices — Joining Taylor Swift, Lionel Richie, and Others

   The Backstreet Boys have officially joined Lionel Richie and Taylor Swift in moving to trademark their voices amid the gen AI boom. The 33-year-old group’s BSB Entertainment company submitted a sound-mark trademark application on Wednesday. And according to this application, spotted by Gerben IP, said mark would specifically cover “the spoken words HI, WE’RE THE […]

3. The Singing Voice Behind ‘Josie and the Pussycats’ Has Been Cut Out of Residuals Due to a Clerical Error Since 2009

   Kay Hanley, the singing voice of Josie in 2001’s Josie and the Pussycats, has received less than $1,500 in residuals—and has received none since 2009. Letters to Cleo frontwoman Kay Hanley, whose singing voice was given to Rachael Leigh Cook in 2001’s Josie and the Pussycats film, says she’s only received around $1,500 in residuals […]

4. Ottobar In Baltimore Slapped With Near-$20,000 Penalty Over Unlicensed Karaoke Songs

   Performance rights organization BMI and a group of music publishers have been awarded over $18,000 in statutory damages from Baltimore’s Ottobar for unlicensed karaoke songs. Performance rights organization Broadcast Music Inc. (BMI) and three music publishers have been awarded more than $18,000 in statutory damages and attorney’s fees after Baltimore music venue Ottobar was found […]

5. BigHit Bandies Big Numbers for CORTIS: 2M+ Physical, 600M+ Streams, and a Major Tour

   K-pop band CORTIS is having an impressive debut, with 600 million streams on Spotify, over 2 million physical album sales, and a major tour. BigHit Music’s rookie boy band CORTIS’ debut album, Color Outside the Lines, has surpassed 600 million streams on Spotify and 2.1 million physical units sold. The five-member K-pop group’s second EP, […]

6. iHeartMedia Triggers Broad Layoffs as Part of $50 Million Cost-Reduction Plan

   iHeartMedia sent a memo to employees this week announcing staff cuts as part of restructuring efforts coinciding with its bolstered tech capabilities. iHeartMedia has triggered a broad round of layoffs across the country, affecting numerous stations and employees. The cuts are part of broader restructuring efforts in a cost-saving plan that follows the company’s bolstered […]

7. Coalition for Ticket Fairness Doubles Down on Live Nation-DOJ Settlement Criticism Following Trump-Rapino Meeting Confirmation

   Following the confirmation of a February 2026 conversation between Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino and the president, the Coalition for Ticket Fairness (CTF) is calling for the DOJ settlement to be scrapped. The CTF doubled down on its opposition in a brief release today, and said release arrived after legal documents confirmed that Rapino had […]

8. Rules for Thee But Not for Me: Anthropic Accuses Alibaba of ‘Brazenly’ and ‘Illicitly’ Stealing Their AI Capabilities

   Anthropic has accused Chinese tech company Alibaba of “brazenly” and “illicitly” attempting to steal its artificial intelligence capabilities. AI company and Claude chatbot creator Anthropic has issued a letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, accusing Chinese tech company Alibaba of “brazenly” attempting to steal its artificial intelligence capabilities....

9. SoundCloud and Twitch Team Up for DJ Performance Series ‘SoundCloud Sessions’

   SoundCloud and Twitch announce the launch of SoundCloud Sessions, a collaborative effort enabling DJs to reach new audiences across both platforms. This week, Twitch and SoundCloud announced the launch of SoundCloud Sessions, a collaborative partnership focused on helping DJs reach new audiences and increase their visibility across both platforms. The performance series aims to combine […]

10. ‘Michael’ Box Office Gross Now Surpasses Two Lord of the Rings Movies

    As the Michael Jackson biopic inches closer to $1 billion, the film surpasses two Lord of the Rings films in its box office gross. Michael continues to grow larger than life, much like the career of the man on which it is based. Now, the biopic is fast approaching $1 billion, and it’s achieved yet […]

11. Pandora Doubles Down on Push to Invalidate the MLC’s ‘Asserted Authority to Prosecute’ Royalty Disputes

    Pandora is doubling down on its aggressive push to effectively invalidate the MLC’s ability to sue – this time by citing a new appellate court decision. Meanwhile, the MLC is firing back against the argument. Those developments surfaced in a pair of filings, the newer of which, containing the MLC’s retort, having been submitted yesterday. […]

12. Are Older Artists Pushing Themselves Too Hard? Rod Stewart and Lionel Richie Both Experience Near-Collapses On Stage

    Lionel Richie and Rod Stewart both experienced unsteadiness on stage this week, sparking concerns that older musicians are pushing themselves too hard. Following reports that he was battling a respiratory illness, Rod Stewart had to use an oxygen mask to finish his performance in Utah over the weekend. The 81-year-old legend said he nearly fainted—but […]

13. Bassnectar is Now Plotting a Serious Comeback, Spearheaded by the Person Who First Signed Him In 2005

    Bassnectar is making a comeback in a big way, with Paula Moore’s Greater Music Group signing the EDM legend to a new management deal. Paula Moore, the CEO of Greater Music Group (GMG) has announced a comprehensive business transformation initiative for longtime EDM darling Bassnectar, highlighted by significant growth across the artist’s catalog, merchandise, audience […]

14. Suno Launches ‘Spark’ Artist Incubator Program, Offering Unsigned Acts ‘A Grant to Support Their Creative Process’

    As it grapples with multiple copyright suits – and continued criticism – Suno has launched an artist incubator program called Spark. The AI music platform formally announced Spark today, as it remains embroiled in litigation spearheaded by indie artists, the majors, and others yet. With plenty of capital (like $400 million plenty) in the bank […]

15. English-Language Tracks Account for 86% of U.S. On-Demand Streams — But the Share Is ‘Eroding,’ Report Claims

    English-language tracks now account for an even 86% of on-demand streams in the States – a share that’s said to be “steadily eroding” amid the continued rise of Latin, K-pop, and more. Both the percentage and the “steadily eroding” assessment come from Luminate, which framed the data as indicative of “how the U.S. music streaming […]