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. Napster Music Streaming Service Abruptly Shuts Down in Pivot to AI—’Napster is No Longer a Music Streaming Service’

   After its acquisition by AI company Infinite Reality, Napster abruptly shuts down its music streaming service and pivots to… AI assistants? Back in November, Digital Music News covered Napster’s $3 billion funding apparently falling through, leaving the music streaming platform’s future uncertain. Now, the company has abruptly shuttered its music streaming capabilities—while users were actively...

2. Drake Faces Racketeering, Illegal Gambling, and Streaming Manipulation Allegations in New RICO Suit — Suit Alleges Massive ‘Streaming Farms’ to ‘Artificially Inflate Play Counts of His Music’

   Is Drake deceiving consumers – and bankrolling “ongoing music botting campaigns” – by promoting an “illegal online casino” called Stake.us? The plaintiffs in a new racketeering class action believe so, and they’re seeking millions in damages as a result. Self-proclaimed Stake.us users LaShawnna Ridley and Tiffany Hines just recently submitted the multifaceted RICO complaint to […]

3. Live Nation and Ticketmaster Face Updated Eras Tour Ticketing Lawsuit — Swifties Say Verified Fans With Codes Didn’t ‘Even Get Access to the Presale’

   Happy New Year, Live Nation: The promoter and its Ticketmaster subsidiary are facing an amended lawsuit from hundreds of Swifties who were allegedly shortchanged during the Eras Tour presale fiasco. Right on cue, that fifth amended action arrived on 2025’s final day, a month and change after Judge George Wu dismissed a portion of the […]

4. Black Sabbath Bassist Geezer Butler Says AI Is Bringing a Trove of Unreleased Songs to Life

   Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler reveals he’s using AI to bring his previously unreleased material to life, some of which he wrote back in the 80s. It’s easy to forget the practical applications of artificial intelligence amid the controversy surrounding the technology, but musicians like Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler are using AI to realize […]

5. South Park Writer Snags Trump Kennedy Center Website Ahead of Renaming — Then Trolls the President

   A former writer on the animated hit South Park bought two website domains to troll Donald Trump ahead of his Trump Kennedy Center unveiling. Toby Morton, a former writer on South Park, rightly predicted that Donald Trump was poised to rename the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Back in August, Morton purchased two domain names: […]

6. Spotify Is Now Sunsetting the ‘Basic’ Music-Only Subscription Tier — And Further Reducing Songwriter Royalties In the Process

   Spotify’s ‘Basic’ music-only subscription now comes with an important caveat: if you cancel it, you’ll lose access to the tier forever. Is Spotify simply sunsetting this tier — and further slashing songwriter royalties? After Spotify integrated audiobooks into its Premium Individual, Family, and Duo plans in late 2023, it reclassified these tiers as ‘bundled...

7. MTV Shutters Music-Only Video Channels After Nearly 40 Years

   MTV has shut down several music-only video channels across the UK, Australia, Poland, France, and Brazil after nearly 40 years. Almost 40 years after debuting outside the United States, several MTV music-only video channels across the UK, Europe, and South America have retired as of December 31. BBC News reports that the closure affects MTV […]

8. Will Smith Slapped With Sexual Harassment & Wrongful Termination Lawsuit Following Attempted Comeback Tour

   Touring violinist Brian King Joseph is suing Will Smith and Treyball Studios Management as defendants, accusing Smith of “predatory behavior” and “deliberately grooming and priming Mr. Joseph for further sexual exploitation.” According to the lawsuit, Smith hired Joseph in November 2024 to perform at a show in San Diego. Afterwards, Smith invited Joseph to join […]

9. Musician Sues Stability AI for Training Despite Opt-Out Requests

   A musician is suing Stability AI for copyright infringement, alleging that works were used for AI training purposes without authorization. A musician alleges that Stability AI is using his work for AI training despite his requests to opt out after the company’s public-facing “artist-first” promises. In a federal copyright infringement lawsuit filed on December 29, […]

10. Did Taylor Swift Single-Handedly Save the UK’s Vinyl Market In 2025?

    Taylor Swift led the charge in 2025 as sales of vinyl LPs increased for the 18th consecutive year in the UK, with growth also witnessed in long-declining CDs. The British Phonographic Industry (BPI) released its annual report this week, revealing that Taylor Swift fans’ hunger for vinyl contributed to another boom year for physical formats […]

11. Spotify Stock (NYSE: SPOT) Finishes 2025 Well Beneath $600 Per Share — Will Analysts’ Bullish Forecasts Prove Accurate in 2026?

    Spotify stock (NYSE: SPOT) is set to finish 2025 at well beneath $600 per share – a price that represents a sizable increase from the year’s beginning but a 26% slip from SPOT’s 52-week high. While it probably doesn’t need saying, the mixed-bag performance is raising questions about the trajectory of Spotify stock heading into […]

12. LG Electronics Expands will.i.am xboom Partnership, Preps Four New Speaker Launches for 2026

    LG and will.i.am are taking their partnership to the next level in 2026, which is officially set to deliver a new line of xboom speakers. The Seoul-headquartered business revealed its bolstered will.i.am tie-up today, about one year after first partnering with the FYI founder and CEO. And as LG noted then, the innovation-minded artist and […]

13. Damon Dash’s Film Company Sells for a Paltry $100 In Bankruptcy Auction

    Former Jay-Z business partner Damon Dash’s filmmaking company was sold for a paltry $100 at a bankruptcy auction held to offset the million he owes. Damon Dash, former Jay-Z business partner and hip-hop mogul, owes nearly $1 million from defamation lawsuits. Despite making an attempt to offset some of that debt through a bankruptcy auction, […]

14. Despite a Flurry of Cancellations, One Bluegrass Artist Refuses to Nix His Trump Kennedy Center Gig—”Our Tribalized Country Needs More Music & Art, Not Less”

    The newly renamed Trump Kennedy Center has sparked a wave of backlash from artists who have canceled their scheduled performances. The Trump-renamed facility has seen several performances cancelled—but at least one bluegrass artist says he aims to connect with people. The Cookers withdrew from their slated ‘A Jazz New Year’s Eve’ performance tonight, stating the […]

15. Warner Bros. Board Expected to Vote Against Paramount Offer—Will ‘Stay the Course’ With Netflix’s $80B Buyout

    The Warner Bros. Discovery board is expected to reject the amended takeover offer from Paramount Skydance. The offer came after Warner Bros. Discovery had already struck an agreement to merge with Netflix in a deal worth $80 billion+. Paramount Skydance isn’t giving up on the takeover offer, making a tender offer to WBD shareholders. Shares […]