News Megan Thee Stallion joins Weverse, as HYBE revamps superfan platform to include ‘advanced translation features’ for artist posts Megan Thee Stallion becomes the latest superstar to join the platform
News DistroKid to lay off 37 union workers DistroKid estimates that it distributes 30-40% of all new music in the world
News The Hipgnosis Songs Fund catalog has just been valued at $2.36bn… around $150m more than HSF’s enterprise value when Blackstone acquired it Blackstone raises nearly $1.5 billion in debt financing via new ABS, based on substantial valuation for Hipgnosis Songs Fund assets
News Concord closes $850m Asset-Backed Securities transaction to ‘fuel strategic growth and acquisitions’ Transaction was led by Apollo
News Primary Wave strikes music rights deal with estate of country and folk singer-songwriter, Jerry Jeff Walker Included in the deal are some of Jerry Jeff’s biggest hits such as Mr. Bojangles, Sangria Wine and Railroad Lady
News Universal Music uses AI voice cloning tool to create Spanish-language version of Brenda Lee’s hit ‘Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree’ Universal's strategic partner SoundLabs is creating official "ultra-high fidelity" vocal models for UMG artists using their own voice data
News Josh Mateer promoted to Head of A&R for the UK and Europe at TikTok’s SoundOn Exec joined TikTok in 2022
News Warner Music to spotlight French-language artists via new Africa Francophone venture led by Marc-André Niang and Yoann Chapalain New venture to spotlight talent from Francophone Africa
News SESAC Music Group acquires rights management and UGC monetization company HAAWK HAAWK’s HQ will remain in Los Angeles under the leadership of founder and CEO Ryan Born
News Jennifer Knoepfle promoted to Head of US A&R at Universal Music Publishing Group Exec joined UMPG as Executive Vice President and Co-Head of US A&R in 2022
News Suno, with a $500m valuation, has admitted training its AI on copyrighted music. It just named Timbaland as a strategic advisor. 'We're going to open up the floodgates for generations of artists to flourish on this new frontier.'
News British singer-songwriter Myles Smith to perform exclusive virtual Fortnite concert produced By Sony Immersive Music Studios News of the virtual concert was announced at Sony Music's Immersive Tech Day on Tuesday (October 22)
News Sony Music showcases recently-acquired fan-engagement apps Songwhip and Fansifter at Immersive Tech Day in London Company also announced at Immersive Tech Day in London that British singer-songwriter Myles Smith is bringing an exclusive virtual concert to Fortnite
Interviews Believe’s Global Head of Music, Romain Vivien, talks artists, AI, streaming fraud, and the future of independence MBW’s World Leaders series meets Romain Vivien, Global Head of Music at Paris-headquartered music company Believe
News Grammy and Juno winner k.d. lang inks global publishing deal with Reservoir Lang has collaborated with superstars from Roy Orbison to Bonnie Raitt, Elton John, Loretta Lynn, and Tony Bennett