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. Out of the Frying Pan, Into Many Fires: Nearly 30 States Vow to Continue Litigating Against Live Nation Following Trial-Ending DOJ Settlement

   Live Nation has settled with the Justice Department, but more than 25 states have disclosed plans to continue litigating against the Ticketmaster parent. Several of those states’ attorneys general confirmed as much today, shortly after Live Nation and the DOJ reached a trial-ending agreement. As we broke down, said agreement contains significant concessions – the […]

2. Rihanna’s Beverly Hills Mansion Riddled by Bullets from an AR-15 Rifle — In Broad Daylight

   A 35-year-old woman fired a flurry of shots from an AR-15 into Rihanna’s Beverly Hills-area home on Sunday, with one round penetrating the wall of the mansion. Law enforcement has identified 35-year-old Florida resident Ivanna Ortiz, who fired several shots into Rihanna’s Beverly Hills-area mansion with an “AR-15 style weapon” on Sunday. One round penetrated […]

3. Boston’s Second Lead Singer Suddenly Passes Away

   Tommy DeCarlo, lead singer of the rock band Boston since the 2007 passing of original singer Brad Delp, has died after a battle with brain cancer. He was 60. Tommy DeCarlo, the lead singer of the rock band Boston since 2007, has passed away at age 60 following a brain cancer diagnosis back in September. […]

4. Live Nation’s Michael Rapino Does a Dazzling Deal With Trump’s DOJ — Though Not Everyone Is Delighted

   Industry figures and organizations speak out on Live Nation’s settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice in their antitrust trial. No sooner had Live Nation/Ticketmaster secured a settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice in their antitrust trial than music industry organizations spoke out on the matter, calling it a failure of the justice system. […]

5. GEMA v. Suno Copyright Case Ramps Up in Germany — High-Stakes Ruling Officially Scheduled for June 12th

   As one high-profile music-world trial draws to an abrupt close, another case is ramping up: Over in Germany, proceedings are officially underway in GEMA’s copyright infringement action against Suno. We initially covered that action in early 2025, shortly after GEMA submitted the suit to the Munich Regional Court. And against the backdrop of stateside Suno […]

6. USA vs. Live Nation Is Over: DOJ’s Case Abruptly Settled — With Some Very Important Concessions

   The U.S. Department of Justice’s case against Live Nation has abruptly been settled, according to a raft of details circulating this morning and conditionally confirmed to DMN. For months, sources to Digital Music News had indicated — even promised — that USA v. Live Nation would never head to trial, thanks to a feverish, late-stage […]

7. HYBE and Spotify Ink K-Pop Video Podcast Series — As the Podcast Wars Escalate

   K-pop giant HYBE signs a partnership with Spotify to launch a video podcast show on the streaming platform, set to launch on March 23rd. Korean entertainment giant HYBE has inked a partnership with Spotify to launch a video podcast show on the streaming platform, set to debut on March 23. Starting in April, the episodes […]

8. Latest Music Industry Hires: beatBread, Moises, Sony Music Publishing, iHeartMedia, Academy of Country Music, More

   Here’s a recap of recent music industry hires and in-house promotions as of March 6th, 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 […]

9. Marathon Chance the Rapper v. Pat the Manager Dispute Officially Heads to Trial — Pat Says He Personally Lost $350,000+ Running the Artist’s Merch Operation

   The USA v. Live Nation antitrust trial isn’t the only music-world legal battle that’s unfolding. Now, Chance the Rapper and Pat the (ex-)Manager have taken their long-running contract dispute to the courtroom. We’ve been covering the ugly clash of former friends and business partners – Chance “was like a brother to me,” in manager Pat […]

10. Analysts Weigh In As Reservoir Media Takeover Battle Heats Up — B. Riley Downgrades, Roth Capital Says Current Offers ‘Materially’ Undervalue the Company

    With dueling Reservoir Media (NASDAQ: RSVR) buyout bids now in play, analysts are weighing in on shares’ path forward. And as the fate of the company and its mountain of music IP hangs in the balance, financial professionals aren’t on the same page. We promptly covered the competing takeover proposals, the first of which came […]

11. What Are the AI Rules at Major Streaming Platforms? After Apple’s Update, Here’s a Quick Overview to Date

    By 2026, nearly every music streamer has established policies surrounding AI-generated music on their platform. Here’s a quick rundown. There’s no doubt that artificial intelligence has permanently altered the music landscape, in everything from how music is created and distributed to the way it’s consumed. As a result, nearly every major streamer has laid down […]

12. Maybe Price Matters: Audible’s Cheaper ‘Standard’ Plan Sets Sail, Spelling Price Competition for Spotify

    As WMG bangs the drum on streaming price increases, Audible launches a cheaper ‘Standard’ plan to better compete with Spotify. So how price-sensitive are streaming subscribers worldwide? Since Warner chief Robert Kyncl sent a letter to shareholders pushing for more streaming increases to maximize the music industry’s “wallet share,” expect to see streaming platforms hike […]

13. What is ‘Live Nation Retaliation Insurance’? You Don’t Want to Know

    Former BSE Global CEO John Abbamondi isn’t the only one to deliver testimony that Live Nation retaliated when his venue explored a competing proposal. Here’s the latest. With the federal antitrust trial against Live Nation and Ticketmaster in full swing, venue owners are testifying that Live Nation weaponized major tour dates to keep them from […]

14. How Long Can Justin Timberlake Keep His DWI Arrest Video Under Wraps?

    Justin Timberlake’s lawyers secure a temporary restraining order to block the release of the police body cam footage of his 2024 drunk driving arrest. After filing suit against the Village of Sag Harbor on Monday, Justin Timberlake’s attorneys have secured a temporary restraining order to block the release of police body cam footage of the […]

15. Once Upon a Time, Spain Was a Top 10 Global Recorded Music Market — Now, There’s Hope for a Comeback

    The Spanish music market is back in growth mode, but will a return to the top ten happen in the next few years? That hinges on whether the Spanish market can push subscription penetration closer to leading European markets while sustaining its current double-digit growth trajectory. Let’s dig in. In the early 2000s, Spain ranked […]