Music Business News: United Kingdom

Lucy Dann joins Universal Music UK’s EMI Records as Managing Director

Dann joins EMI following 10 years at Polydor Records

The music industry frets about AI music, but is it just a new form of Muzak?

The following op/ed comes from long-time music industry journalist Eamonn Forde

Universal Music UK’s EMI Records launches new label, EMI North, led by Clive Cawley

Exec moves over from his current role of MD, EMI to President, EMI North

UK music licensing company PPL paid out over $300m to 165,000 performers and recording rightsholders in 2022

This was the highest number of performers and recording rightsholders ever paid by PPL in a calendar year

Sas Metcalfe to step down as Chief Creative Officer of Kobalt Music

Metcalfe was Kobalt's first-ever employee

Adam Gardiner joins Concord Music Publishing as Senior Vice President of International Sync

Exec joins from Universal Music’s creative division, Globe, where he was Head of Film & TV.

Done deal: Justin Bieber sells catalog to Hipgnosis’ Blackstone fund

Deal means Blackstone-backed Hipgnosis Songs Capital has spent around half a billion dollars to date

Rights management firm Interstellar Music launches with key hires from Kobalt, BMG

David Wille to join as Global Head of Sync and Brand Partnerships, and Sarah Bargiela named Head of Copyright and Royalties