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. Duetti Pulls Down $200 Million in Fresh Funding — Including a $50 Million Series C — and Eyes an Aggressive International Expansion

   Duetti has scored another $200 million in funding, including a $50 million Raine Partners-led Series C, and shed light on aggressive international expansion plans. The indie-focused catalog investor, having pulled down the same amount in a March 2025 raise, confirmed this latest $200 million tranche today. Behind the newly obtained capital, Duetti pointed to a […]

2. Barclays Becomes the Latest to Drop Their Spotify Price Target, Though Broader Analyst Sentiment Remains Bullish

   Barclays becomes the latest to drop Spotify’s price target amid a broader bullish sentiment, with SPOT bouncing back this week after a major dip. It’s been a volatile start this year for Spotify’s stock (SPOT), shares of which dipped again last week after an unimpressive first couple of weeks in January. Now, Barclays joins the […]

3. The Plot Thickens on Suspected AI Singer Sienna Rose

   Soul singer Sienna Rose might be an AI artist—but she says she feels real. So what’s the deal with the mysterious singer with millions of streams? Sienna Rose popped up seemingly out of nowhere and already has three smoky, jazz-infused songs in Spotify’s Viral Top 50, a sign that she could become one of the […]

4. AXS Sues SecureMyPass Over ‘Spoofed’ Tickets That Bypass Transfer Restrictions

   AXS is suing SecureMyPass over the platform’s allegedly enabling scalpers to create spoofed tickets that bypass transfer restrictions. AEG-owned ticket seller AXS has filed a lawsuit against SecureMyPass (SMP), with allegations of fraud by enabling brokers to bypass digital encryption and transfer systems with spoofed tickets. As Digital Music News covered extensively, these effectively...

5. TikTok Generated €1.8B for the EU Music Business in 2025—According to TikTok

   TikTok releases a study showing that the platform generated billions for the EU economy last year, including $1.8 billion for the EU music industry. According to a new study conducted by independent economic analysis firm Public First (and commissioned by TikTok), businesses advertising on TikTok generated €31 billion ($36 billion) in economic output across the […]

6. European Commission Reportedly Set to Approve UMG’s Downtown Deal — Final Decision Still Expected Before February 27th

   Despite facing considerable indie-sector criticism, Universal Music Group’s $775 million Downtown Music Holdings buyout is reportedly poised to receive EU approval. That’s according to outlets including Reuters, which cited “people with direct knowledge of the matter.” However, neither UMG nor the European Commission has commented publicly on the subject, and the latter entity is still […]

7. ‘Sinatra the Musical’ Setting Sail in London’s West End After UMG & Frank Sinatra Enterprises Sparked the Initiative in 2022

   “Sinatra the Musical” makes its West End debut this summer starting on June 3, after playing a sold-out initial run in Birmingham in 2023. “Sinatra the Musical” it set to premiere in London’s West End this summer at the Aldwych Theatre, beginning on June 3. The musical played a sold-out initial run at Birmingham Rep […]

8. Move Over Audible—Spotify Developing ‘Page Match’ Feature for Audiobook Listeners Who Like to Read Along

   Spotify is taking another step into Audible’s territory with a new Page Match feature to sync up physical books with the audiobook version. Here’s how it works. The reverse engineering wizards at Android Authority have been digging through Spotify’s latest release on the platform and have discovered references to the feature called Page Match. The […]

9. B2B Advance Platform Pipeline Sets Sail With $200 Million War Chest, Aims ‘To Quickly Become the Largest Funder of Independent Music Globally’

   B2B advance platform Pipeline has launched with over $200 million at its disposal and a goal of becoming “the largest funder of independent music globally.” London-based Pipeline officially set sail (and disclosed its sizable war chest) today. Having operated in stealth for the past year or so, the self-described “flexible financing platform for the music […]

10. Merlin Confirms ‘Landmark’ Udio Partnership — Deal Extends to Training, ‘New First-of-a-Kind Forms of Creative Expression,’ and More

    After inking licensing pacts with Universal Music and Warner Music, Udio has finalized a “landmark partnership” with Merlin. The AI music generator and the indie giant confirmed their high-profile agreement this morning. As many know, recent months have delivered a flurry of artificial intelligence dealmaking but not an abundance of hard details about precisely what […]

11. Dolly Parton Releases a New Version of a 1977 Song to Celebrate Her 80th Birthday

    Dolly Parton turned 80 on Monday and released a new version of a 1977 track, featuring Miley Cyrus, Lainey Wilson, Queen Latifah, and Reba McEntire. On Monday, January 19, Dolly Parton turned 80 and gave the world a gift to celebrate, releasing a new version of her 1977 single, “Light of a Clear Blue Morning.” […]

12. NetEase Cloud Music Re-Ups with UMG in China—Refreshed Multi-Year Licensing Deal Includes ‘Responsible AI Practices’

    NetEase Cloud Music renews its licensing deal with UMG with a multi-year agreement in China that includes “responsible AI practices.” Universal Music Group (UMG) has announced the renewal of its strategic multi-year agreement with NetEase Cloud Music, a leading music streaming service provider in China. Following their prior deal in 2020, the new agreement provides […]

13. Sphere Entertainment, the State of Maryland, Prince George’s County, Peterson Companies Intend to Develop a Sphere at National Harbor

    Sphere Entertainment and the State of Maryland announce plans to develop a smaller-scale Sphere model in National Harbor, Maryland. Sphere Entertainment, the State of Maryland, Prince George’s County, and Peterson Companies have announced their plan to develop a new Sphere venue—the second in the U.S. and the first to utilize a smaller-scale design model—at National […]

14. Sony Music Acquires Fame Recordings, Aims to ‘Revive’ the German Label’s Catalog With ‘Special Releases That Will Delight Fans’

    Days following its Big Yellow Dog purchase, Sony Music has acquired Munich-based label Fame Recordings. Regional outlets including Musik Woche just recently shed light on the major’s latest buyout, though the involved parties have yet to confirm the deal with a formal announcement. Furthermore, the hard numbers behind the transaction, which marks the end of […]

15. The NFL Taps Green Day to Perform Super Bowl LX’s Opening Ceremony

    The NFL announced that Green Day will open Super Bowl LX with a high-energy opening ceremony celebrating the Super Bowl’s 60th anniversary. The East-Bay natives will help open the event at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California on February 8, 2026. The Super Bowl LX opening ceremony performance will air live at 3pm PT on […]