News Sony RED’s distribution operation folded into The Orchard in worldwide consolidation Sony RED in the US becomes RED MUSIC, offering services outside of distribution
Analysis News ‘Independent music companies are most at risk from dangers of safe harbour’ WIN's Alison Wenham kicks off a series of features from the independent community looking at safe harbour laws
News Warner/Chappell’s YouTube royalties will now be handled by SACEM in Europe Publisher appears to have pulled rights from ICE to sign up with Paris-based society
News Sony merges The Orchard and Red Essential in UK market Jason Iley says combined company's offering will be "unparalleled in the UK"
News Universal signs major licensing deal with Tencent in China Pair will jointly build Abbey Road China in the region
News Lucie Caswell named CEO of the Featured Artists Coalition Imogen Heap becomes Artist In Residence at UK organization
Analysis Why Warner did a deal with YouTube (and why it should think twice next time) On the conundrum faced by major labels as they throw sticks at Google
News Warner and YouTube sign new deal… ‘under very difficult circumstances’ Warner CEO Steve Cooper suggests the major had little choice thanks to safe harbor laws
News Music licensing platform Songtradr expands service for artists and licensees Music licensing platform steps up its game
News ‘Russia’s Facebook’ launches fully licensed new Spotify rival With over 100 million active users, Russian Facebook VKontakte (VK) has the same sized audience as Spotify
Analysis Why Sony Music’s 2016 numbers are healthier than they first appear Streaming was up over 40% at US$ constant currency - with recorded revenues growing
News Warner claims majority share of 2016’s biggest-selling albums Top 50 Beyonce's Lemonade was last year's biggest seller - but Warner took the lion's share of list
News Spotify acquires blockchain firm to build ‘a more transparent music industry’ MediaChain Labs team brings crypto-currency knowledge to Spotify's New York HQ
News The music business ‘must not be lulled into complacency’ as it returns to growth Universal's EVP of Digital, Michael Nash, on the music biz's future potential
News Why I hope the major publishers miss out on buying ole and Carlin Bucks Music MD Simon Platz explains why the sale of independent publishers hurts emerging writers