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. EU Legislators Call for an End to ‘Coercive Rights Buy-Outs’ by American VOD Giants Like Netflix

   European policymakers gather to discuss how to end so-called “coercive buy-out practices” in a broader move to balance the copyright framework. On Tuesday, European songwriters and composers, along with representatives of their collective management organizations, came together with key EU policymakers to address the long-standing and growing phenomenon of so-called “coercive buy-out practices”...

2. Grammy Viewership Slumps Another 6.4% to 14.4 Million Viewers, With a Double-Digit Drop Among Younger Viewers

   In its final telecast on CBS, the Grammy Awards saw a drop in viewership of more than 6% from the 15 million-plus who watched the show in 2025. Sunday night’s broadcast of the 68th Grammy Awards on CBS, the final Grammy Awards show to air on the network before it heads to Disney in 2027, […]

3. Time for a $3.1 Billion (and Change) Mega-Case? Court Considers Consolidating Concord v. Anthropic Infringement Lawsuits

   Is it time to consolidate music publishers’ monster copyright lawsuits against Anthropic? Now seeking over $3 billion in damages across two distinct cases, Universal Music and Concord have raised the question in an administrative motion. We initially covered the first of those cases soon after its October 2023 kickoff. And as many already know, the […]

4. Fred Armisen Delves into UMG’s Vaults in New CNN-Helmed Docuseries

   Fred Armisen will lead a new CNN original docuseries unearthing UMG’s vaults, with behind-the-scenes stories from the world’s largest music archive. Award-winning comedian, musician, and multi-hyphenate Fred Armisen had been spotted rubbing elbows at Universal Music Group’s Grammy parties over the weekend, and now we have additional details as to why. The “Portlandia” star will […]

5. Pink Pony Club Comes to Fortnite with Chappell Roan as Festival Season 13 Icon

   After weeks of rumors and leaks, Fortnite confirms Chappell Roan as the Fortnite Festival Season 13 headliner with three skins and more goodies. Rumors circulated for weeks after a leak revealed Chappell Roan as the next Fortnite Festival headliner. Now, Epic Games has finally confirmed the rumors to be true. Chappell Roan is bringing the […]

6. Spotify Stock Tanks Beneath $500 — Down 19% from 2026’s Beginning — Despite Citi & Goldman Buy Ratings

   Despite receiving buy ratings from Citigroup and Goldman Sachs, Spotify stock (NYSE: SPOT) has tanked beneath $500 per share. And while multiple analysts believe SPOT is poised to climb, one firm has now settled on a $487 target. At the time of writing, SPOT was hovering around $465 – for a roughly 8% slip from […]

7. Atlantic’s Don Toliver Plots 2026 Arena Tour Ahead of ‘Octane’ Studio Album Release

   Don Toliver announces a high-octane 2026 arena tour in support of his fifth studio album, Octane, hitting 30 cities across North America this summer. Rapper and songwriter Don Toliver has announced his 2026 Octane Tour, a massive arena run in support of his fifth studio album, Octane, with special guests SahBabii, SoFaygo, and Chase B. […]

8. Sony’s RCA Records Revives Jive Label—Ex-UnitedMasters Execs Mike Weiss and David Melhado to Lead

   Jive Records is back in a big way thanks to Sony’s RCA Records, with former UnitedMasters execs Mike Weiss and David Melhado to lead as co-presidents. RCA Records has announced the relaunch of the iconic Jive Records, with former UnitedMasters executives Mike Weiss and David Melhado set to serve as its co-presidents. Jive Records returns […]

9. Kid Rock to Lead Alternative to Super Bowl Halftime Show; NFL Commissioner Reaffirms Support for Bad Bunny

   Kid Rock is headlining Turning Point USA’s alternative halftime show, set to stream on conservative websites during the official NFL event on Sunday. Kid Rock will headline Turning Point USA’s Bad Bunny-less alternative halftime show, which will stream exclusively on conservative media. Conveniently during the same time slot that Bad Bunny is performing for the […]

10. Spotify Allegedly Removes 25 Million Streams from 21 Savage’s Latest Album

    Spotify reportedly removes 25 million streams from songs by 21 Savage, raising questions about ongoing bot activity and the integrity of streaming. The conversation around streaming integrity and rampant botting intensified this week as reports surfaced of Spotify allegedly removing 25 million streams from 21 Savage’s latest album, What Happened to the Streets? Spotify has […]

11. Ticketmaster, Viagogo, and StubHub Face Regulatory Scrutiny In Mexico Over BTS Comeback Tour Ticketing ‘Irregularities’

    Viagogo, StubHub, and Live Nation’s Ticketmaster are facing a new round of scrutiny – this time in Mexico, where the Federal Consumer Protection Agency (PROFECO) is calling out alleged ticketing “irregularities” affecting BTS’ comeback tour. PROFECO detailed its latest regulatory actions as well as a Ticketmaster fine during a press conference and in a formal […]

12. PARMA Recordings Acquires MSR Classics in Latest Classical Catalog Expansion Play

    PARMA Recordings acquires classical label MSR Classics and its catalog of nearly 800 commercial releases. PARMA Recordings has announced the acquisition of classical label MSR Classics and its catalog of nearly 800 commercial releases. Founded in 1998 by music industry veteran Robert LaPorta, the company will become a new member of the PARMA family of […]

13. Live Nation’s LATAM Push Continues with $110 Million 10-Year Deal Involving Argentina’s Estadio Monumental

    Live Nation will sell the naming rights to River Plate’s Estadio Monumental as part of a decade-long deal with the Buenos Aires-based soccer club. Live Nation will sell the naming rights to River Plate’s Estadio Monumental as part of their ten-year deal with the Argentinian soccer club. Beginning January 1, 2027, the partnership will also […]

14. Tencent Music, JYP China, and CJ ENM Form ‘ONECEAD’ Joint Venture to Focus on Chinese-Speaking Fans

    JYP China, CJ ENM, and Tencent Music have partnered to launch a new joint venture focused on management and production in the Chinese-speaking market. Tencent Music Entertainment (TME), CJ ENM, and JYP Entertainment’s Chinese subsidiary, JYP China, have announced a partnership focused on artist management and music production in the Chinese-speaking market. On Monday, JYP […]

15. Music Industry Funding Kicks Off 2026 with a Bang — January Core Raises Top a Cumulative $2.4 Billion, DMN Pro Data Shows

    Thanks in large part to continued capital commitments on the catalog side, the music industry has kicked off 2026 with a funding bang. As compiled by DMN Pro’s Music Industry Funding Tracker, that bang refers to north of $2.43 billion in core funding for January 2026 – up materially from January 2025’s $404.14 million. (The […]