Interviews ‘The physical music revolution of some years ago has proven to be more than a flash in the pan.’ MBW's Trailblazers series meets Karen Emanuel, Founder and CEO of UK-headquartered design agency and music manufacturer Key Production
News Pieter van Rijn named CEO of Downtown Music Holdings’ global services unit Downtown Music, as division ‘completes integration strategy’ with merger of CD Baby operations 'This is an extraordinary time for Downtown Music as we enter this next phase as a fully unified operating company,' said van Rijn
News Changes to Spotify’s royalty model, including the 1,000 annual streams royalty policy, are officially live as of April 1 Changes to the way Spotify calculates recorded royalties go live on the platform as of Monday, April 1
News Billie Eilish, Metro Boomin, and more tell tech platforms: Stop using AI to ‘infringe upon and devalue the rights of human artists’ More than 200 artists sign open letter calling on music platforms and tech companies to agree to AI pledge
News Vivendi to sell See Tickets and festival business to live music giant CTS Eventim See Tickets sold about 44 million tickets in 2023, according to Vivendi
News Dua Lipa’s media and management company Radical22 inks ‘one-of-a-kind’ global admin deal with Warner Chappell Music Company includes publishing and production arms and the Service95 Platform
News Only 1 of the Top 20 best-selling albums globally last year WASN’T by a K-Pop act The only non-Korean artist present in the Top 20 was Taylor Swift, with 1989 (Taylor’s Version)
Analysis News As Universal’s standoff with TikTok rolls on, UMG inks new deal with Spotify including ‘social tools’, video elements According to the companies, they will collaborate on "new promotional and social tools" for UMG artists on the Spotify platform.
Analysis News Rapper Trefuego used an unlicensed sample in his TikTok hit 90mh. Now the court is making him pay over $800,000 in damages to Sony Music. Sony Music’s lawsuit accused Trefuego of “flagrant and deliberate infringement”
News Primary Wave Music bolsters sync team with new hire and promotions Company hiredJulianne Wilson as Senior Director, Creative Sync, and promotes Peter Kurczaba and Derek Pierce to new roles
Analysis News The MLC has distributed over $2bn to songwriters and publishers since 2021 Nashville-headquartered organization just reached a significant milestone
News Jordan Rakei named first ever ‘Artist In Residence’ at London’s Abbey Road Studios The role is the first in a series of new ‘in residence’ appointments
Interviews Weverse boss Joon Choi: ‘The potential for growth in the superfan business is limitless.’ MBW speaks in depth to the leader of HYBE's much talked about superfan platform
News Universal Music invests in ‘superfan’ platform Weverse, as it strikes new 10-year agreement with HYBE HYBE has struck an expanded long-term agreement with Universal Music Group
Analysis News US recorded music industry revenues hit $17.1 billion in 2023 The RIAA reports that on a retail basis, recorded music revenues in the US grew 8% YoY in 2023