Analysis News Global recorded music revenues rose 10.2% to $28.6bn in 2023, as paid subscriptions to music streaming services exceed 500m globally IFPI has published its Global Music Report, which shows global trade revenues for the recorded music industry in 2023
News UK’s musical talent gets $1.3M boost as PPL launches annual giving program The program supports groups that drive positive change through music education, talent development, and artist well-being programs
News Saudi Arabian media giant MBC quietly bought a 14% stake in Anghami Anghami's stock price soared 59% in one day, after news of the acquisition went public
News Bandzoogle facilitated $16.4M in revenues for musicians in 2023, highlighting direct-to-fan sales boom More than half of the revenue generated on Bandzoogle last year came from merch sales
News Symphonic Distribution to host third annual women empowerment mentorship program with mentors from Amazon Music and Meta The program has so far connected 165 mentors with 340 mentees around the world
Analysis News Still not convinced about TikTok’s AI music ambitions? This web of patents and trademarks will change your mind. MBW has uncovered a series of US patents and trademark applications filed by a mysterious ByteDance affiliate
News James Blake joins $5-per-month ‘artist subscription’ platform Vault says that "artists can share their unreleased tracks directly" with fans and "tap into a new recurring revenue stream".
News Universal and instrument maker Roland publish ‘Principles for Music Creation with AI’ as part of new partnership The companies' joint manifesto is "a series of clarifying statements relating to the responsible use of AI"
News Major labels and Cox Communications denied new appeal in $1 billion copyright infringement case Both Cox and the major record companies had asked for a rehearing of an appeals court's decision to vacate a $1 billion judgment against Cox
News Music licensing platform WavMaker launches with $5m seed funding The startup says it seeks to help video creators streamline the process of finding high-quality music for video projects
Analysis Blog How DSPs can bring about a new music altruism The following op/ed comes from long-time music industry journalist Eamonn Forde
News Warner Music India makes strategic investment in JetSynthesys’ Global Music Junction Warner says the deal makes it the largest player in certain central Indian music markets
Analysis News Over half of the artists who generated at least $10,000 on Spotify last year are from countries where English is not the first language "The music industry today is a more diverse and accurate reflection of the world we live in"
Analysis News This ‘secret’ composer is behind 650 fake artists on Spotify. His music has been streamed 15bn times on the platform (report) Revealed in a Dagens Nyheter expose: the musician 'behind the world's most listened to network of fake artists on Spotify'
News Tencent Music’s subscription revenues soared 45.3% in Q4 as paying subscribers hit 106.7m Both the number of subscribers and revenue per paying subscriber are growing rapidly at TME
News Tony Bennett music assets acquired by Olivier Chastan’s Iconoclast in multi-million dollar deal Sony Music will continue to own/control the bulk of Bennett's biggest-selling sound recordings catalog
News Kobalt ups spending power to over $1bn via new $450m revolving credit facility, plus a $266.5m raise via asset Securitization Company said that these new transactions provide it 'with more than $1 billion to continue to grow and execute on its strategic initiatives'.
News TikTok’s US growth stalls amid UMG dispute, competition, regulatory and e-commerce woes (Report) The social media giant's efforts at e-commerce are backfiring with users, a news report says