News Spotify fires back at Drake: streaming platform says it has “no economic incentive for users to stream ‘Not Like Us’ over any of Drake’s tracks.” Spotify responds to Drake's allegations of a 30% lower rate in exchange for recommendations
Analysis News Inside the portfolio of businesses owned by Downtown Music – the company Universal is buying for $775m Key facts and stats about the businesses and platforms owned by Downtown today
News Audius and ICE ink multi-territory licensing deal Audius has signed deals with a number of players in music publishing and performing rights over the last several months
News Indie orgs critical of Downtown’s $775m sale to Universal/Virgin Music call for authorities to block deal Independent orgs claim deal will 'distort the global music market'.
News Robert Kyncl talks new talent, new heights, and No.1s Read WMG CEO Robert Kyncl's internal note to staff...
News Martin Mills and IMPALA accuse Universal of ‘land grab’ over Virgin Music’s $775m Downtown acquisition IMPALA has criticized Virgin's planned acquisition of Downtown Music Holdings in a $775 million deal
News TikTok asks Supreme Court to block US ban TikTok seeks temporary pause to an incoming law that could see the app banned in the market if it's not divested from parent company ByteDance
News US government asks court to reject TikTok’s motion to delay law that could see its app banned in the market TikTok and parent company ByteDance filed an emergency motion asking for a temporary injunction to delay the law
News Antonious Porch, SoundCloud’s General Counsel and Chief Diversity Officer to exit; Ama Walton promoted to EVP & General Counsel Porch to join magazine publisher Condé Nast as its new General Counsel in February
News Universal Music Group inks strategic partnership with advertising giant WPP Partnership to focus on audience engagement strategies plus 'ways that AI can better help brands and artists connect'
Interviews Steve Stoute talks independence, emerging markets and how UnitedMasters artist FloyyMenor scored TikTok’s biggest song of 2024 Gata Only, released independently via UnitedMasters, was the most popular track globally on the platform this year
News Music and tech veterans Deborah Mannis-Gardner and Pär Almqvist launch AYO Music Group AYO is described as 'an active copyright administrator offering global administration of publishing, neighboring rights, and recordings'
News Mark Robinson joins Virgin Music Group as Executive Vice President, Global Business and Legal Affairs Robinson joins Virgin Music Group from Paramount Global
News Warner’s ADA strikes strategic partnership with Argentina-based music distributor FaroLatino Founded in 1995, FaroLatino claims to be the 'first music distributor established in Latin America'
News Sony Music pulls catalog from Africa-focused music streaming service Boomplay Sources tell MBW that concerns have been growing at other rightsholders over late royalty payments from the platform