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. 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 […]

2. 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, […]

3. Bluegrass Artist Won’t Be Canceling 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 […]

4. Did Taylor Swift Single-Handedly Save Vinyl in the UK in 2025?

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

5. 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 […]

6. 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 […]

7. 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 […]

8. 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 […]

9. 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 […]

10. Artist Manager Michael Lippman Passes Away; George Michael, Matchbox Twenty, Bernie Taupin Among the Celebrated Clientele List

    Prominent artist manager Michael Lippman, known for his work managing George Michael and Matchbox Twenty, has passed away at age 79. Michael Lippman, a prominent artist manager who helped guide the career trajectory of George Michael, Matchbox Twenty and Rob Thomas, and Elton John’s writing partner Bernie Taupin, passed away at his Santa Ynez, CA, […]

11. NewJeans Legal Drama Intensifies—Danielle Slapped with $31 Million Lawsuit After Abruptly Departing Group

    NewJeans’ label Ador is suing member Danielle, one of her family members, and former label head Min Hee-jin for $31 million for breaking contract. The legal drama between K-pop sensation NewJeans and their label Ador takes another twist as the label sues one of the band’s members for breach of contract. Ador’s parent company Hybe […]

12. Hilliary Media Group Acquires Multiple Oklahoma Radio Stations In $900K Deal

    Dustin Hilliary’s Hilliary Media Group acquires Mollman Media’s eight Oklahoma-based radio stations and four translators for $867,500. Oklahoma native Dustin Hilliary’s Hilliary Broadcasting Co. has acquired Mollman Media’s eight radio stations and four translators in a deal valued at close to $900,000. Thanks to an LMA (Loan Market Association) that took effect on December 1 […]

13. Red Rocks Ties the Vegas Sphere In 2025 Attendance Rankings—Venue Finishes as Top US-Based Amphitheater

    The Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado has set several attendance records for 2025—with over 1.75 million fans attending 236 events this year. Pollstar reports that the popular music venue west of Denver is also the best-attended amphitheatre in the United States. It also earned the second-highest attended music venue in the US, only second behind […]

14. Trump Kennedy Center Cancellations Pile Up Ahead of New Year’s Eve

    Cancellations at the newly Trump-renamed Kennedy Center are piling up as artists pull out of performing at the venue following a controversial decision to add Trump’s name to the memorial building. The Kennedy Center previously promoted two New Year’s Eve jazz performances by the Cookers, but those performances and the annual Christmas Eve jazz concert […]

15. Early KISS Guitarist Vinnie Vincent Charges $225 for His New Single—and Doubles Down After Fans Complain

    Former KISS guitarist Vinnie Vincent is selling his latest single for $225 in an effort to avoid bootlegging—despite fans “whining” about the price. Vinnie Vincent, the musician who played guitar with KISS as “The Wiz” from 1982 to 1984, is charging a hefty sum for his latest single. But while he understands fans’ “bitching” and […]