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. Fred again.. Teams Up with Dropbox to Share Exclusive Creative Files from His ‘USB002’ Tour

   Fred again.. teams up with Dropbox to share never-before-seen creative and raw material from his USB002 tour, and keeping his promise to attendees. Producer and musician Fred again.. has teamed up with file-sharing service Dropbox to share previously unseen creative and raw material from his USB002 tour. The release actually furthers a promise Fred made […]

2. Is This the Industry’s ‘4th Major Label’? BMG Officially Consummates Its Concord Marriage

   BMG and Concord announce a definitive agreement to combine their businesses, creating the largest independent music company in the world. BMG and Concord have finally announced a definitive agreement to combine their businesses, after weeks of rumors that a deal was forthcoming. Operating under the BMG name, the combined company will unite two complementary businesses […]

3. Primary Wave Scores Catalog and NIL Partnership With the Harry Chapin Estate — Deal Covers ‘Cat’s in the Cradle,’ ‘Taxi,’ and Many More

   Primary Wave has officially taken a stake in the IP of Harry Chapin, including the “Cat’s in the Cradle” singer-songwriter’s catalog as well as his name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights. New York City-headquartered Primary Wave and the Chapin estate formally disclosed their partnership, but not the financial and ownership particulars thereof, today. On the […]

4. Spotify Stock Plummets After Q1 2026 Earnings Reveal Subscriber Question-Marks and Ad-Supported Revenue Problems

   Spotify (NYSE: SPOT) has posted solid subscriber growth – and yet another ad-supported revenue decrease – for Q1 2026. But the company is anticipating a modest subscriber-base expansion for Q2, and SPOT suffered a double-digit slip in early trading. All told, Spotify pointed to an average of 761 million MAUs (up 12% year over year) […]

5. Deezer Latest Earnings Report Is Mostly Uninteresting. But Buried In the Financials Is a Curious AI Detection Deal

   Deezer reports lower revenues and global subscribers in Q1, but its AI-detection tool continues to make it an industry leader. Now, there’s a licensing deal afoot with Hungary-based music rights organization, EJI. Deezer continues to lag behind streaming juggernauts like Spotify and Apple Music, and its Q1 financials reflect that. The France-based streamer posted revenues […]

6. Man Pleads Guilty to Jam Master Jay’s Murder 25 Years Later

   A man has pleaded guilty to his role in the 2002 murder of Run-D.M.C.’s Jam Master Jay. The plea comes three years after he was charged. Jay Bryant, 52, the third man accused in the murder of DJ Jam Master Jay back in 2002, pleaded guilty in federal court on Monday. He was charged nearly […]

7. Apple Faces Refiled Class Action Lawsuit Over AirPods ‘Audio Defect’ — ‘Sound Issues in the AirPods Pro Gen 1 Headphones Are by No Means Isolated Occurrences’

   Apple misled consumers by concealing AirPods Pro 1 sound issues and then rolling out an “ineffective” service program for the defective product – at least according to a newly refiled class action lawsuit alleging false advertising and more. Seven sub-class representatives, hailing from Florida, Pennsylvania, New York, Illinois, and California, just recently doubled down on […]

8. The Vinyl Comeback Has a Dark Side: London Police Shut Down Major Counterfeit Vinyl Operation—Over $350,000 in Dupe Discs Seized

   London police seized nearly 6,500 records in a raid of a counterfeit vinyl operation that caused an estimated $350,000 loss for the music industry. The vinyl boom that has swept the music industry for the last 20 years amid the rise of streaming has made plenty of headlines for its positive impact on artists with […]

9. Concord Acquisition Streak Continues With Mothership Music Publishing Purchase — Including ‘More Than 5,000 Copyrights’

   Concord’s acquisition streak isn’t finished yet, as the company’s officially purchased the assets of Mothership Music Publishing – chief among them a 5,000-song catalog. Nashville-based Concord and Mothership reached out with word of the transaction today. The selling operation set sail 13 years ago as a partnership between Epitaph founder Brett Gurewitz, longtime exec Lionel […]

10. Shakira Crew Member Killed in Stage Accident While Setting Up Brazil Concert

    A crew member who was setting up for Shakira’s upcoming Brazil concert died in a stage accident on Sunday, according to concert organizers. Concert organizers for Shakira’s upcoming performance in Brazil revealed that a construction worker who was helping set up for the show died in a stage accident on Sunday. Translated from Portuguese, the […]

11. Spotify Quickly Expands Into Fitness With a Broad-Content Peloton Partnership

    Spotify announces a broad-content partnership with Peloton to integrate fitness content into a new category on the digital streaming platform. Spotify has teamed up with Peloton in a broad-content partnership to integrate fitness into a new “Fitness” category on the digital streaming platform. The deal includes over 1,400 on-demand classes across eight categories: Strength, Pilates, […]

12. Avex Music Kicks Off Catalog Expansion With $100 Million ‘Initial Commitment,’ Scores Deal With ‘Lose Control’ Co-Writer Infamous

    A year and change after purchasing S10 Music Publishing, Avex Music Group has unveiled plans to scoop up $100 million worth of catalogs and companies during the next 12 months. LA-based Avex Music formally disclosed those plans today, pointing specifically to “a $100 million initial commitment” to kick off “phase one” of an overhauled publishing […]

13. Trademark (Taylor’s Version): Swift Strikes Back Against Deepfakes by Trademarking Her Voice and Likeness to Combat AI Misuse

    Taylor Swift has just filed multiple new trademark applications to protect her voice and image, specifically designed to guard her against increasing threats from AI. She’s one of the first major celebrities (music or otherwise) to take the aggressive preventative measure. Here’s another Taylor first, and it isn’t a streaming or live concert record. Last […]

14. Too Soon? ‘Michael’ Opening Weekend Success Stirs Sequel Chatter — But Will ‘Part 2’ Head to the Dark Recesses of Neverland?

    After the Antoine Fuqua-directed Michael made history in its opening weekend, talk of a sequel emerges. But would a Lionsgate sequel head to the dark recesses of Neverland? The ending of the Michael Jackson biopic has left many audiences wondering if a sequel is in the cards, with gold lettering that reads, “His Story Continues.” […]

15. iHeartMedia and SiriusXM Are Reportedly In Merger Talks

    iHeartMedia and SiriusXM are reportedly in early merger discussions, with music industry vet Irving Azoff and Apollo Global Management advising on the matter. Following early rumblings of a potential merger between iHeartMedia and SiriusXM, initially reported by Bloomberg, a source has now confirmed to Variety that the companies are in early discussions for a merger—not […]