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. GOP Congressmen Call for Investigation into Bad Bunny Super Bowl Halftime Performance

   Several Republican congressmen have called for an investigation into Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show for what they call an indecent performance. A group of GOP congressmen have called for Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl LX halftime show to be investigated over what one called an “explicit and indecent” performance. The move echoes […]

2. Shakira to Perform Megashow on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro

   Shakira is the headliner for this year’s public concert on Copacabana Beach, Rio de Janeiro, following Madonna in 2024 and Lady Gaga in 2025. On Wednesday, Colombian star Shakira was selected as this year’s headliner for the third edition of the public concert on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, “Todo Mundo no Rio.” Rio’s […]

3. First Bandcamp Friday of 2026 Raises $3.6M for Independent Artists

   Bandcamp Fridays have raised over $150 million for independent artists since 2020, with the first edition of 2026 alone raising $3.6 million. On Friday, February 6, the first Bandcamp Friday of 2026 kicked off, raising a whopping $3.6 million in direct support for independent artists and labels in just 24 hours. This year’s first edition […]

4. SM Entertainment Posts Record Q4 Revenue of $221 Million as Concerts and Merch Growth Offsets Album Sales Slip

   Thanks in large part to a strong concerts and merch showing, SM Entertainment (KOSDAQ: 041510) has reported record fourth-quarter revenue and a sizable net income spike for 2025’s final three months. The professional home of Aespa, Exo, and NCT Dream formally disclosed its Q4 2025 results this afternoon. All told, the K-pop giant pointed to […]

5. SoundExchange Claims Coverage of 91% of the ‘Global Neighboring Rights Market’ Following Multiple CMO Deals

   SoundExchange announces 17 new deals with collective management organizations worldwide, covering over 90% of the global neighboring rights market. On Monday, SoundExchange announced the addition of 17 new agreements with collective management organizations (CMO) worldwide in recent months. The most recent signings with partners in Kenya, Barbados, Panama, Paraguay, and European territories...

6. The Ultimate David Bowie Time Capsule Opens in London — Immersive Experience Taps Into Thousands of Hours of Rare Footage

   A decade since David Bowie’s passing, an immersive experience celebrating his storied career kicks off in London, featuring rare footage and more. Last month marked ten years since David Bowie passed away at age 69 after a battle with liver cancer. Now, a new exhibition promises a rare glimpse into the life of the man […]

7. Primary Wave Reportedly Scoops Up ‘Entire’ Britney Spears Catalog in $200 Million+ Deal

   Britney Spears has reportedly sold her entire catalog – including decades-old hits like “Oops!… I Did It Again,” “Toxic,” and “Womanizer” – to Primary Wave in a $200 million+ deal. Word of that monster IP purchase just recently started trickling out – albeit without an official confirmation from either Primary Wave or Spears herself. Consequently, […]

8. Live Nation’s Next Big Venue? ‘Trump Kennedy Center’ Is Suddenly On the Short List

   Trump is reportedly in talks with Live Nation to take over the Kennedy Center’s venue operations, early-stage scuttlebutt reveals. The possibility follows rumors of intense behind-the-scenes discussions between the concert giant and the Trump Administration to avert a lengthy DOJ trial. Donald Trump’s determination to overhaul the venue previously known as the John F. Kennedy […]

9. NBC Taps ‘Hot Girl’ Megan Thee Stallion for a Very Unexpected Winter Olympics Role

   Megan Thee Stallion has just partnered with NBC to cover the Winter Olympics exclusively on her YouTube channel, where she boasts a cool 7.3 million subscribers. Megan Thee Stallion is bringing real Hot Girl energy to the 2026 Winter Olympics, partnering with NBC to cover the games on her YouTube channel. Meg boasts an impressive […]

10. YouTube Music Lyrics Now Locked Behind Premium Subscription

    Lyrics in YouTube Music will now require a YouTube Premium or Music Premium subscription, with free users getting a handful of lyric plays. YouTube Music is pushing its lyrics behind a paywall in a change that appears to be rolling out now. Users without a Premium subscription will get five free lyrics before either needing […]

11. Can Noah Kahan Single-Handedly Beat Scalpers? Everything’s Riding On a Ticketmaster Resale Limitation

    Noah Kahan is kicking off “The Great Divide Tour” by offering fans a chance to get “front porch” seats for just $100 ahead of the general onsale. But a partnership with Ticketmaster could put the biggest damper on scalper resales. Alternative rock singer-songwriter Noah Kahan announced his “The Great Divide Tour” on February 2nd, with […]

12. Spotify Stock (NYSE: SPOT) Records Double-Digit Post-Earnings Jump — As Morgan Stanley, Jefferies, and Others Slice Their Targets

    Spotify stock (NYSE: SPOT) is riding relatively high following the release of a solid Q4 2025 earnings report. But analysts are continuing to slice their target prices and remain divided about shares’ exact path forward. That much is clear from the flurry of Spotify stock assessments put out yesterday, on the heels of seemingly strong […]

13. Mozart AI Announces ‘Oversubscribed’ $6 Million Seed Round, Says It’s Topped 100,000 Users

    Artificial intelligence musicmaking startup Mozart AI has scored a $6 million seed raise and confirmed topping 100,000 users. London-based Mozart AI reached out with word of that “oversubscribed” round – and its aggressive expansion plans for the rest of 2026. As some will recall from this past July, when the company pulled down $730,000 (later […]

14. Musician Ramsey Elkholy of Monotronic Appears 2,000+ Times in Epstein’s Emails—Here’s What They Discussed

    Fresh from his 18-month sentence in Florida for soliciting prostitution from a minor, Jeffrey Epstein found a willing ally in Ramsey Elkholy of the New York-based music collective Monotronic. An October 14th, 2009 email captures Elkholy adding Epstein as a Facebook friend—igniting close correspondence that would span more than a decade. Elkholy first surfaced in […]

15. Ziqing Gong: Composing at the Edge of Sound and Systems

    Ziqing Gong is a New York-based composer whose work unfolds where sound, structure, and systems meet. Rooted in contemporary composition and computer music, his practice reflects a sustained inquiry into how musical ideas behave over time, how technology can shape form from within, and how listeners enter and experience sound as an evolving process rather […]