Chris Cooke - CMU | the music business explained

Indie label groups slam Universal as Amazon deal and yet another acquisition raise more red flags

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Universal Music • 3 min read

Indie label groups slam Universal as Amazon deal and yet another acquisition raise more red flags

Indie label trade groups have again aired their concerns about Universal Music’s market dominance in the wake of yet another acquisition by the major. They add that Universal uses that dominance to force streaming services to change their payment policies in a way that disadvantages many indies…

Chris Cooke • 07 Mar 2025

Arrests made in StubHub supplier fraud case that netted “extraordinary profit”

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StubHub • 3 min read

Arrests made in StubHub supplier fraud case that netted “extraordinary profit”

Earlier this week prosecutors in New York announced the arrest of two people involved in a $600,000 ticketing scam, one of whom exploited their position working for a supplier to StubHub. The ticket resale platform has since been keen to stress that it spotted and shut down the fraud…

Chris Cooke • 07 Mar 2025

YouTube expands Premium Lite pilot to the US - the premium package that excludes ad-free music

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YouTube • 2 min read

YouTube expands Premium Lite pilot to the US - the premium package that excludes ad-free music

YouTube is expanding the pilot of its lower-priced Premium Lite tier. The expansion was announced as the total number of subscribers for YouTube Premium and YouTube Music passed 125 million, something YouTube Music boss Lyor Cohen says is “an incredible milestone"…

Chris Cooke • 06 Mar 2025

LyricFind accuses Musixmatch of using Warner Chappell exclusivity deal to freeze competitors out of the lyrics licensing business

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LyricFind • 4 min read

LyricFind accuses Musixmatch of using Warner Chappell exclusivity deal to freeze competitors out of the lyrics licensing business

LyricFind has filed an antitrust lawsuit against competitor Musixmatch, alleging it created an exclusive deal with Warner Chappell specifically to block LyricFind's potential partnership with Spotify and monopolise the lyrics licensing market…

Chris Cooke • 06 Mar 2025

Search engines like Google make it too easy for consumers to discover pirated content say BBC and Sky

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Google • 3 min read

Search engines like Google make it too easy for consumers to discover pirated content say BBC and Sky

The UK’s Competition & Markets Authority has new powers to force ‘conduct requirements’ on big internet companies as a result of last year’s Digital Markets, Competition And Consumers Act. The BBC and Sky have told the CMA it should use those powers to force Google to do more to combat online piracy…

Chris Cooke • 05 Mar 2025

Drake wins key ruling in attempt to expose Universal Music marketing practices in Kendrick Lamar track dispute

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Drake • 3 min read

Drake wins key ruling in attempt to expose Universal Music marketing practices in Kendrick Lamar track dispute

Drake continues to push his defamation lawsuit against Universal Music, which also alleges that the major employed dubious marketing tactics when promoting Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Not Like Us’. Universal’s attempt to delay the case has failed, and Drake wants to depose one of the major’s marketing execs…

Chris Cooke • 05 Mar 2025

Leadmill landlord will offer staff new jobs when it takes over running the venue, but timeline for the change in management remains uncertain

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The Leadmill • 3 min read

Leadmill landlord will offer staff new jobs when it takes over running the venue, but timeline for the change in management remains uncertain

The current operator of The Leadmill in Sheffield has until 12 Mar to appeal a court ruling in his eviction battle with landlord The Electric Group. It plans to offer jobs to current Leadmill employees when it takes over operating the venue, though it’s still not clear how quickly that will happen…

Chris Cooke • 04 Mar 2025

Jay-Z sues ‘Jane Doe’ rape accuser for defamation

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Jay-Z • 5 min read

Jay-Z sues ‘Jane Doe’ rape accuser for defamation

The woman who added Jay-Z as a co-defendant on a Diddy sexual assault lawsuit dismissed her litigation last month. Now Jay-Z is suing her - and her lawyer Tony Buzbee - for defamation. Meanwhile yet more lawsuits have been filed against Diddy, including one by former business partner Kirk Burrowes…

Chris Cooke • 04 Mar 2025

TikTok’s use of children’s personal data to be investigated by UK data regulator

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TikTok • 2 min read

TikTok’s use of children’s personal data to be investigated by UK data regulator

How TikTok uses the personal data of children is being investigated by the UK's Information Commissioner’s Office, which will also review how Reddit and Imgur interact with children. It's part of work to ensure digital platforms are meeting legal obligations to safeguard users aged under eighteen…

Chris Cooke • 03 Mar 2025

K-pop relies on “mutual trust between agencies and artists” says KMCA as NewJeans v Ador bust-up heads to court

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Ador • 3 min read

K-pop relies on “mutual trust between agencies and artists” says KMCA as NewJeans v Ador bust-up heads to court

The NewJeans v Ador dispute is due to arrive in court this week, putting the spotlight on the K-pop business model. To that end, the big K-pop agencies last week held a press conference defending their artist deals, and insisting that artists must respect those deals for the industry to thrive…

Chris Cooke • 03 Mar 2025

Universal “juggernaut” is crushing everything in its path says IMPALA as it asks regulators to see through “indie washing” of Downtown deal

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IMPALA • 3 min read

Universal “juggernaut” is crushing everything in its path says IMPALA as it asks regulators to see through “indie washing” of Downtown deal

IMPALA has again criticised Universal’s acquisition of Downtown, as well as confirming it is now in touch with multiple competition regulators in its bid to get the deal blocked. Those regulators, it adds, need to understand the impact the acquisition will have on access to market for indie labels…

Chris Cooke • 28 Feb 2025

Ultra boss says “nothing changes but the name” as he downplays Sony trademark face-off defeat

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Ultra Music Publishing • 3 min read

Ultra boss says “nothing changes but the name” as he downplays Sony trademark face-off defeat

A judge has ruled on Sony’s legal battle with former business partner Patrick Moxey over his continued use of the Ultra brand. Sony now owns the Ultra label Moxey founded and insisted he can’t use the brand for his publishing company. The judge agreed, meaning Ultra Music Publishing needs a new name…

Chris Cooke • 27 Feb 2025