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. Spotify Moves to Shut Down the MLC’s Latest Appeal in Marathon Bundling Battle: ‘Permitting MLC to Reverse Course At This Stage Is Prejudicial and Unwarranted’

   New year, same Mechanical Licensing Collective v. Spotify legal battle, which has hit the ground running in 2026 with an intensifying showdown over the MLC’s appeal efforts. Coming up on the second anniversary of its kickoff, that increasingly convoluted courtroom confrontation was technically tossed with prejudice in early 2025. As we reported then, the court […]

2. Bruce Springsteen’s Longtime Manager Jon Landau Tied Into Complex Art Heist Involving $125K Painting

   Longtime Bruce Springsteen manager Jon Landau was swindled with a roughly $125K purchase of a painting with a falsified ownership story. Just because someone is a respected and high-profile figure in one facet of the creative industry doesn’t mean they can’t fall victim to fraud in the broader arts sector. Jon Landau, longtime Bruce Springsteen […]

3. The Many Dark Patterns Used to Hide Spotify Basic

   Spotify still has a Basic subscription tier, but it’s not available to everyone. Digital Music News takes a look at the many dark patterns in play to hide it. Earlier this month, DMN reported that Spotify seems to be sunsetting its “Basic” music-only subscription offering, only enabling existing subscribers the option to switch to the […]

4. Live Sector Coalition Demands EU Regulatory Action Addressing ‘Ticket Resale Abuse’ — ‘We Need Quicker, Easily Enforceable Takedown Rules’

   Time to rein in secondary ticketing marketplaces? A live sector coalition is demanding EU regulatory action to address “ticket resale abuse” on platforms including Viagogo and StubHub International. That aptly named coalition, the Face-value European Alliance for Ticketing (FEAT), today urged enhanced ticket-resale regulations in an open letter. And said letter reached Michael McGrath, the...

5. ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Secures Best Original Score at 2026 Golden Globes, Beating Miley Cyrus, Stephen Schwartz, Raphael Saadiq

   Kpop Demon Hunters’ worldwide hit “Golden” won Best Original Song at the 2026 Golden Globe Awards, beating out Miley Cyrus, Stephen Schwartz, Raphael Saadiq, Nick Cave, and more. Netflix’s smash hit film Kpop Demon Hunters and its soundtrack have rapidly become a pop culture phenomenon. Now, the songwriters behind the movie’s global hit “Golden” have […]

6. TikTok Reportedly Realigns Stateside Staff Ahead of ‘TikTok USA’ Launch — Some Domestic Employees To Work Under a ByteDance-Owned Unit Post-Divestment

   TikTok is reportedly realigning its stateside staff ahead of the planned “TikTok USA” rollout – with certain team members transitioning to the new entity and others staying aboard a ByteDance-owned unit. Top-level details about the personnel recalibration came to light in a recent Business Insider piece. However, the changes’ particulars, including the precise number of […]

7. Washington National Opera Severs Ties with ‘Trump Kennedy Center’ in So-Called Amicable Split

   The Washington National Opera is parting ways with the Kennedy Center in a so-called amicable split after being partnered since 1971. On Friday, January 9, the Washington National Opera released a statement announcing that it would be leaving the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The decision comes in response to new policies […]

8. Grateful Dead Co-Founder and Guitarist Bob Weir Succumbs to Lung Issues at 78 Following Valiant Cancer Battle

   Bob Weir, guitarist and founding member of the Grateful Dead, has passed away from underlying lung complications after a battle with cancer. He was 78. Bob Weir, guitarist, songwriter, and co-founder of the Grateful Dead, has passed away at age 78. He “succumbed to underlying lung issues” after recently winning a battle against cancer. Known […]

9. Elon Musk’s X Countersues Music Publishers and the NMPA, Alleging ‘Collusion’ and ‘Weaponized’ Takedowns

   X is suing music publishers and the NMPA with allegations of “weaponizing” takedown requests and colluding to “coerce” the platform into licensing deals. Elon Musk’s X has been embroiled in legal battles with music publishers united under the National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA) since 2023. Now, the former Twitter is countersuing with allegations that music […]

10. Los Lobos Files Dual Lawsuits Against Sony Music & Sony Pictures Over Alleged Non-Payment of Royalties from Films La Bamba, Desperado

    Los Lobos sues Sony Music and Sony Pictures in two separate lawsuits alleging non-payment of royalties for songs featured in the films La Bamba and Desperado. Los Angeles band Los Lobos is suing Sony Music and Sony Pictures for two separate instances alleging the company underpaid streaming royalties for the group’s recordings used in the […]

11. Ticketmaster Battles Yet Another Class Action Case — This Time in Quebec — Over ‘Unreasonable’ and ‘Abusive’ Ticketing Fees

    Live Nation’s Ticketmaster is battling yet another class action complaint – this time in Quebec, where customers are suing over alleged “excessive, unreasonable, abusive or disproportionate fees.” Technically, that suit – one of multiple actions Ticketmaster is facing over its alleged anticompetitive practices – dates back to July 2024. But the Quebec Superior Court only […]

12. Elon Musk’s AI Chatbot Prevents Non-Paying Users from Image Generation Amid Deepfake Backlash

    Elon Musk’s AI chatbot now prevents non-paying users from generating or editing images in the wake of global backlash over its sexualized deepfakes. Grok, Elon Musk’s AI chatbot on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, no longer allows non-paying users to generate or edit images. The move comes amid intense backlash on a worldwide […]

13. Latest Music Industry Hires: Target Center, Legends Global, Invisible Art, Catch Point, AFM Local 47, Copyright Alliance, More

    Here’s a recap of recent music industry hires and in-house promotions as of January 9th, 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 […]

14. TikTok Lands Marquee FIFA Partnership — Including World Cup Livestreams, Exclusive Content, and More

    TikTok is taking its livestream game to the next level under a partnership with FIFA, which has confirmed the app as its “first-ever preferred platform” ahead of the 2026 World Cup. Building on a 2023 Women’s World Cup tie-up, the new pact was just recently announced by TikTok and FIFA. Expected to run until this […]

15. Ministry of Sound Announces Huge Renovation Ahead of 35th Anniversary Year

    London’s Ministry of Sound announces a massive renovation ahead of its 35th anniversary—the most significant transformation since the venue opened in 1991. Ministry of Sound is set to undergo the biggest transformation in the venue’s history with a complete reimagining of sound, space, and light in its main room, The Box. The space will get […]