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. Is Apple Plotting an AI-Powered Audio Expansion? Tech Giant Closes Reportedly $1.6 Billion Q.ai Buyout — Its ‘Second-Largest Acquisition’ to Date

   Apple has acquired Q.ai, a heretofore little-discussed AI audio startup that says it’s poised to revolutionize communication.   Thus far, the buyout – and its reportedly $1.6 billion price tag – has to some extent flown under the radar. That’s presumably due in part to the focus on Apple’s latest earnings report (including record-high services […]

2. Is Bertelsmann Buying Concord? German Media Conglomerate Reportedly Explores Up to $7 Billion Acquisition

   Is Bertelsmann buying Concord? It’s a possibility – at least according to a new report highlighting ongoing talks about a potential multibillion-dollar acquisition. Said report came from Bloomberg and, unsurprisingly, cited anonymous and purportedly well-informed sources. According to these individuals, the German media conglomerate is exploring (via BMG Rights Management) a deal that would...

3. The Six-Fingered Grande? Singer Reacts to Vogue Japan Cover Featuring Telltale AI Edits

   Ariana Grande is on the cover of Vogue Japan’s latest issue, but fans were quick to spot a problem: a six-fingered Grande. “Wicked” star and singer Ariana Grande is on the cover of Vogue Japan—but fans quickly pointed out a problem with the original cover photo: Ariana has an undeniable sixth finger on her left […]

4. YouTube Blocks Background Play for Non-Premium Subscribers on Third-Party Browsers

   YouTube has been updated so that non-Premium users can no longer access background playback by accessing a third-party browser. YouTube’s background play feature—the ability to play only the audio of a video while in another app or while your screen is off—has long been available only to paying Premium users. But some tech-savvy mobile users […]

5. It’s Official: Spotify Confirms Istanbul Office Opening, Expands MENA MD Akshat Harbola’s Role to Include Turkey

   Five months after outlining plans to set up shop in Turkey, Spotify is officially set to open its Istanbul office by June’s end. The DSP disclosed as much – and confirmed several initiatives tailored for the nation of nearly 90 million – in a Turkish-language release today. As some will recall, 2025 delivered a fresh […]

6. Engagement Insights Platform Levellr Raises $2.5M in a Seed Round Led by Fuel Ventures

   Engagement-focused AI insights platform Levellr announces a $2.5 million seed round to turn Discord conversations into actionable insight. Fanbase development and AI insights platform Levellr has announced raising $2.5 million in seed funding led by Fuel Ventures, alongside a group of tech and gaming-focused investors, including Bing Gordon, Frank Gibeau, Phil Mansell, Simon Hade, Norman […]

7. Lo-BUY Remix? Citigroup Upgrades Spotify Stock to ‘BUY’ Following Goldman’s Enthusiastic Reversal; Shares Remain Down 40% Since July Peaks

   Citi upgrades its Spotify valuation to ‘Buy’ after a series of analyst downgrades, with SPOT shares down 40% since July. Citigroup upgraded its Spotify stock (SPOT) rating to ‘Buy’ on Friday, noting that it sees “lots of reasons to like” the streaming company’s stock, citing “attractive valuation,” beatable estimates, and several upcoming catalysts. According to […]

8. Affordability Advantage: Apple Music Shrewdly Spins a Three-Month Free Trial Ahead of Super Bowl LX — With a $2 Price Discount Over Spotify Sprinkled on Top

   Ahead of the Super Bowl, where Apple is sponsoring the Halftime Show, Apple Music is offering new users three free months for a limited time. If you’re thinking about switching from Spotify to Apple Music, there’s rarely been a better time — at least for those looking to shave some dollars from their streaming budgets. […]

9. Who’s Gonna Win at the 2026 Grammys? Here’s What the Data Says

   With the 68th Grammy Awards approaching, music data authority Chartmetric breaks down which nominees are best positioned to win. From Song and Album of the Year to Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, sustained momentum and cultural impact reveal where the odds may be leaning. This article was written by Emad Khatab in collaboration with How Music […]

10. Suno Doubles Down on Artist Relations: AI Giant Expands Artist Partnership Team, Adds Veteran Sam Berger to Further Outreach

    AI music company Suno is expanding its artist partnership efforts with the addition of music industry veteran and former Spotify and Patreon exec Sam Berger. AI music company Suno has announced the expansion of its artist partnerships team with the addition of industry veteran Sam Berger. An influential leader on the music teams at both […]

11. Deezer’s Anti-Slop Crusade Continues: DSP Reports 85% of AI Music Streams On Its Platform Are Fraudulent — And Demonetized

    Deezer is making its AI-detection tool commercially available after confirming it has led to the demonetization of up to 85% of AI music streams due to fraud. A year after the launch of Deezer’s AI-music detection tool, the company is now making it commercially available, encouraging industry-wide transparency. Up to 85% of all streams on […]

12. Maynard James Keenan Says Tool’s Strict ‘No Phones’ Policy Isn’t About Him — It’s ‘About the Person Behind You’

    Tool’s Maynard James Keenan explains his strict ban on phones at their shows, except for specific songs, aims to make the experience more enjoyable. Maynard James Keenan has a strict policy against phones at Tool shows, except for specific songs or moments. The musician explained that the idea behind the policy isn’t about ego, but […]

13. Sony Music and Singapore’s GIC Launch Multibillion-Dollar Catalog Fund, Eye Deals for ‘Assets Across a Range of Genres’

    Let the catalog acquisition spree continue: Sony Music is set to pursue IP deals “across a range of genres” under a newly announced partnership with GIC. Sony Music and Singapore’s state-owned investment company just recently unveiled their song-rights collaboration, which also counts Sony Bank as a backer. Though the involved entities opted against specifying the […]

14. Latest Music Industry Hires: Sirius XM, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Suno, Circuit Group, Live Nation, Concord, NMPA, More

    Here’s a recap of recent music industry hires and in-house promotions as of January 29th, 2026. If you have a job shuffle to share, we’re all ears. Send us a note to news@digitalmusicnews.com. If you’d like to post a job on our Job Board, just send us a request to noah@digitalmusicnews.com. And, keep track of all the […]

15. First-Look Images of Sam Mendes’ Four-Film Beatles Motion Picture Series Emerge

    Sony Pictures and the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts (LIPA) reveal the first-look images of Sam Mendes’ four-film Beatles biopic series. Four printed postcards shared online and hidden throughout the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts (LIPA) for students to find reveal a sneak-peek at Sam Mendes’ four-film series about the life of each member of […]