The Music Industry Therapist Collective launches an industry-funded occupational health program for artists and crew on small- and mid-scale tours. The Music Industry Therapist Collective CIC (MITC) has launched the Pay It Forward Fund, an industry-funded, free-at-source, occupational health...
The Grammy-nominated house pioneer joins Overmono, Jayda G and KI/KI on the 2026/27 lineup for the Carriageworks event series.
Macklemore faces a petition to be removed as Ed Sheeran’s opening act after his politically charged set divided fans and earned criticism from Pink. Over the weekend, Macklemore opened for Ed Sheeran, but his political remarks during the set have earned him a petition trying to get him removed from...
China’s Tencent Music announces a $1B bond offering amid serious top-line margin pressure, with a major drop in TME shares year-over-year. Tencent Music Entertainment (TME), China’s leading all-in-one music and entertainment platform, has announced its public bond offering of $1 billion, consisting...
From Riley Green's grounding set to Tucker Wetmore's keyboard musings and Cameron Whitcomb's elevated performance, here are the highlights.
I’d be lying if I told you I remembered much from the first season of this Guy Ritchie series. It didn’t quite gel. Or maybe it was just hard to suspend disbelief and get involved. But it wasn’t so bad that I wasn’t going to check out the new season, two and a half years […]
You can’t make it without a manager. With hindsight you’d think that the Beatles were fully-formed, waiting to be picked up by a label and blasted into the stratosphere. But nothing could be further from the truth.
Stephen Knight’s revealing look at Oasis’ spectacular comeback is filled with emotional revelations and stunning tour footage.
Nearly 28 months after the bundling-focused Mechanical Licensing Collective v. Spotify legal battle kicked off, a federal judge has denied the MLC’s push for an interlocutory appeal. We broke down that straightforward push closer to the top of 2026, following a definitive win for Spotify in 2025.
Her new solo song brought in more than 50% of the vote.
Macklemore is speaking out about his call to “Free Palestine,” which the rapper made while opening for Ed Sheeran on Friday night at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium.
Small and Joel played together in the Hassles and Attila before the future Piano Man had affair with Small's wife, temporarily ending their friendship
The rapper opened for Sheeran at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium on Sept. 4.
Father Callahan's Labor Day homily emphasizes the importance of human dignity and rights in labor, connecting historical papal teachings to modern challenges posed by technology and artificial intelligence.
Oasis is opposed to the auction of over 100 hours of early recordings, but the sale is apparently legal. However, any buyer would be unable to commercialize the archive without the band’s consent.
Over a dozen people were hospitalized during a Chainsmokers concert in San Jose due to “suspected alcohol intoxication and drug-related issues.” It’s the latest unfortunate meltdown for the touring EDM duo.
A 60-year-old man was found dead at his camp in Black Rock City, Nev., on Sept. 5.
Jay-Z delivered a historic two-night sold-out London run at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, celebrating 30 years since his debut album. On Saturday, September 5, Jay-Z brought his two-night London run to a historic close at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, selling out both nights and delivering another...
TME is selling $500 million of 5.050% senior unsecured notes due 2031 and $500 million of 5.650% senior unsecured notes due 2036. Source
The 13-year-old rapper took the stage at The Vic Theatre on Sept. 5.
"If the death penalty were activated, it would be perfect for this kind of human being, devoid of feelings and emptiness inside," says family of victim who would have turned 16 on Monday
AEG wants a court-ordered sale of Ticketmaster, and a ban on the long-term exclusive contracts Ticketmaster signs with major concert venues. Source
MPs welcome move but still want answers over how the conflict of interest was allowed to arise
Wheels turning on the road and in government
PC buyers already had enough of helping to fund the AI revolution, only essential refreshes happening now
Nothing says ‘For internal use only’ quite like emailing it to the press
Held in the southwest of England, the indie festival brought the party for its anniversary celebrations.
Commission reportedly seeks third-party views, although no formal investigation is underway
Self-described white hats promise to return 'most' of the 4,000 BTC once the vulnerability is fixed
O'Neill becomes Chief Executive Officer of Lululemon on September 8, five days after her Spotify exit took effect. She will also join the Lululemon board. Source
Promusicae reported that paid subscription streaming generated €121 million ($141m) in the six months to the end of June, up 15.1% YoY. Source
Most hardware works, although graphics, sleep, and external displays need more attention
Last week we reported on Sonos’s big software announcement, including a feature called ‘custom agents’ that would let people “create their own [AI] agents through the system, each with its own model, persona and voice”. The post is from Music Ally.
A federal court in New York has handed down a mixed ruling in the ongoing legal battle between Spotify and the Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC) over mechanical royalties and ‘bundle’ subscriptions. The post is from Music Ally.
The first round of judging is over for the Music Tectonics conference’s annual ‘Swimming with Narwhals’ startups contest. 10 companies have been named as semi-finalists for this year’s event. The post is from Music Ally.
If you don’t have a Substack in 2026, are you even on the internet? And seemingly that now applies to popular music-streaming playlist brands too. The post is from Music Ally.
Music-marketing startup un:hurd Music has rolled out a major update – version 2.0 – across its website and mobile apps. The post is from Music Ally.
Public instance XCancel uncancelled after X Corp's cease-and-desist campaign, with others promised shortly
The 21-date trek follows the band's fall 2025 reunion dates in Europe
Vast majority of new devices on market still don't give repair information to owners, but give themselves top marks for repairability
NRW says it has found no evidence data was misused after spreadsheet published in error five years ago
Defending against cyber foes is among factors hitting food price inflation, report finds
Debian and Xfce – solid, sensible choices – with a pretty skin
Ministers say £17M corporate fines and forthcoming board-level governance rules provide sufficient accountability
The run marks Radiohead's first Australian tour since 2012.
'The Collective' learned to communicate, organize, cheat, and apparently sacrifice its own
The country singer performed a series of nu-metal covers at the Iowa music festival on Saturday
Couldn’t stop before the end of a runway
Even the greatest scientific minds are at risk of rogue 9-pin connectors
Underwood performed Limp Bizkit's 1999 hit "Break Stuff," for which she donned a backward red baseball cap in a nod to frontman Fred Durst.
This week on The Kettle we weigh in on Nvidia's Hugging Face acquisition and why it could spell a new, more fragmented and siloed era of AI development
Getting heard was never the same thing as building an audience… For the better part of the last decade, independent musicians have participated in one of the strangest rituals in modern music marketing.
Last week, he blamed himself for being ‘a grade A nincompoop’ who assumed a system upgrade couldn’t possibly go wrong
PLUS: Fujitsu not yet budgeting Horizon compensation; DeepSeek's vast Huawei GPU buy; Korea plans sovereign security model; and more
Now, for a palate cleanser… The number one criterion for a book is readability. It’s got to be something that people want to read! Which is why you can buy the vaunted award-winner, the book with all the hype, and find yourself falling asleep on the second or third page.
If I see one more inane, insane article about the uptick in CD sales… They’re merch, not carriers of music, as anyone on the inside will tell you. Hell, most kids today don’t even have access to a CD player, never mind a cassette deck or Walkman to play the ancient tape format the press […]
Andy “The Butcher” Williams, a professional wrestler who played guitar with the bands Every Time I Die and Atomic Rule, died Saturday night after collapsing at the end of his match in Millvale, Pennsylvania. He was 48. Williams was rushed to the hospital but did not survive.
Macklemore opened for Ed Sheeran on Friday night in New Jersey at the MetLife Stadium, and during his set the rapper sang out “Free Palestine” before launching into a speech, telling the audience he wanted people in Gaza and the occupied West Bank to know they had not been forgotten.
Founding rhythm guitarist for Buffalo metalcore band successfully segued into wrestling as "The Butcher"
Over a dozen concertgoers required medical attention for "suspected alcohol intoxication and drug-related issues," authorities say
Both Bad Bunny and Sabrina Carpenter win their first-ever Emmys Saturday at the Creative Emmy Awards
Bad Bunny has won his first Emmy for the Super Bowl Halftime Show. He won in the outstanding variety special (live) category. “The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny” took home a total of seven nominations, winning music direction, choreography, sound mixing, lighting...
The singer-songwriter discussed her Toy Story 5 song in rare appearance across three country radio stations
Oasis mania hit Venice Film Festival on Saturday night as Liam and Noel Gallagher presented the world premiere of their highly anticipated documentary “Don’t Look Back in Anger.” The rock doc received an eight-minute standing ovation as the once-estranged brothers held hands and raised them...
The film centers itself on Pete Townshend’s contradictions, his growing pains, his turmoil, and his complexity as a human being and rock artist. And that’s all good. But given where it sets the bar, there’s too much that's left out.
Mandy Moore knows how to travel with her kids. She hands them a tablet for some screen time. Not that the children have carte blanche on what they could watch. Instead, Moore uses ABCmouse, a childhood education app that she says keeps the kiddos occupied while teaching them how to read.
After feuding for the past few years, Kanye West and Kid Cudi have made up and reunited during West’s Chicago concert on Friday night. West performed the past two nights in his hometown of Chicago to promote his latest album, “Bully,” and welcomed several surprise guests to the stage.
There’s some real gems in there. | Photo: Terrence O’Brien / The Verge According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), CD sales exploded in the first half of 2026. A new report from the organization says 17.5 million CDs were sold in the first six months of the year, up from just...
“She’s unbelievable,” Robert Pattinson said of his musician co-star. "Even on the first day, she was so relaxed"
In news that might not surprise anyone, Liam and Noel Gallagher skipped the Venice Film Festival press conference for their upcoming Disney+ documentary “Oasis: Don’t Look Back in Anger” on Saturday.
"Man, they lied about me so much. I don’t even know where to begin. All those cops in there was lying like a motherfucker," Davis says of witness testimony
Here’s a recap of recent music industry hires and in-house promotions as of September 4th, 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.
The AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act is scheduled for a standalone floor vote in the U.S. House of Representatives during the week of September 14. On Thursday, a report from the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) revealed that U.S.
Jay-Z’s “Jay-Z30” tour has been filled with guest appearances and his opening night at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was no exception: He brought out Lauryn Hill and Wyclef for a mini-Fugees reunion on their 1996 hits “Ready or Not,” “Killing Me Softly” and “Fu-Gee-La.” The show was introduced...
The NFL and Roc Nation announce the 2026 Songs of the Season, an initiative that brings a dynamic lineup of artists to soundtrack the NFL season. The National Football League and Roc Nation have announced the launch of its 2026 Songs of the Season, a season-long initiative bringing new music from a...
Audacity 4 has been in the works for some time, and had its own mini controversy last year when an unfortunate redesigned logo started making the rounds. The final version of the new icon isn't nearly as bad as the early rendition that was circulating last October.
Weeks out from his official Warner Music Group (WMG) exit, former CFO and COO Armin Zerza has cashed in on a cool $1.87 million worth of company stock. The short-lived WMG exec disclosed the selloff, executed via his trust, in an SEC filing yesterday.
On the heels of a massive Q2 2026 music industry funding jump – to nearly $6 billion in total – July and August brought with them a material year-over-year decrease.
Numerous Dolly Parton tribute specials have aired across four different networks, all attracting impressive audiences for broadcast television at a time when viewership is traditionally low.
European Commission EVP Henna Virkkunen will deliver a keynote address at a conference in Dublin on the future of copyright in the age of AI. The Irish Recorded Music Association (IRMA) and newspaper publishers have invited Henna Virkkunen, European Commission Executive Vice President for Tech...
It's not quite the "push button; get song" of Suno, but Roland's new Melody Flip tool marks the company's foray into generative AI music. Available as a plug-in for your digital audio workstation (DAW), Melody Flip offers around 250 "Palettes," which are essentially themed collections of musical...
The biggest headlines from the past few days... Source
“Nostalgia” as a trend isn’t new. However, there is more to the popularity of analogue than simply a backwards-looking aesthetic preference. Convenience, habit, and quality of experience are major drivers of use. Source
There are no surprises in Spotify’s annual list of the ‘songs of summer’ – it’s essentially the five biggest streaming hits of recent months, even if the company said ‘cultural impact’ and the expertise of its editors were also factors in the picks. The post is from Music Ally.
Waking up to find that Mary J. Blige appearing in an ad for AI-music platform Suno is quite the eye-opener. Waking up to find that said campaign has already been pulled because she hadn’t approved it… well, let’s just say our eyes are currently on springs like a classic Tex Avery cartoon character.
The increase in costs and red tape facing British artists wanting to tour the European Union since ‘Brexit’ are well known. But this summer, a different problem emerged for artists and labels selling physical music and merch to fans in the EU. The post is from Music Ally.
It’s not just Music Ally celebrating a big birthday this year (incorporated 25 years ago yesterday, since you ask). Pioneering independent labels NCS and Monstercat are both celebrating their 15th anniversaries in 2026. The post is from Music Ally.
The battle between TikTok, Instagram and YouTube isn’t just about videos and views: it’s about engagement – and that’s also a key metric for music marketers judging the success of their campaigns and content. The post is from Music Ally.
Kacey Musgraves is the latest artist to appear in a music concert made for Meta Quest VR headsets. A 49-minute performance of hits plus tracks from her latest album has been launched as ‘Kacey Musgraves Middle of Nowhere: An Immersive Experience’, filmed in the Billy Bob’s Texas venue in Fort...
Generative-AI music tools can be a powerful funnel for bringing complete beginners into human music-making, according to the CEO and CTO of Image-Line, the company behind popular DAW FL Studio (formerly Fruity Loops). The post is from Music Ally.
In April, it was announced that Singapore-based “artist-empowerment” social media platform Fenix360 was partnering with Gaana to integrate the entire suite of the former’s creator tools into the streaming service. […] The post is from Music Ally.
Last November, we wrote about Noida-based music school the Global Music Institute and Indian mental health service Tatva partnering with Goldsmiths college and research consultancy Creative Empirical from London to […] The post is from Music Ally.
We first caught wind of startup Songscription in July 2025 when TechCrunch profiled its “automatic music transcription” service. The post is from Music Ally.
Jay-Z’s ongoing feud with former football star Colin Kaepernick intensifies as the ex-quarterback criticizes the rapper and mogul’s NFL deal. Jay-Z isn’t exactly known for having a close relationship with former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick, and there’s no love lost between them.
BET announces the triumphant return of the long-running awards show to TV this fall, with a show taped in Chicago, presented by Spotify and Toyota. BET and Spotify have announced the return to television of the long-running Soul Train Awards this fall, with a show taped in Chicago—the city where...
Suno has pulled an ad featuring Mary J. Blige in which she seemingly endorsed the platform after it was revealed the deal was made without her authorization. After R&B icon Mary J.
Let the battle of lyric providers continue: Following several months of discussions, LyricFind and Musixmatch have failed to reach a mediation agreement – meaning an agreement about beginning mediation – in their ugly courtroom confrontation.
Primary Wave Music announces a partnership with the estate of Wilson Pickett covering the legendary soul singer’s catalog, name, image, and likeness. Leading indie publisher Primary Wave Music has announced a partnership with the estate of the legendary Wilson Pickett.
It will be UMHL's first hotel in the UK, and its second in Europe after UMusic Hotel Madrid, with Madrid the only UMusic Hotel currently operating. Source
The Soul Train Awards are coming home. Today, BET announced that the long-running awards show will return to television this fall with a show taped in Chicago, the city where Don Cornelius first launched “Soul Train” more than 50 years ago.
The transaction was announced on Thursday (September 3). Financial terms were not disclosed. Source
Primary Wave announced the deal on Wednesday (September 2). Financial terms were not disclosed Source
Ufenau intends to back the initiative as investor and majority shareholder, and says it is already reviewing initial investment opportunities. Source
With music consumption now widespread, affordable, and accessible, music fandom has become less about consuming and more about spending as a demonstration of superfandom.
Since the temperature started creeping up this summer, we’ve been keeping a close eye on the songs that would come to embody the season. Our editors made their predictions in May, we shared an update in July, and now the time has come to share the final results.
On this week’s episode, veteran producer, engineer, and Grammy nominee Bruce Sugar explains why staying relevant means embracing new tools without sacrificing the feel and emotion that make music connect.
The Justice Department argues in the New York Times v. OpenAI case for a fair use standard that would allow extensive copying of copyrighted works for AI training without licensing.
It appears to be the first time Washington has intervened in any of the copyright cases now stacked up against AI companies Source
India’s music streaming economy is growing like never before. That’s the big takeaway from the India edition of this year’s Loud & Clear report, Spotify’s annual look at how artists earn money from streaming and where the country’s music economy is headed next.
Music has spent the last decade optimising for infinite choice . Streaming libraries expanded without limit, shuffling became ever more personalised, and feeds manoeuvred themselves into narrower loops. Source
CRAE raises worthwhile economic questions about the proposed Phonorecords V Subpart B settlement, but the Copyright Royalty Judges should not be expected to build the missing economic record themselves.
6.9% Growth Outpaces US Inflation as Streaming, Physical and Sync Revenues Rise Paid Subscriptions Generate $3.4 Billion in First Half of 2026 The Recording Industry Association of America® (RIAA) today announced that US recorded music revenues for the first half of 2026 were up 6.9% from the first...
The Picard team is excited to announce the first release candidate for Picard 3. With this release we are confident that Picard 3 is now suitable for testing by a wider audience. The final 3.0 release is planned to happen in a few weeks.