Digital Music News – studio recording, publishing, streaming, live concerts, talent development

The latest music news from Digital Music News, affecting recording industry, music publishing, mp3 streaming, concert industry, talent development, venture capital, and music technology, with reporting on artists new releases and where to get new mp3 songs.

1. U.S. Senators Are Officially Throwing Their Weight Around in FTC v. Live Nation — Judge Says Their ‘Brief Could Be Useful in Determining How the BOTS Act Applies to Ticketmaster’s Platform’

   U.S. senators from both sides of the aisle are officially throwing their weight around in the FTC’s high-stakes BOTS Act lawsuit against Live Nation. Those federal lawmakers – Senators Blackburn (R-TN), Blumenthal (D-CT), Cornyn (R-TX), Hawley (R-MO), Kennedy (R-LA), Luján (D-NM), and Moreno (R-OH) – formally moved to address the suit late last month. And […]

2. Live Nation’s Post-Pandemic Unicorn Years Are Over—But Its Latest Financials Remain Strong

   While Live Nation’s post-pandemic boom is clearly behind it, the company still posts strong financials this quarter with bullish estimates for 2026. Live Nation posted strong annual revenues of $25.2 billion for 2025, up 9% year-over-year by $2.05 billion—and that’s in spite of a looming federal antitrust trial. Though Live Nation’s post-pandemic unicorn years are […]

3. Witness List in United States vs. Live Nation is a ‘Who’s Who’ of the Concert Industry

   With Live Nation’s much-publicized antitrust trial due to begin next month, the lengthy list of prospective witnesses on both sides has been unveiled—and it’s a doozy. The landmark antitrust case, United States v. Live Nation-Ticketmaster, is scheduled to kick off on March 2. Discovery is complete after the suit’s launch two years ago by the […]

4. Apple Music Connect Relaunches as a B2B Promotional Tool — Streamlined Editorial Pitching, ‘Social Share Cards,’ and More

   (Re)introducing Apple Music Connect, which has returned as a B2B promotional hub with support for editorial pitches and more. Apple Music just recently shed light on its retooled Connect offering, the initial iteration of which set sail alongside the DSP itself in 2015. “Through Connect,” Apple Music summed up 11 years ago, “artists can share […]

5. French Indie Label Spookland Gets Snapped Up by Sony Music

   Sony Music Group acquires independent recording and publishing label Spookland, a French label founded in 2012 by songwriter-producer Yodelice. On Thursday, February 19, Sony Music Group France announced the acquisition of Spookland, an independent recording and publishing label founded by Maxim Nucci (better known as Yodelice), whose catalog includes all albums by renowned French artist […]

6. Artists Continue to Crash the Exit Doors at Wasserman: Laufey, ODESZA, Subtronics Part of the Latest Exodus

   Laufey is the latest artist to call it quits with Wasserman, as the agency’s namesake faces more calls to resign from his Olympic committee position. Casey Wasserman announced late last week that he would exit the talent agency that bears his name. But that hasn’t stopped artists from continuing to flood the exit over revelations […]

7. AWAL Inks Partnership Agreement With Milan’s Artist First: ‘We Will Be a Powerful Force for the Italian Music Industry’

   Sony Music’s AWAL and Italy-based Artist First have inked a partnership pact covering distribution, promotion, and more. AWAL and Milan-headquartered Artist First – not to be confused with the Australian online-merch specialist of the same name – unveiled their strategic tie-up today. Founded in 2009, Artist First operates a namesake label while simultaneously dealing in […]

8. In Focus Episode 6: New Classical Audience ‘Comparable to an Engaged Pop Music Audience’

   FUGA’s Senior Marketing Strategy Manager for Classical & Jazz, Amy Nelson, in conversation with Naxos Music Group’s Sales & Label Marketing Manager, Sascha Braunreuther, exploring how classical artists are adapting to evolving audiences. They also dive into how the wider music industry can help bridge the gap between classical music’s traditional perception, and the modern […]

9. Diplo’s Honky Tonk Lineup at Stagecoach 2026 Set—Rebecca Black, Marshmello, Juicy J & More

   The iconic Stagecoach Festival has announced the lineup for Diplo’s HonkyTonk stage, marking the fourth year of the event. Stagecoach 2026 runs from April 24-26 at Empire Polo Club in Indio, California. The HonkyTonk stage sees a mix of genres, blending EDM, pop, hip-hop, and comedy in a lineup curated by Diplo himself. Marshmello headlines […]

10. Kenny Lattimore Says He Wasn’t Paid a Dime On His Last Album—Now, He’s Suing His Distributor

    Kenny Lattimore sues his distributor over unpaid royalties, alleging he only received a single royalty check since his last album’s release in 2021. R&B singer Kenny Lattimore says he hasn’t been paid a dime on his last album, aside from a single royalty check cut shortly after the record’s release in 2021. Now, he’s suing […]

11. Federal Judge Refuses to Dismiss U.S. vs. Live Nation, Though Backroom DOJ Discussions Continue

    A federal judge has now determined that Live Nation must face the music. The high-stakes trial is still set for March 2nd, though backroom DOJ discussions continue. The U.S. Department of Justice’s antitrust case against Live Nation/Ticketmaster will continue, Judge Arun Subramanian of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York […]

12. Superfan Platform Even and Universal Music Ink ‘Multi-Year’ Deal Following ‘The Fall-Off’ Promo Collaboration

    Universal Music Group (UMG) is looking to take its superfan game to the next level with Even, a self-described “infrastructure platform powering direct-to-fan music sales before streaming release.” The major label and four-year-old Even confirmed their “multi-year agreement” today. Unsurprisingly, however, the companies have been testing the partnership waters for a while – including by […]

13. TikTok Is Suddenly a Serious Competitor In Long-Form Podcasting — With Music a Major Focus

    TikTok continues its expansion into long-form podcasting with the second episode of ‘TikTok in the Mix’ featuring special guest Megan Moroney. After the successful launch of its new live podcast series late last year, TikTok continues that momentum with another foray into long-form podcasting with a focus on music. “TikTok in the Mix,” a four-episode […]

14. SeatGeek Scores a Juicy Primary Ticketing Slot Within Spotify’s App

    SeatGeek has announced new integration with Spotify that brings the ticketing services’ primary inventory directly into Spotify’s event discovery experience. Now Spotify listeners can find live music events in their area and connect seamlessly to SeatGeek to purchase official primary tickets. The integration allows SeatGeek primary events to surface across Spotify through personalized...

15. Google Brings Lyria 3 Into Gemini, Adds ‘SynthID’ Audio-Watermark Detection to the Chatbot

    Google has added its newly released Lyria 3 music generator to Gemini, which can now determine whether audio uploads contain the SynthID watermark. The tech giant debuted Lyria 3 today, touting the DeepMind-developed model as its most advanced music offering to date. At the top level, this refers to automatic prompt-based lyric generation, bolstered control […]