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. Travis Scott Must Face Astroworld Civil Suits, Judge Rules — First Trial Set for May 6th

   Weeks after approving Drake’s request to be dropped from civil litigation filed over the Astroworld tragedy, the presiding judge has rejected Travis Scott’s own dismissal motion. Harris County District Judge Kristen Hawkins just recently issued the relevant order, which entered the media spotlight in a report from the Associated Press. As described by the outlet, […]

2. TikTok CEO Comes Out Swinging Against Forced-Sale Law: ‘Rest Assured, We Aren’t Going Anywhere’

   As his company prepares legal actions opposing its forced sale in the U.S., TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew has come out swinging against the relevant law. TikTok itself penned a brief response to the “unconstitutional ban,” after President Biden yesterday signed the appropriate legislation (along with a number of other measures) into law. Per said […]

3. YouTube Music Faces South Korean Regulatory Action Over Bundling Concerns

   Google faces potential South Korean regulatory action over its bundling practices of YouTube Music into its YouTube Premium tier, in an investigation focused on whether the company unfairly hindered competition in the region. The Korean Fair Trade Commission (FTC) has revealed it has been conducting an ongoing investigation into Google for over a year, with […]

4. Pianist Ric’key Pageot: Honoring Tradition While Moving Forward

   On this episode of ‘The Conduit,’ host Dan Ubick sits down with Ric’key Pageot to discuss the musician’s upbringing in Montreal among a family of musicians. The following comes from Crewest Studio, a company DMN is proud to be partnering with. Location and geography hugely impact a child’s development, from the friends they make to […]

5. The Rise of Reels — Meta Says Reels Now Accounts for 50% of Instagram Time, with Threads Surpassing 150 Million Users

   In the company’s recent Q1 earnings call, Meta says Reels now accounts for 50% of Instagram screen time, while Threads surpasses 150 million users. The uncertain future of TikTok in the United States has left a lot of wiggle room for the short-form social app’s competitors, and Instagram stands to be one of the biggest […]

6. TikTok Removes Potentially Addictive Features in EU Following European Commission Action

   TikTok has quietly suspended a ‘task and reward’ feature in its TikTok Lite app for the EU following the European Commission opening an investigation. Here’s the latest. The investigation is the European Union’s second formal inquiry into the app, this time investigating whether the platform violates the Digital Services Act. “The Commission is concerned that […]

7. Billie Eilish, Diplo, Dave Matthews, 250+ Artists Urge Passage of ‘Fans First Act’

   Over 250 recording artists, including Billie Eilish, Diplo, Dave Matthews, and Lorde, have signed an open letter urging US politicians to pass the ‘Fans First Act’ from the Fix the Tix Coalition. Billie Eilish, Dave Matthews, Diplo, Lorde, Cyndi Lauper, Becky G, Graham Nash, and Chappell Roan are among the musicians to sign the latest […]

8. Spotify Says Apple Is Refusing to Approve Its EU Updates — “Apple Continues to Break European Law”

   Spotify submitted a new version of its app to Apple that includes basic pricing information for European users. Apple has rejected that update—prompting Spotify to complain to the European Commission. One provision Apple has included is a new ‘Music Streaming Services Entitlement,’ rule, which requires up to 27% commission fees on any purchases initiated through […]

9. Tupac Estate Issues Cease & Desist Over Drake’s AI Diss Track

   Following the release of Drake’s AI-created diss track in which he ‘borrows’ the voice of Snoop Dogg and Tupac Shakur—the Tupac Estate has issued a cease and desist letter. Actions like this would be illegal under Tennessee’s ELVIS Act, if its provisions were to be adopted at the national level. But it also begs the […]

10. Blackstone ‘Strongly Advises’ Hipgnosis Investors ‘To Take No Action’ on Concord’s Offer — As Concord Moves to Purchase Shares Directly

    Yesterday, Concord increased its bid for Hipgnosis Songs Fund (HSF) by nearly eight percent, topping Blackstone’s previous offer. Now, the latter entity, which holds a majority stake in Hipgnosis Song Management (HSM), is “strongly” urging HSF investors “to take no action” on the newest buyout proposal. Blackstone representatives reached out today with the cryptic warning […]

11. What Is Mastering Music (and Should You Learn It)?

    To many indie artists, mastering music seems like a magical process. So let’s break down what mastering actually is, why it’s important, and whether or not you should learn how to do it. What Is Mastering Music? Mastering music is the last step you need to take before releasing your song to the world. The […]

12. Daniel Ek Promises More Subscription Options and Bundles Ahead As Spotify’s ‘Value-to-Price Ratio’ Gets Rejiggered

    Spotify CEO Daniel Ek promises more subscription options and bundles ahead as the platform’s ‘value-to-price ratio’ gets reconfigured. Spotify has been under fire for a lot of its decisions as of late, not least of all the company’s pivot to audiobooks in a bizarre pricing structure and its shuffling of its overall pricing tiers. The […]

13. Taylor Swift Surpasses One-Week Spotify Streaming Record — Apple Music, Amazon Music Records Trickle In

    Taylor Swift makes another sweep of music streaming record-breaking, surpassing Spotify’s one-week streaming record, while similar records from Apple Music and Amazon Music trickle in.’ Taylor Swift knows all too well how to break records, and she’s already broken several more with her latest release, The Tortured Poets Department (TTPD) and its 31-track Anthology. The […]

14. Alleged Diddy Drug Mule Brendan Paul Pleads Not Guilty As Diddy Remains Untouched

    Diddy’s alleged drug mule Brendan Paul pleads not guilty as the music mogul remains untouched, while his legal team focuses on the character of accuser Lil Rod. Brendan Paul, the 25-year-old former Syracuse University basketball player accused of serving as a “drug mule” for music and business mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, was formally arraigned in […]

15. Believe Posts Double-Digit Q1 2024 Revenue Growth, Doubles Down on Acquisition Strategy

    As it moves closer to exiting the public market, Believe has revealed “solid” financials for Q1 2024, when revenue jumped nearly 16% year over year (YoY). Paris-based Believe posted its first-quarter financials today, less than one week after an EQT-led consortium took another key step towards privatizing the business. That play is seemingly set to […]