News After raising $150M at $1bn valuation, avatar startup Genies launches network to connect cultural icons with innovation partnersCelebrities like Paris Hilton and Camila Cabello have invested in the avatar creation company
News DICE exploring sale valuing it at ‘hundreds of millions of dollars’ (report)The potential sale comes amid a flurry of M&A activity in the ticketing and live events space
News Downtown Music holds talks with PE firms, major music company regarding sale (report)The music company has been shifting focus from copyright ownership to providing services for copyright holders
News DRiP Haus buys fellow startup Vault Music to boost the music experience on Solana’s blockchainVault Music's platform enables artists to sell limited-edition tracks that can be sold on its secondary market, with artists taking a cut on resales
News After being acquired by HYBE in a $32m deal last year, voice cloning startup Supertone launches AI-powered virtual pop group, SYNDI8Supertone claims that its software can create 'hyper-realistic and expressive voices that [are not] distinguishable from real humans.'
News TPG buys stake in Untitled Entertainment from Boat Rocker as it launches new talent management firmTPG has named Michel Pratte, former President of Boat Rocker Media, to lead the newly established company
News Futureverse and Animoca Brands to undertake $5M equity swap under new strategic dealFutureverse's AI tools and metaverse platform will collaborate with Animoca Brands' network of Web3 projects
News Believe vows ‘continued expansion’ in Greater China, appointing Charles Liu as GM and Rebecca Dong as MD, Operations in key marketBased in Beijing, Charles Liu is responsible for defining and leading Believe’s revenue growth strategies in Greater China
News Spanish collecting society SGAE fined $7M for anticompetitive practicesSpain's competition authority says SGAE abused its dominant market position with the use of flat-rate licensing fees
News UK’s PPL paid out over $131M to performers and rightsholders in Q2 2024, up 6%The licensing company credits the growth to improved sharing of metadata and a new public performance tariff
News Neil Miller named General Counsel at MerlinMiller's previous experience includes stints at Meta Platforms and SoundCloud
News Downtown introduces Curve Royalty Services for royalty process outsourcingThe move follows Downtown’s acquisition of royalty processing platform Curve Royalty Systems in 2023
News Primary Wave Music to co-produce documentary on songwriting legend Gerry GoffinGoffin penned 114 Billboard Hot 100 hits, with eight of those reaching number one
News Mark Zuckerberg and wife’s investment fund join $22M funding round for kids audio platform YotoThe Zuckerberg Chan Initiative was responsible for about half of the latest funding raised for the maker of the children's audio Yoto Player.
News TuneCore unveils AI-powered mastering service for indie artists, with a fee of $5 per trackThe service is aimed at self-releasing artists who otherwise wouldn't have the means to access professional mastering