Interviews Key Songs In The Life Of… Max Lousada MBW hands our turntable over to Max Lousada, Global CEO of Recorded Music at Warner Music Group
Analysis Sony generated $2.5bn from recorded music and publishing in calendar Q1 2024, up 14.7% YoY Sony's corporate music division posted annual revenues of nearly $11 billion in the 12 months to end of March
Analysis Spotify is playing a dangerous game… This article originally appeared within the latest MBW+ Monthly Review email, issued exclusively to MBW+ subscribers.
Analysis News The train has left the station: AI music platform Udio is already spitting out 10 songs a SECOND You might remember Udio: That’s the US-headquartered company co-created by ex-employees of Google’s DeepMind AI division
News Confirmed: Better Noise Music sold 50% of its catalog for ‘around $100 million’ in 2022, is now reinvesting into expansion Dan Waite and Steve Kline confirm deal was reached two years ago, as hard rock label eyes bigger ambitions
News Sir Lucian Grainge confirms ‘greater compensation’ is coming from TikTok for UMG artists and songwriters MBW obtains memo from Sir Lucian Grainge to his employees, detailing new agreement with TikTok
News Blackstone launches $1.57 billion bid for Hipgnosis Songs Fund; HSF board recommends offer to shareholders With debt taken into account, Blackstone's latest offer values HSF at approximately USD $2.177 billion
News After Concord bids $1.511bn for Hipgnosis Songs Fund, Blackstone tells HSF shareholders: Don’t move a muscle, we’ll be right back It's all about those "irreovcables"...
News Amid controversy over Spotify’s songwriter payments, Daniel Ek cashes out $118.8 million in company shares Ek's move on the New York Stock Exchange comes amid criticism for Spotify for reducing the royalty rate via which it pays songwriters in the US
Interviews Milk & Honey now represents Travis Kelce and 80 other sports stars – but its world still ‘revolves around the songwriter’ Lucas Keller talks Travis Kelce, Spotify, A&R, and where his company is headed
Analysis Hipgnosis Song Management rubbishes criticism over its service to Hipgnosis Songs Fund – while warning it and Blackstone will deploy ‘all means necessary’ should HSF attempt to terminate its deal It basically says... Hey, HSF board – don't even think about firing us. But just in case you do, know that Blackstone will come down on you like a ton of bricks.
News After $1.5bn takeover proposal, Hipgnosis Songs Fund’s board tells Blackstone: We’re listening… Bring on a firm offer, HSF's board tells private investment giant
News Strap in. Blackstone is ready to bid $1.5 billion for Hipgnosis Songs Fund. To paraphrase Pink Floyd, Will the sun (Concord Chorus) be eclipsed by the moon (Blackstone)?
News Concord, financed by Apollo, makes $1.4bn cash bid to acquire Hipgnosis Songs Fund’s assets But will Merck Mercuriadis and Blackstone go quietly? Don't bet on that.
Analysis Universal Music Group generated 51% of its 2023 recorded music revenues in North America… and 8 other things we learned from its new annual report MBW takes a deep dive through Universal's latest in-depth financial report