Complete Music Update: the music business explained

To the moon! Concord reaches for the high notes as it ups its SONG bid to $1.25

“Value, value, value!” is the mantra at Spotify as Ek downplays the negatives

The state of Hipgnosis

Manchester’s new Co-op Live arena cancels launch shows as power issues delay opening

📑 CMU Digest: Elephants on parade as Hipgnosis circus rolls back into town

Believe board backs buyout bid - but company will remain listed on Paris exchange

Hipgnosis debacle might be over as Concord offers to acquire entire share capital of SONG - but there’s a catch…

Save £70 on our Economics Of Streaming Masterclass Series

MLC lawsuit is “wild overreach” says Pandora, accusing US mechanicals society of “legal frolics”

Live Nation could be facing antitrust lawsuit from US government as soon as next month

Viagogo boss does the UK media rounds, insists touting price cap won't work

Universal relaxes TikTok boycott - but only if your name is Taylor Swift

Apple and Travis Scott companies remain as defendants in Astroworld litigation

Gee Davy to take over as head of indie label trade body AIM as Silvia Montello exits

“Fundamental reform of music streaming” must come soon, say MPs

GEMA says German song right income is booming, but digital growth is lacking

Live Nation boss to sit for deposition in Astroworld litigation

Warner Music Group pulls out of Believe takeover race

An unexpected late night is not a “cognizable injury”, says Madonna in response to lawsuit over her slack timekeeping

Spotify planning another price rise in five markets

200+ artists sign letter urging tech companies to stop using AI to "devalue the rights of human artists"

Pharrell Williams accused of “committing fraud in securing trademarks” by Neptunes partner

Excessive spending, poor systems, missing documents and misleading statements: Shot Tower Capital’s blistering assessment of Hipgnosis Song Management couldn’t be much worse

French indie label body UPFI calls on French government to intervene in potential Warner Music Group takeover of Believe

Travis Scott seeks to be removed from Astroworld lawsuits, as lawyers query if performers should have crowd management training

Utopia! Whotopia? The Swiss music company has a Proper strategy…

As BMG’s 2023 numbers show continued growth, could a merger with Warner Music or Believe be on the cards?

Sean Combs properties raided in federal sex trafficking investigation

French regulator AMF knocks back Believe consortium’s accelerated bid, giving Warner Music a chance to make a formal offer

Mood music maker scores fifteen billion streams, and prompts yet another 'fake artists' debate

Night & Day ruling makes it “open season” on Manchester’s night-time economy says Music Venue Trust boss

BPI threatens to sue voice cloning site Voicify

📑 CMU Digest: Be sold or be banned says US Congress to TikTok

Think you understand the music industry’s revenue stats? Think again…

Labour commits to UK ticket touting price cap, as Ed Sheeran's team welcomes guilty verdict in ticket tout court case

Selling TikTok would be last resort for ByteDance, sources say as House votes through sell-or-be-banned law

Believe x WMG takeover dance warms up as financial regulator is called in

TikTok insists it isn't forcing Americans to phone politicians as ban proposal gets fast-tracked in Congress

CNM statement shows that Spotify’s rage about new French streaming levy misrepresents key facts

France has stood firm against Spotify’s bullying - and Spotify is having a tantrum

WMG is toying with an offer for Believe that would wipe out Warner’s cash reserves - but is it serious, would Believe shareholders sell and can WMG afford to bet the farm?

Mean Millennials scrap streaming subscriptions, mail order music is booming - and Apple Music might be making £500 million or more in the UK

Manchester City Council has spent nearly £90,000 fighting Night & Day legal battle

Hipgnosis Songs Fund takes a haircut - and might have bigger problems to come

Dodgy distributor 3tone linked to company being investigated by Serious Fraud Office

€111 million in TikTok revenue is nothing when you’re Lucian Grainge - but, he says, “my phone is always open” if Shou Zi Chew wants to be friends again

Sound City’s Becky Ayres: “The music business’ talent pipeline is blocked by an image problem”

CMU Exclusive: Apple Music’s “spatial audio bonus” will favour major labels at the expense of small labels and creators

Artificial Intelligence and the music industry in 2023

One Liners • 4 min read

⏩ One Liners: Mabel, TikTok, Radio 2 In The Park + more

Luminate, Jack Savoretti, Elijah Noll, Liana Flores deals; University Of Kent, Como No, Symphonic Distribution appointments; TikTok ban; TuneCore Publishing expansion; Radio 2 In The Park; new music from Mabel, Overmono, Bat For Lashes, Porter Robinson, Los Bitchos, Orbury Common…

Andy Malt • 25 Apr 2024

CMU Approved • 1 min read

Approved: Human Interest

Human Interest are back with their first new music of 2024, ‘Shapeshifting’, a song about changing yourself to try to fit in and the effect this can have. The track is taken from new EP ‘Smile While You’re Losing (An Audio Guide To Wellness)’, which is set for release later this year…

Andy Malt • 25 Apr 2024

International Music Summit (IMS) • 2 min read

Global dance music industry saw strong growth in 2023

The global electronic music industry grew by 17% in 2023, reaching a valuation of $11.8 billion. This is according to the 2024 edition of the IMS Business Report, which was launched yesterday at IMS Ibiza…

Andy Malt • 25 Apr 2024

Drake • 2 min read

Drake threatened with legal action over AI Tupac in Kendrick diss track

The Tupac estate has hit out at Drake over a Kendrick Lamar diss track that includes a verse delivered by an AI-generated Tupac vocal clone. Drake has been told to pull down the track or the estate will “pursue all of its legal remedies”…

Chris Cooke • 25 Apr 2024

Black Lives In Music • 2 min read

UK government “choosing not to” better protect women in the music industry

There has been further criticism of the government’s response to the ‘Misogyny In Music’ report prepared by the Women And Equalities Select Committee. That the government has refused to enact any of the recommendations in the report “speaks volumes” and shows “a blatant disregard” for women’s safety…

Andy Malt • 25 Apr 2024

Independent Music Publishers Forum (IMPF) • 3 min read

Indie publishers criticise digital platforms that “do not pay fair value for the music” in Global Music View

IMPF, the global trade group for independent publishers, has launched its annual market review, reporting that indies accounted for 26.7% of publishing sector revenues in 2022. It also sets out some key priorities and grievances for the publishers, including around AI, digital platforms and buy-outs…

Chris Cooke • 25 Apr 2024

Hipgnosis • 5 min read

To the moon! Concord reaches for the high notes as it ups its SONG bid to $1.25

Luccia Di Lammermoor opened in Covent Garden last week. If you didn’t get tickets don’t worry: there’s a piece of opera every bit as dramatic - and as likely to end in a bloodbath - playing out as Concord and Blackstone look set to fight to the bitter end in the Hipgnosis Songs Fund takeover race…

Sam Taylor • 24 Apr 2024

Spotify • 4 min read

“Value, value, value!” is the mantra at Spotify as Ek downplays the negatives

Daniel Ek fixed a grin to his face and smiled hard as he ran us all through the company’s somewhat lacklustre numbers for Q1. Firing 1700 people helped the company show a €168 million profit, but no one - least of all Ek - seemed to anticipate the chaos shedding that many people could cause…

Sam Taylor • 24 Apr 2024

One Liners • 3 min read

⏩ One Liners: St Vincent, Knocked Loose, Northern Music Awards + more

Range Music, Neil Finn, Randall King deals; Spinefarm, Def Jam Africa appointments; Northern Music Awards winners; Ivors nominees; Olly Alexander on ‘Eastenders’; new music from St Vincent, Knocked Loose x Poppy, Metronomy, DIIV, Ezra Collective, Fat Dog, San Soucis…

Andy Malt • 24 Apr 2024

Megan Thee Stallion • 2 min read

Megan Thee Stallion sued by former employee over allegations of hostile work environment

Megan Thee Stallion’s former persona cameraman has sued the rapper over her conduct while employing him - including having sex in front of him and making “fat-shaming” remarks. He also says he was improperly classified as an independent contractor, and was fired when he raised his concerns…

Chris Cooke • 24 Apr 2024

TikTok • 3 min read

The clock is now TikTokking as US Senate votes through sell-or-be-banned law

The law ordering ByteDance to sell TikTok or see the app banned in the US has been passed by both chambers of Congress. TikTok will now begin work trying to get the law overturned in the courts, while Donald Trump tries to use his opposition to it to connect with younger voters…

Chris Cooke • 24 Apr 2024

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