Posts by Murray Stassen

News

BMG and Spotify ink new US direct publishing licensing deal

Companies said that the deal is "designed to deliver greater value to songwriters and their teams".

News

Isabel Garvey to exit as Chief Operating Officer of Warner Music UK

Garvey joined Warner as COO in 2023 and was previously MD of London's legendary Abbey Road Studios

News

Michael Kümmerle, TikTok’s Global Head of Music Partnership Development, exits

Widely-respected exec joined TikTok in 2021 as Head of Music Operations, DECEE

News

HYBE takes wraps off US-based services arm with a global focus… and it’s working with independent artists and labels

To lead HLS, Los Angeles-based Ryan Hyeong Woo Noh has been promoted to Chief Business Officer (CBO) of HYBE AMERICA

News

Believe Music Publishing officially launches, led by Chris Meehan as CEO

Believe has named Chris Meehan as Believe’s CEO of Publishing

Analysis News

The Mechanical Licensing Collective has distributed $3bn+ to songwriters and publishers to date

The MLC was designated by the United States Copyright Office (USCO) in 2019 started to administer blanket mechanical licenses in January 2021

News

Universal has quietly launched a creator marketing app that pays influencers to post content on TikTok and Instagram. Meet ‘House of Carmen’

House of Carmen was rolled out in September 2024 and has bene operating in "stealth mode"

News

From Taylor Swift’s ‘The Life of a Showgirl’ to Spotify’s leadership shakeup… it’s MBW’s weekly round-up

The biggest headlines from the past few days – all in one place

News

Top European music lawyer dismisses UMG/Downtown data concerns as ‘fantasy or paranoia’

One of France's top music industry lawyers has dismissed concerns that UMG might misuse indie label data through its proposed $775m acquisition of Downtown

Interviews

Alex Norström has a long to-do list as Spotify’s new co-CEO. Here’s what’s on it.

Alex Norström will become Spotify's new co-CEO alongside Gustav Söderström in January 2026, as Daniel Ek steps into an Executive Chairman role

News

Spotify’s music and audiobooks business boss David Kaefer to exit; Charlie Hellman succeeding him as SVP and Global Head of Music

Kaefer, the exec in charge of Spotify’s Music Business and Audiobooks business, will be departing Spotify at the end of October

Analysis News

Spotify leadership update: Daniel Ek explains why he’s stepping back as Spotify CEO to become Executive Chairman

Daniel Ek and Spotify's new Co-CEOs Alex Norström and Gustav Söderström participated in a Q&A about the leadership transition. MBW listened in on the call. Here's what stood out...

News

Daniel Ek steps away from CEO role at Spotify to become Executive Chairman; Gustav Söderström and Alex Norström named co-CEOs

Alex Norström and Gustav Söderström to become Co-CEOs in January 2026

News

Spotify and Merlin ink multi-year global licensing deal

Independent music licensing group Merlin and Spotify have renewed their global, multi-year licensing partnership

Interviews

Meet the Emmy-nominated executive driving HYBE’s regional Mexican Music strategy at S1ENTO Records

MBW's Trailblazers series meets Myrna Pérez, General Manager of HYBE-owned Regional Mexican music-focused label, S1ENTO Records