News and Trends

whynow is a London-headquartered media and commerce company Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/embargoed-warner-sells-emp-the-merch-business-it-acquired-for-180m-in-2018-to-whynow-owned-by-mick-jaggers-son-gabe-jagger/

US federal appeals court has upheld a ruling that an AI company's copying of protected material to build its training data was not fair use. Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/us-appeals-court-rejects-fair-use-defense-over-ai-training-as-thomson-reuters-wins-copyright-case-backed-by-riaa-and-nmpa/

Both appointments are effective immediately, Music Services said on Tuesday (September 29). Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/sesac-music-groups-music-services-division-appoints-nick-lapointe-senior-director-of-business-development-jay-sudarma-promoted-to-vp-of-marketing/

Latin music accounted for 9.1% of total US recorded music revenue in H1 2026, up from 8.8% at the mid-point of 2025. Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/us-latin-recorded-music-revenues-reached-542-2m-in-h1-2026-up-8-6-yoy-outpacing-the-overall-us-market/

Max Ciociola turned Musixmatch into the world’s largest lyrics company. Now, with backing from TPG – and having struck a deal with Suno for a copyright-detection tool called Sentinel – it’s on a path to becoming something much bigger… Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/musixmatch-lyrics-are-becoming-the-llm-of-the-music-industry/

Alejandro Duque promoted, as Aaron Bay-Schuck is confirmed as the sole Chairman and CEO of Warner Records Group Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/val-blavatnik-joins-elliot-grainge-adds-ada-simon-robson-exits/

Michael Smith's lawyers argued that his scheme caused only "tiny, immeasurable losses" spread across millions of songwriters and artists, Billboard reported. Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/man-who-pocketed-8m-using-ai-songs-and-bot-streams-asks-for-no-prison-time-arguing-no-artist-suffered-any-perceptible-harm/

The decision points the case toward a jury trial, four and a half years after it was filed by Sound and Color, LLC. Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/sam-smith-and-normani-must-face-a-jury-over-dancing-with-a-stranger-as-judge-refuses-to-end-copyright-case/

As part of the merger, OTM will incorporate the team and roster of Left Music, the publishing company Partisan set up with Craig Michie in 2022. Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/partisan-acquires-firebirds-interest-in-indie-pubco-otm-music-merges-it-with-its-left-music-publishing-arm/

Epidemic Group, the parent company of Epidemic Sound, has named Erik Wahlberg as its Chief Executive Officer. Wahlberg is the founder and CEO of Blenda Labs, a Stockholm video production technology company that Epidemic Group bought in July 2026. He takes over from Sara Börsvik, who moves from interim CEO into the joint role of … Continued Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/erik-wahlberg-appointed-ceo-of-epidemic-group-as-sara-borsvik-takes-on-joint-coo-and-cfo-role/

Figures come from Global Music Pulse, a new report from Chartmetric, which tracks 14m artists across streaming and social services Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/us-uk-share-of-worlds-superstar-artists-has-fallen-from-55-7-to-40-7-since-2021-chartmetric-data/

HYBE CINE FEST 2026 will run in theaters from October 24 through October 31. Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/hybe-cine-fest-expands-to-over-60-territories-with-two-live-bts-broadcasts-and-concert-films-from-seventeen-tomorrow-x-together-and-enhypen/

The hearing will be the last stage of the appeal before the panel rules on whether to revive the case, docketed as Graham v. UMG Recordings, Inc. Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/drake-appeal-against-umg-over-kendrick-lamars-not-like-us-set-for-december-4-hearing/

Judge Jed S. Rakoff explained the one-page order issued over a week ago, which sent the case to private arbitration. Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/judge-explains-stubhub-arbitration-ruling-ticket-buyer-agreed-to-terms-barring-class-actions-when-he-clicked-buy-now/

Artists who play the new Apple Music Hall can leave with a Spatial Audio recording, a mix ready for broadcast, and multi-camera video of the same show. Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/apple-to-open-600-capacity-live-music-venue-in-london-with-two-recording-studios-and-a-broadcast-control-room-built-in/

The sold-out gala honored Red Light Management founder Coran Capshaw with its Lifetime Music Industry Award. Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/t-j-martell-foundation-raises-more-than-3-2m-at-gala-honoring-red-light-managements-coran-capshaw-with-dave-matthews-chris-stapleton-and-trey-anastasio-performing/

A WMG media release said Marshall's exit comes as the company "streamlines its leadership structure." Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/carianne-marshall-to-exit-warner-chappell-music/

The deal allows Symphonic to pull audio files and metadata out of MassiveMusic's catalog infrastructure when a label transfers its releases. Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/symphonic-adds-massivemusic-audio-delivery-to-its-transfertrack-migration-tech-removing-what-it-calls-one-of-the-last-manual-steps-for-labels-switching-distributors/

Both sides set out their positions in statements filed on Friday (September 11) Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/anthropic-bought-songbooks-scanned-them-and-destroyed-them-music-publishers-allege-now-they-want-to-know-which-songs-were-in-them/

The venue claims StubHub tells buyers that tickets are nearly gone while the venue itself still has its full allocation on sale, at a fraction of the price. Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/new-orleans-venue-the-howlin-wolf-sues-stubhub-over-false-scarcity-ticket-ads-citing-a-24-94-ticket-listed-at-76/

Catalog spans more than two decades and contains 11 studio albums Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/mnrk-music-group-acquires-recorded-catalog-of-zakk-wyldes-black-label-society/

The motion is scheduled to be heard on December 14 in the US District Court for the Central District of California. Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/samsung-moves-to-dismiss-dua-lipas-15m-lawsuit-arguing-she-holds-no-trademark-in-her-own-image/

Greenhouse Talent will continue to operate from Ghent and Breda under its existing leadership. Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/aeg-presents-invests-in-greenhouse-talent-which-promotes-nearly-1500-events-a-year-across-belgium-and-the-netherlands/

Miao oversaw finance, legal, data and revenue operations at Hightouch, and had been both a customer and an angel investor in the company before joining it. Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/suno-hires-ex-hightouch-cfo-cherry-miao-as-its-first-finance-chief-music-is-one-of-the-things-that-makes-humans-human/

DistroKid has not yet signed up, despite its claim to distribute "roughly 40%" of "all new music in the world" for over 4 million artists. Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/distrokid-which-distributes-up-to-40-of-all-new-music-hasnt-signed-ifpis-new-anti-fraud-standards-unlike-cd-baby/

He takes up the role on October 1 and will report to Takeshi Okada, President and CEO of Warner Music Japan. Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/eitaro-shibasaki-named-chief-business-officer-at-warner-music-japan/

The biggest headlines from the past few days... Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/from-elevenlabs-11b-umg-deal-to-hybe-weverses-data-breach-its-mbws-weekly-round-up/

Ifulki, Disgusting Sisters, Epal, and HINA are the relaunched label's first signings. Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/pias-relaunches-source-the-anglo-french-label-behind-air-phoenix-and-kings-of-convenience/

ElevenLabs will launch an AI-powered music platform for fans under the deal, with the two companies also jointly developing AI audio products for artists and songwriters Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/elevenlabss-11b-valuation-is-more-than-twice-the-size-of-sunos-its-just-struck-a-global-ai-music-deal-with-umg/

Gleeson succeeds Tracy Maddux, who has run beatBread on an interim basis since November 2025. Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/former-tunecore-chief-andreea-gleeson-appointed-ceo-of-beatbread/

The latest 'Tim's Take' from Music Business Worldwide founder, Tim Ingham Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/time-to-go-private-on-warner-universal-and-the-widening-gap-between-public-and-private-music-valuations/

Christensen joins the publishing arm of Warner Music Group from a career in A&R, and will report to WCM UK President Shani Gonzales. Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/annie-christensen-appointed-vp-catalogue-at-warner-chappell-music-uk/

Warner Chappell described Kidding Aside as "one of France's most influential independent electronic music companies." Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/warner-chappell-strikes-global-deal-with-frances-kidding-aside-as-electronic-music-indie-launches-publishing-venture-with-nicolas-klersy-as-partner/

Suno's previous models will be retired, according to Chief Product Officer Jack Brody Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/suno-v6-ai-music-models-launch-in-partnership-with-wmg-bmg-and-believe/

The €999.2 million outlay came in some €813,000 below the program's €1 billion headline figure as the first tranche closed under its own €500 million cap. Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/umg-has-now-bought-back-e1-billion-of-its-shares-this-year/

Sina Hall joins as Senior Promoter from Semmel Concerts, and will report to Adam Wilkes, President and CEO, AEG Presents Europe and Asia-Pacific. Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/aeg-presents-opens-berlin-office-hires-sina-hall-to-build-its-country-music-business-in-germany/

TME is selling $500 million of 5.050% senior unsecured notes due 2031 and $500 million of 5.650% senior unsecured notes due 2036. Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/tencent-music-prices-usd-1bn-bond-offering-with-proceeds-earmarked-for-refinancing-and-buybacks/

AEG wants a court-ordered sale of Ticketmaster, and a ban on the long-term exclusive contracts Ticketmaster signs with major concert venues. Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/aeg-and-seatgeek-ask-court-to-reject-live-nations-doj-settlement-with-aeg-warning-it-does-not-break-ticketmasters-grip-it-tightens-it/

Promusicae reported that paid subscription streaming generated €121 million ($141m) in the six months to the end of June, up 15.1% YoY. Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/spains-recorded-music-market-grew-11-6-in-h1-2026-with-subscription-streaming-revenues-up-15-1-yoy/

The biggest headlines from the past few days... Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/from-bmg-and-concords-completed-merger-to-anthropics-multi-billion-dollar-lawsuit-its-mbws-weekly-round-up/

Primary Wave announced the deal on Wednesday (September 2). Financial terms were not disclosed Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/wilson-pickett-estate-strikes-deal-with-primary-wave-covering-publishing-catalog-and-name-image-likeness-rights/

Ufenau intends to back the initiative as investor and majority shareholder, and says it is already reviewing initial investment opportunities. Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/deag-founder-peter-schwenkow-and-swiss-private-equity-firm-ufenau-plan-european-live-and-family-entertainment-group-with-up-to-e100m-of-equity-to-deploy/

It appears to be the first time Washington has intervened in any of the copyright cases now stacked up against AI companies Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/donald-trumps-administration-just-sided-with-openai-in-a-key-fair-use-case-heres-what-it-means-for-musics-fight-with-anthropic-and-suno/

SOCAN is the third collecting society to take Suno to court – and the first to file since one of them won Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/now-canada-socan-sues-suno-claiming-it-illegally-copied-hits-like-both-sides-now-and-sk8er-boi/

The platform is aimed at labels ranging from independents managing a small roster to organizations managing thousands of artists and releases. Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/musixmatch-launches-pro-for-labels-to-help-record-companies-manage-and-distribute-lyrics-at-scale/

Londa, who has worked on releases by Coldplay, Ed Sheeran, and Linkin Park, reports to Jean-Sebastien Permal, SVP of A&R, EMEA and Central Europe. Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/warner-music-launches-warner-records-germany-in-berlin-led-by-lea-londa/

Gerencia 360 alleges that Suno copied its Spanish-language works so that it could capture a significant share of the Spanish language AI user market. Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/suno-and-bright-data-sued-again-by-blurred-lines-lawyer-richard-busch-this-time-for-regional-mexican-label-gerencia-360/

The new company will be owned approximately 67% by Bertelsmann and approximately 33% by affiliates of Great Mountain Partners Source source https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/the-bmg-and-concord-merger-is-complete-bob-valentine-confirmed-as-ceo-of-new-company/