Merlin CEO, Charlie Lexton, addresses THAT fallout with TikTok - and Merlin's own anti-fraud progress Source

Music Business Worldwide 2m ago

The news comes after the release of new single "Pinky Up."

Billboard 10m ago

Billboard's Women In Music Visionary juggles "20 million different things" — including her musical return and a starring role in the Oscar-winning One Battle After Another.

Billboard 14m ago

Pics of Billboard Women in Music's 2026 Visionary.

Billboard 14m ago

The contestant from Adam Levine's team was crowned the winner of Season 29, having delivered knockout performances of songs from Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Adele, and more

Rolling Stone 21m ago

Industry insiders tell Billboard about the controversial star’s live prospects amid a rocky comeback attempt.

Billboard 27m ago

A complete rundown of the most important events across the music business.

Billboard 30m ago

The state legislator promoting the initiative, which aims to benefit single mothers, spoke with Billboard Español.

Billboard 40m ago

RM also praised Bad Bunny's halftime performance at the 2026 game.

Billboard 42m ago

A step-by-step framework for music businesses of every size – because a solid data infrastructure isn’t optional, it’s the foundation for growth. The following article, from DMN partner Equalizer Consulting, offers a step-by-step framework for music businesses to develop a deliberate, documented...

Digital Music News 44m ago

Eyekons! Save the date: Katseye will release “Wild,” their latest EP on Aug. 14. “Wild” is the band’s third EP and is the follow-up to last year’s “Beautiful Chaos.” The news comes after the group made their Coachella debut last weekend, where they performed their latest single “Pinky Up,” and...

Variety 48m ago

The Grammy winner kicked off her first arena headlining trek on Feb. 11 in California.

Billboard 56m ago

The "That's So True" singer described the K-pop superstar's unique qualities in an essay for the 2026 TIME100 honors.

Billboard 58m ago

The Grammys and the Rock Hall once seemed to be operating in different worlds.

Billboard 58m ago

China has enough spare capacity to swallow the entire US car market, says Ford's Jim Farley.

Ars Technica 1h ago

Guigsy and Whitey, as they're known to fans, both played in Oasis at the peak of their Nineties popularity, and neither was initially listed as an inductee

Rolling Stone 1h ago

Prime Video's supernatural comedy will end with a special 90-minute final episode.

Ars Technica 1h ago

Anne Hathaway has played many roles across her two-decade career, but pop star is a new one. As a singer, she’s usually gravitated toward musical theatre — with an exception being her stellar cover of Queen’s “Somebody to Love” — but for David Lowery’s “Mother Mary,” coming from A24 on Friday, she...

Variety 1h ago

Desperate stock-boosting move recalls 2017's "Long Island Blockchain" frenzy.

Ars Technica 1h ago

Latest data must still be analyzed but could help determine if dark energy is constant or varies over time.

Ars Technica 2h ago

“People think that dance music is superficial, but they’ve got it all wrong,” Madonna says

Rolling Stone 2h ago

The pair discussed UMG's approach to AI, including how the company balances protecting artists' rights with leaning into AI innovation Source

Music Business Worldwide 2h ago

Music-production firm Audiotool has unveiled ‘Let’s Build’, a series of online and in-person events designed as a hackathon for music apps. The post is from Music Ally.

Music Ally 2h ago

For decades, scientists have concentrated on what now looks to be a blind alley.

Ars Technica 3h ago

From gripping thrillers to poignant memoirs, the 21st century has had no shortage of unforgettable books. To celebrate the standout storytelling of our modern era, we’re launching Best of the Century So Far—a curated audiobook collection of titles released each year between 2001 and 2025,...

Spotify 3h ago

Nine Inch Noize album will come out on Friday, a day before ensemble reprises its Coachella performance

Rolling Stone 3h ago

The Songwriters Hall of Fame will present singer-songwriter Raye with the Hal David Starlight Award, recognizing young talent, at its 55th annual induction and awards dinner. The ceremony takes place Thursday, June 11 at its longtime home, the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City.

Variety 3h ago

Madonna is returning to the dance floor. The pop icon has revealed that her new album, “Confessions on a Dance Floor: Part II” — a follow-up to her critically acclaimed 2005 dance record — will release on July 3 via Warner Records.

Variety 3h ago

"We are being intentional about creating liquidity events."

Ars Technica 3h ago

U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Elizabeth Warren and four colleagues are urging the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York to use its authority under the Tunney Act to closely examine the Department of Justice’s proposed settlement with Live Nation and Ticketmaster, in...

Variety 3h ago

Melbourne police in Australia confirmed they are investigating “a historical sexual assault that occurred in 2010.” Perry has previously denied the accusations

Rolling Stone 3h ago

Spotify has inked a one-year deal with US grassroots-venues body NIVA to support its members, with plans to make them more prominent. The post is from Music Ally.

Music Ally 3h ago

It's time for Americans to pay taxes on prediction market winnings, but no one knows how.

Ars Technica 4h ago

Throughout 2026, Spotify will boost visibility for independent venues through existing features including venue pages and its Live Events Feed. Source

Music Business Worldwide 4h ago

Marking joins from AEG as the company expands global naming rights and brand partnership strategy across its international venue network. Source

Music Business Worldwide 4h ago

Splice is launching three new GenAI tools for musicians and producers, including ‘Variations’. But it is also stressing the ethics. The post is from Music Ally.

Music Ally 4h ago

Spotify and the National Independent Venue Association have announced a year-long partnership intended to strengthen independent live music in the U.S. As the live-music business has expanded and consolidated, independent venues have found themselves facing daunting odds competing against giants...

Variety 4h ago

For many artists, independent venues are where music careers begin and fan communities take shape. Independent venue operators work hard every day to keep local scenes thriving as they navigate a rapidly evolving live music landscape.

Spotify 4h ago

We say ‘notional’ because there is surely very little chance of getting this money. Nonetheless, Spotify and the three major labels have won a default judgement against Anna’s Archive.

Music Ally 4h ago

You don’t need us to tell you that the BTS comeback album ‘Arirang’ was a hit in its first week. But you might need Luminate’s number-crunchers to tell you exactly how big the album was in streaming terms. Thankfully, they have. “Looking at global streaming data, ‘Arirang’ earned 739.1 million...

Music Ally 4h ago

The recent rounds of reorganisation within major labels have seen some big-name executives exit those companies – either as part of planned cuts, or because the time seemed right to seek new pastures or do their own thing. A flurry of those own things have been announced this week.

Music Ally 4h ago

Etsy is getting into the licensed merch game, but in a way that taps into its community of makers rather than just relying on the official products that artists are already selling. It has launched ‘The Festival Shop’ with three artists: Laufey, PinkPantheress and Willow Avalon.

Music Ally 4h ago

However, the report found that of the 178 million people who streamed music in 2025, only about 8% were paying for it. Source

Music Business Worldwide 5h ago

You may or may not like Geese (the band, not the birds). Their 1.8 million Spotify listeners and plenty of critical acclaim for their 2025 album ‘Getting Killed’ suggests plenty of people do. The band have released four albums since 2018 and toured regularly, so are hardly an overnight success.

Music Ally 5h ago

A police investigation is underway in Australia after Katy Perry was accused of sexual assault by “Batgirl” and “Orange Is the New Black” actor Ruby Rose. The pop star has denied the allegations, calling them “reckless lies.” The Victoria Police said in a statement to Variety: “Melbourne sexual...

Variety 6h ago

Whether the plaintiffs will ever see the $322 million award remains unclear, as Anna’s Archive’s operators remain anonymous. Source

Music Business Worldwide 6h ago

Books have always moved with us, whether tucked in our bags or humming in our headphones. With audiobooks, Spotify is building new ways to bring our favorite stories along for the ride. Just over two years after launching, Audiobooks in Premium is now live in 22 markets.

Spotify 6h ago

He will maintain a relationship with RCA and Sony Music in a consultancy capacity Source

Music Business Worldwide 7h ago

Scroll around the internet and you’ll find a lot of grumbling about subscription prices. Nowadays, everything is a subscription – audio streaming, video streaming, gaming, software, plugins, workstations, AI models, and no doubt several other categories I can’t think of right now.

Music 3.0 Music Industry Blog 7h ago

UK charity the Music Venue Trust has ignited a new row with collecting society PRS for Music over the fees that the latter charges. The post is from Music Ally.

Music Ally 9h ago

Hybe’s Big Hit isn’t alone in calling on X to disclose the identity of an alleged leaker. Now, HBO is seeking information about an individual who allegedly posted Euphoria spoilers. With an eye on learning who’s behind the “Lexi Howard’s Cat” account, Warner Bros.

Digital Music News 10h ago

For more than three decades, Ninja Tune has been an influential force in independent music. Founded in London in the 90s, the label became a home for visionary artists pushing electronic, hip-hop, and experimental genres forward.

Digital Music News 11h ago

French officials publicly announced plans to block the artist amid ongoing backlash to his past antisemitic comments

Rolling Stone 13h ago

Ye, the artist formerly known as Kanye West, took to X on Tuesday night to announce that he has postponed his upcoming concert in Marseille, after the office of French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez confirmed it was exploring paths to ban him from performing in France’s oldest city.

Variety 14h ago

The country star was added as a surprise performer on Saturday

Rolling Stone 14h ago

Kacey Musgraves has unexpectedly joined the lineup for the second weekend of Coachella, returning to the desert for her first Coachella performance since 2019. The country star was slyly announced with the release of the weekend two schedule. She is slated to perform from 3-3:50 p.m.

Variety 15h ago

Electronic musician Rezz has canceled her performance at Coachella’s second weekend, citing health issues that “need to be addressed.” In a post on social media, the Canadian DJ/producer said she had been shrugging off health issues and had no choice but to call off her weekend two performance at...

Variety 15h ago

The post-Coachella tour announcements are pouring in: The Strokes, Bini, Sombr, and others are preparing to hit the road once the festival’s a wrap. Meanwhile, Justin Bieber could be teeing up performances of his own.

Digital Music News 16h ago

This guy was one of a kind. Scratch that… There was a group of concert promoters, who built this business, who had personality, moxie and could tell a story that you’d repeat for the rest of your life! That’s what concert promoters have…stories.

Lefsetz Letter 17h ago

A new report is providing a closer look at the “streaming paradox,” or the idea that on-demand listening plays an important role in artists’ careers but leaves much to be desired in the royalties department.

Digital Music News 18h ago

The creator economy used to be an adjacent entertainment ecosystem to traditional entertainment. Those days are numbered – if not over already. Creators are now a foundational component in how traditional entertainment produces and distributes content at scale. Source

MIDiA Research Blog 18h ago

Ukraine is replacing more soldiers with robots in the battlefield kill zone.

Ars Technica 18h ago

France’s interior minister seeks to block the rapper formerly known as Kanye West from performing in the city of Marseille in June. France’s Interior Minister Laurent Nunez is set on banning Ye, the U.S.

Digital Music News 18h ago

Amy Klobuchar, Elizabeth Warren, and more have asked Judge Arun Subramanian to look into the surprise deal, which was reached one week into the antitrust trial

Rolling Stone 19h ago

Some 2023 and 2024 models are also affected.

Ars Technica 19h ago

The R&B group is just the third act to win the fan ballot but fail to secure a place in the Hall

Rolling Stone 19h ago

From immersive storytelling to laugh-out-loud comedies, podcasts are booming in popularity across Mexico and Latin America. That’s why we’re excited to announce that next month, Mexico’s biggest podcast celebration, the Spotify Podcast Awards, are back.

Spotify 19h ago

Brittney Spencer was on tour with Dylan in the summer of 2024 when she found herself face to face with the songwriter. “He told me he really liked my songs,” Spencer says

Rolling Stone 20h ago

It’s inflammation. What caused said inflammation? Could be an infection, it’s not clear. What happens now? Well, I take a steroid dosepak to try and fix the condition. And in three months, I return for another scope. But there is one caveat, they have to run the urine sample.

Lefsetz Letter 20h ago

Do you trust AI chatbots for health advice? What about one in your patient portal?

Ars Technica 20h ago

"Paying more for the same stuff" is the story of consumer technology in 2026.

Ars Technica 21h ago

Amazon announces $11.6B merger with Globalstar and satellite deal with Apple.

Ars Technica 21h ago

Roblox is launching restricted accounts for minors after being put on notice by the Australian government over reports of grooming on the platform. Popular social gaming platform Roblox will introduce two new account types in June, specifically for minors.

Digital Music News 21h ago

Lovers of Pokémon and EDM rejoice as the company hosts concert experiences in Los Angeles and London for the franchise’s 30th anniversary celebration. You can catch ‘em all at Los Angeles and London as The Pokémon Company hosts a pair of EDM concert experiences featuring American DJ Marshmello and...

Digital Music News 21h ago

New model is the first AI system to complete a difficult multistep infiltration challenge.

Ars Technica 22h ago

A waste management worker has gone viral on TikTok for sharing clips of himself singing operatic songs while working among the sewer pipes. Now, that success is flowing off-platform with a Good Morning America profile.

Digital Music News 22h ago

VVW has launched the careers of artists including Pop Smoke and Ski Mask the Slump God. Source

Music Business Worldwide 22h ago

Several jazz musicians face a wave of AI-generated tracks uploaded to their Spotify artist profiles without consent, featuring music that isn’t theirs. Numerous jazz musicians, including American pianist Jason Moran, and Danish musicians Carsten Dahl, Thomas Blachman, and Chris Minh Doky, face a...

Digital Music News 22h ago

You can save custom prompts you find useful or grab a premade Skill from Google's library.

Ars Technica 1d ago

"We believe this is the final nail in the coffin of the proton radius puzzle."

Ars Technica 1d ago

"It’s a special thing to be human, and it’s a special thing to be on planet Earth."

Ars Technica 1d ago

A lot of attention is being paid to the “rules of engagement” for podcasting: format preferences, video versus audio, and platform battles like YouTube versus Spotify. The industry is deeply focused on how and where audiences are consuming podcasts, and rightly so. Source

MIDiA Research Blog 1d ago

Google says it could penalize back button hijacking by demoting websites in search ranking.

Ars Technica 1d ago

The OEM-backed charging network offers 400 kW NACS and CCS DC fast chargers.

Ars Technica 1d ago

Joan of Arc Music operates across artist management, label services, publishing, TV/film production and philanthropy, with a distribution deal plugging into WMG's global network. Source

Music Business Worldwide 1d ago

In 2025, PPL paid royalties to more than 182,000 performers and recording rightsholders, including 16,000 who received payments for the first time. Source

Music Business Worldwide 1d ago

After failing in Congress, the White House is pressuring states to weaken AI safeguards, tying funding threats to policy outcomes and quietly reshaping laws that govern emerging technology today nationwide.

MUSIC • TECHNOLOGY • POLICY 1d ago

Roblox is excluded from Australia’s ban on social media for under-16s, but it’s very much part of the wider global conversation about children’s digital lives, potential harms and regulation. Its latest announcement is an effort to get out in front of those debates.

Music Ally 1d ago

UK music-licensing company PPL has published its figures for 2025, revealing that its revenues grew by 4.8% to £315.3m last year – $426.7m at current exchange rates. What’s driving the growth? It’s very much about international collections, because they were up 16% to £94m last year.

Music Ally 1d ago

TuStreams is one of the players in the burgeoning Música Mexicana space: a distributor that has worked with independent artists including Grupo Firme, Panter Bélico, Xavi and Neton Vega in its time. Now it’s working with Warner Music Group too.

Music Ally 1d ago

Universal Music Group’s digital chief Michael Nash sat down with Splice CEO Kakul Srivastava at last week’s HumanX AI conference, offering the latest insight into how both companies see the AI-music space.

Music Ally 1d ago

India’s recorded music trade body the IMI hasn’t released any statistics about the sales of physical formats in quite a while, but if the proliferation of listening bars across the […] The post is from Music Ally.

Music Ally 1d ago

Could India’s long-anticipated surge in paid music subscriptions finally be underway? A new report from EY and the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Ficci) offers some encouragement to the music industry.

Music Ally 1d ago

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame announces the class of 2026, following an incredible list of 17 nominees, more than ever before. There were a whopping 17 nominees put up for selection for this year’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction, which is more than ever before in the organization’s storied...

Digital Music News 1d ago

PPL delivers 4.75% year-on-year growth, with annual revenue of £315.3 million, driven by strong international performance. UK music licensing company PPL’s revenue rose to £315.3 million ($425.94 million) in 2025, an increase of £14.3 million (4.75%) year-on-year.

Digital Music News 1d ago

This is a copy of the job description at:https://join.com/companies/metabrainzorg/15986127-executive-directorPlease use the above link to apply. The MetaBrainz Foundation is seeking a new Executive Director (ED) to lead it during a time of great change for how music, data, and code are made, shared...

MetaBrainz Blog 1d ago

Universal Music Group (UMG) wasn’t kidding about its aggressive stock repurchase plans: Two weeks following the up to €500 million (currently $588 million) program’s announcement, the major has already bought back north of 630,000 shares.

Digital Music News 1d ago

“Hollywood Heavyweights Sign Letter Opposing Paramount’s Deal for Warner Bros. – The letter warns that the deal will result in fewer jobs for creatives, along with higher costs and less choice for audiences.”...

Lefsetz Letter 1d ago

What the nostalgic throwback lacks in complexity it makes up for in repetitive charm.

Ars Technica 1d ago

Billions of dollars’ worth of deals later, are catalog acquisitions hitting the crevices? It looks that way: MusicBird’s invested in the IP of Supertramp bassist Dougie Thomson, while Seeker Music’s purchased Nu Shooz’s song rights.

Digital Music News 1d ago

In the 2024-2025 school year, only 78.5% of kindergartners had measles vaccination.

Ars Technica 1d ago

This past Saturday at the Coachella music festival, Justin Bieber played the first of two headlining sets in a deal reportedly worth $10 million. It was his most significant solo performance in years. But Bieber spent some of his time on stage the way many of us do on Saturday nights: on YouTube.

The Verge 1d ago

Warner Music Group announces a minority investment and expansive partnership with TuStreams, a leading independent force in the Música Mexicana space. Today, Warner Music Group (WMG) announced a partnership with TuStreams, a leading independent force in the rapidly growing Música Mexicana space,...

Digital Music News 1d ago

This is not what I expected. As a matter of fact, I probably wouldn’t have watched it at all if Harold hadn’t given me a heads-up. So I was going hiking in the mountains… Am I the only one who has become burned-out on podcasts? Enough with the true crime, enough of the happy-talk banter, […]

Lefsetz Letter 1d ago

Coachella 2026 means “unhinged” food prices in 2026, with $30 chicken sandwiches, $28 fries, $17 lattes, and $41 for two slices of pizza and a Coke. It’s Coachella’s 25th anniversary, and Weekend One just wrapped up.

Digital Music News 1d ago

Coachella kicked off on Friday, and as usual, it's the place to be for online influencers looking to show off their memorable experiences at the festival.

The Verge 1d ago

A São Paulo court has ordered the shutdown of a website accused of selling fake views and engagement on music streaming platforms. A court in São Paulo, Brazil, has issued a decision against a website that provided services enabling streaming fraud.

Digital Music News 1d ago

The woman who allegedly stalked and attacked former Fleetwood Mac guitarist Lindsey Buckingham has been arrested, according to the LAPD. A woman accused of stalking and assaulting former Fleetwood Mac guitarist Lindsey Buckingham was arrested on Saturday, the Los Angeles Police Department has...

Digital Music News 1d ago

The Strokes confirm a global tour this summer and fall, fresh from their Coachella Weekend One performance and with headline sets on the horizon. The Strokes have unveiled global dates across North America, the UK, Europe, and Japan, kicking off in June and running through the fall.

Digital Music News 1d ago

Do stream-ripping platforms have “substantial” non-infringing uses? Hartford-based Yout believes so, and following the Supreme Court’s Cox v. Sony decision, it’s doubling down on the position in its marathon RIAA legal battle.

Digital Music News 1d ago

I mean, I guess it kinda looks like the moon? | Image: Kate NV / RVNG Intl. For obvious reasons, I've had Moon on the mind all week. So I was trying to figure out what I should recommend this week that would thematically fit.

The Verge 2d ago

A month ago I wrote about building the Parachord Android app in a few days. 146 commits, a full native app, Spotify and Apple Music playback, scrobbling, AI chat, the works. I was genuinely surprised it came together that fast.

Parachord Blog 3d ago

After launching the Spotify Podcast Awards in Mexico last year, we brought the fan-voted celebration to Paris this week for its first edition in France.

Spotify 5d ago

How Creators and Creative Industries Are Pushing Back Against AI Theft — “These campaigns call on policymakers, politicians, and the creative community to take action to ensure that artists’ works are licensed and that they are compensated before AI companies use them and respect the foundational...

Copyhype 5d ago

Read the original note in English here. Nossa Chief Public Affairs Officer, Dustee Jenkins, compartilha como estamos construindo uma experiência mais positiva para famílias no Spotify.

Spotify 5d ago

O Spotify sempre teve como foco colocar os ouvintes no controle. Hoje, as pessoas não querem apenas mais formas de passar o tempo — elas querem que esse tempo seja bem aproveitado.

Spotify 6d ago

Festival season is upon us. From sun-soaked weekends out west to iconic stages in Chicago and New York, fans are getting ready to see their favorite artists live.

Spotify 6d ago

Please scroll down to read the Spanish language version of this report below. / Por favor, desplácese hacia abajo para leer nuestra traducción en Español. WASHINGTON, DC – Latin music’s momentum in the US continues to grow, according to the Recording Industry Association of America® (RIAA).

RIAA 6d ago

American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow once proclaimed that music is a universal language. Ironically, perhaps the only part of this universal language that isn’t universal is language itself. In the streaming era, it may seem easier than ever for musicians to reach listeners around the world,...

MIDiA Research Blog 6d ago

Our Chief Public Affairs Officer Dustee Jenkins shares how we’re building a more positive experience for families on Spotify. As Spotify’s Chief Public Affairs Officer, and a parent to young children myself, I understand how navigating the digital world can feel both rewarding, and at times, a...

Spotify 6d ago

Spotify has always been about putting listeners in the driver’s seat. Today, people don’t just want more ways to spend their time; they want that time to be well spent.

Spotify 6d ago

The new controls apply to both individual and family accounts. | Image: Spotify Spotify is adding new toggles to stop any and all video from playing inside the app, for both music and podcasts.

The Verge 6d ago

On this week’s podcast episode, I talk with Jonathan Wyner, mastering engineer at M-Works, Berklee professor, head of artistic technology initiatives for BEATL, and past president of the Audio Engineering Society . . . . . .

Music 3.0 Music Industry Blog 6d ago