Compliance Archives - Digital Music News https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/category/legislative/compliance/ The authority for music industry professionals. Fri, 19 Jul 2024 04:50:28 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6.2 https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/cropped-favicon-1-1-32x32.png Compliance Archives - Digital Music News https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/category/legislative/compliance/ 32 32 The Music Industry Is Bursting With Litigation — Here Are 10 Particularly Game-Changing Lawsuits to Watch https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/pro/litigation-top-10-weekly/ Thu, 18 Jul 2024 04:00:45 +0000 https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/?post_type=dmn_pro&p=296031 From infringement complaints against generative AI developers to unpaid royalty actions targeting streaming platforms, the music industry certainly isn't lacking high-stakes litigation. Here are ten particularly important lawsuits with major implications to watch moving forward.

How many active lawsuits, conflicts, settlements, negotiations, and legal stare-downs are happening in the music industry — right now? At last count, Digital Music News is tracking more than 140 different filed lawsuits in the United States alone, all in various stages of litigation. And that doesn't include the drumbeat of cease-and-desists. . .


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]]> European Commission Accuses Apple of DMA Violations, Tees Up New Investigation Over Install Fees and Apple Developer Program Terms https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2024/06/24/digital-markets-act-apple-alleged-violations/ Mon, 24 Jun 2024 17:05:38 +0000 https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/?p=294376 It turns out a nearly $2 billion fine wasn’t the end of Apple’s EU regulatory woes, as the tech giant is now being accused of violating the Digital Markets Act (DMA).

The EU’s European Commission unveiled fresh charges against Apple today, close to four months after the iPhone maker was ordered to pay $1.93 billion for allegedly “abusing its dominant position on the market for the distribution of music streaming apps.”

Apple is still appealing


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]]> Spotify Accounted for More Than 42% of All U.S. Mechanical Royalties Prior to Its Pre-Bundling Shift, DMN Pro Analysis Reveals https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/pro/spotify-mechanical-pre-bundle-data/ Thu, 06 Jun 2024 03:45:26 +0000 https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/?post_type=dmn_pro&p=293012 How much are streaming music platforms actually paying for publishing in the U.S.? Amid an intensifying battle over Spotify’s bundling and a corresponding mechanicals decline, here’s a comprehensive look at actual payout data preceding Spotify's big move.

DMN Pro's latest trove of exclusive data — sourced from actual mechanical payments receipts and documents — gives us the closest look yet at how Spotify's mechanical royalty payments compare to other streaming platforms in the United States. That is, for the last month before Spotify switches a large percentage of its accounts to bundled status.


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]]> What’s Wrong With Direct Publisher Licensing? Everything, According to Spotify and the Recording Industry https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2024/05/21/direct-music-publisher-licensing-spotify/ Wed, 22 May 2024 03:46:21 +0000 https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/?p=291645 On Tuesday, NMPA president David Israelite advanced a different licensing schema to members of Congress that would change the game for music publishers — and complicate the game for everyone else.

Just moments after the Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC) filed suit against Spotify, the National Music Publishers' Association (NMPA) dropped another bomb. In a letter floated on Tuesday (May 21st) by NMPA chief David Israelite to members of Congress (see the full text here), a. . .


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]]> Spotify Immediately Responds to the MLC’s Lawsuit — And They’re Not Backing Down https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2024/05/17/spotify-mlc-response-lawsuit-royalties/ Sat, 18 May 2024 04:53:04 +0000 https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/?p=291255 Late yesterday, Digital Music News first reported on the Mechanical Licensing Collective's lawsuit against Spotify over allegedly underpaid publishing royalties. Now, Spotify is pushing back and seriously questioning the merits of the MLC's claims. Here's what they relayed to DMN early this morning.

Spotify is now responding to an aggressive lawsuit filed by the Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC), and it looks like we. . .


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]]> Sony Music Publishing ‘Considering All Options’ Against Spotify Following MLC Litigation, NMPA Warnings https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2024/05/17/sony-music-publishing-spotify-dispute/ Fri, 17 May 2024 23:15:36 +0000 https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/?p=291295

Music publishing heavyweight Sony Music Publishing is now threatening action against Spotify over its less-than-welcomed royalty reductions.

Spotify has just poked another giant bear following its transition to bundled subscription packages—and the conveniently lower publishing royalty payouts that come with them. According to internal communications leaked to Digital Music News early Friday (May 17th), Sony Music Publishing chief Jon Platt isn't in a rosy. . .


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]]> Why Are Music Industry Contracts So Complicated? Flou Has a Platform for That https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2024/04/23/flou-platform-music-industry-contracts/ Tue, 23 Apr 2024 18:33:23 +0000 https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/?p=287886 Even the sexiest music industry deals crash into reality when the contracts come out. Flou is determined to simplify the necessary evil.

Unfortunately, music industry contracts and licensing agreements are typically intricate and dense documents fraught with legal terminology, making them difficult to generate and manage. Once filed away, they become challenging to store and retrieve efficiently.

It's a mess we've all experienced, but the confusion often lasts for the life of the deal. Headaches are best enjoyed with a confusing paper trail or contentious disagreement, with piles of legalese and contradictory details adding to the. . .


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]]> Will Twitter/X Ever Pay for Music? A Closer Look At the NMPA’s Legal Battle Against Elon Musk https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/pro/nmpa-v-twitter-x-weekly/ Wed, 17 Apr 2024 21:01:22 +0000 https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/?post_type=dmn_pro&p=287349 X (formerly Twitter) is grappling with a copyright infringement lawsuit from 17 NMPA-corralled music publishers demanding hundreds of millions of dollars in damages. But given a number of setbacks in the case for publishers, will the Elon Musk-owned platform ever pay for the use of music. . .


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]]> Universal Music Group Considering Serious Legal Action Against TikTok Over DMCA Violations — Here’s What We Know So Far https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2024/04/15/universal-music-group-legal-action-tiktok/ Tue, 16 Apr 2024 06:47:35 +0000 https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/?p=287214 If you enjoyed watching Universal Music Group remove its entire catalog from TikTok, you'll absolutely love what's potentially coming next.

For those who enjoy high-stakes showdowns between major media companies and tech giants, Universal Music Group vs. TikTok has been action-packed. But you might need a fresh bowl of popcorn for what's next.

According to multiple sources leaking details to Digital Music News, UMG has been flooding TikTok with DMCA takedown notices following its stern content removals in late. . .


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]]> EU Prepares to Drop $542 Million Hammer on Apple Following Spotify Complaint — As Another Investigation Takes Shape https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2024/02/28/apple-eu-fine-details/ Wed, 28 Feb 2024 17:35:50 +0000 https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/?p=283026 Earlier this month, reports suggested that the European Union was preparing to fine Apple about $542 million (€500 million) in connection with an antitrust complaint levied by Spotify. Now, the expected date of the fine’s issuance has come to light, and the iPhone developer is reportedly facing a different investigation yet.

These newest details about the EU’s regulatory actions involving Apple, which has long battled criticism from Stockholm-based Spotify over its App Store fees and policies, just recently emerged. As we . . .


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]]> Did You Miss DMN Pro’s ‘Missing Payments’ Event? We Archived It for You. https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/pro/dmn-pro-event-mini-conference-missing-payments/ Wed, 24 Jan 2024 23:15:57 +0000 https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/?post_type=dmn_pro&p=277857 DMN Pro Q1 2024: Missing Payments? A Look At Loss Prevention In Music

A comprehensive discussion on the state of music licensing, streaming fraud, metadata, and getting paid — with a panel of the foremost authorities in the music industry. Missing payments? Tune in!

Panel 1: UGC Licensing Pitfalls

  • Virginie Berger - Chief Business Development and Rights Officer of MatchTune
  • Alexander Baynum - Director of U. . .

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]]> Concord Taps Legitary for US-Based Streaming Mechanical Auditing Services https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2023/12/13/concord-legitary-mechanical-streaming-anomaly/ Thu, 14 Dec 2023 07:47:26 +0000 https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/?p=265709 There's good news on the royalty accounting front, thanks to increasingly sophisticated monitoring, collection, and auditing technologies. Now, Concord has tapped Austria-based Legitary to take a closer look at their US-based streaming mechanical royalty statements.

The deal, tipped to Digital Music News this week, suggests that Concord is more seriously examining a lucrative royalty flow: mechanical licenses. According to Concord Vice President of Income Tracking Brian Buchanan, the company tapped Legitary to handle sophisticated analyses of their streaming mechanical licensing statements with an eye towards eliminating errors.

The goal is to more efficiently spot data. . .


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]]> Following ‘Black Box’ Scrutiny, the MLC Taps Jaxsta, Salt, Pex, and Others to Help Match Royalties https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2023/12/07/mechanical-licensing-collective-supplemental-matching-network/ Thu, 07 Dec 2023 22:32:45 +0000 https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/?p=264808

The Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC) has officially announced a “Supplemental Matching Network,” or, as its name suggests, an initiative designed to enhance the MLC’s royalty-matching capabilities.

The Nashville-headquartered Mechanical Licensing Collective just recently unveiled the Supplemental Matching Network, centering on partnerships with five “complementary” companies. For background, the MLC has faced considerable scrutiny, relating. . .


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]]> Audoo Secures Expansion With Foundation Client APRA AMCOS in Australia and New Zealand https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2023/10/16/audoo-expansion-apra-amcos-australia-new-zealand/ Tue, 17 Oct 2023 04:00:52 +0000 https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/?p=256910 After partnering with Australasian music rights management organization APRA AMCOS last year, Music Recognition Technology (MRT) company Audoo has now announced an expanded rollout of its Audio Meters in the region. Audoo’s CEO reveals that the first tranche of installations in key Australian and New Zealand cities was a success — and ‘scaling is now the next step.’

DMN first reported on the initial phase of the partnership between APRA AMCOS and British MRT company . . .


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]]> Songwriter Organizations Urge Congressional Action on the Mechanical Licensing Collective’s ‘Black Box’ Royalties — ‘Very Blatant Conflict of Interest’ https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2023/07/24/mechanical-licensing-collective-black-box-congress-letter/ Mon, 24 Jul 2023 23:11:23 +0000 https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/?p=248568

Organizations including Music Creators North America (MCNA), the Songwriters Guild of America (SGA), and the Society of Composers and Lyricists (SCL) are entreating U.S. Representative Darrell Issa to address the Mechanical Licensing Collective’s reportedly massive tranche of unmatched/unclaimed royalties.

The mentioned organizations, besides the European Composer and Songwriter Alliance (ECSA), the. . .


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]]> Is Your Band Big In Japan? Shifts In Public Performance Tracking Could Generate Some Major Surprises https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2023/06/14/audoo-public-performance-tracking-solution/ Wed, 14 Jun 2023 18:14:23 +0000 https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/?p=240848 Despite the widespread availability of detailed music consumption figures, royalties attributable to public usages have long been distributed based upon extrapolated data. And without precise play counts from the many bars, restaurants, stadiums, stores, and malls that operate around the globe, it’s difficult to tell what’s actually playing – a potentially glaring unknown when stream totals require only seconds to identify.

Perhaps international superstars like Celine Dion and Mariah Carey are in fact garnering the lion’s share of public plays today. Or, perhaps a slew of 90s grunge bands are being massively undercounted in. . .


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]]> Schneider Retreats From YouTube Content ID Court Battle After Failing to Secure Class Action Status https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2023/06/13/schneider-youtube-lawsuit-dismissed/ Tue, 13 Jun 2023 16:21:36 +0000 https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/?p=241195 Just a day before the June 13th trial for the now-infamous YouTube Content ID lawsuit, Grammy-winning composer Maria Schneider has officially stepped back. After failing to secure the much-talked-about class-action status, the war is over and the case has been voluntarily dismissed.

In a strange turn of events, YouTube and Schneider said in a joint court filing that they agreed to end the case 'with prejudice,' which means that the case cannot be refiled.

Grammy-winning jazz composer Maria Schneider. . .


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]]> Is the YouTube Content ID Lawsuit Fading Away? Maria Schneider Makes Another Attempt for Class Action Status as Trial Date Looms https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2023/06/09/schneider-youtube-class-action-lawsuit-appeal/ Fri, 09 Jun 2023 16:31:19 +0000 https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/?p=240715 The YouTube lawsuit that originally had creators on the edge of their seats is now losing its glamor. Plaintiff Maria Schneider, a Grammy-winning jazz musician, now faces the prospect of trying a case that will do little to move the needle on Content ID.

With mere days until the June 12 trial, Schneider is making one more desperate attempt to certify the case for class action status. Schneider’s legal team has appealed to the Ninth Circuit for case proceedings to be paused until their appeal against Judge Donato’s May . . .


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]]> Assistive vs. Generative AI: What’s the Difference and What Are the Copyright Implications? https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2023/04/21/assistive-vs-generative-ai-difference/ Fri, 21 Apr 2023 21:04:54 +0000 https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/?p=236745 The music industry, understandably, is deeply concerned about AI’s impact on creativity — and the jobs and companies that could be eliminated in the process. But take a closer look, and the AI picture is far more complicated, with different use cases, applications, and approaches that could prove beneficial to the business. As the discussions ensue, two very distinct types of AI music creation are coming into focus: Assistive AI and Generative AI.

One of the more interesting nuances coming out of the AI debate in music is the emergence of 'good' and 'evil' applications and outcomes. It. . .


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]]> Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC) Refuses to Disclose ‘Black Box’ Account Figures as Total Payouts Top $1 Billion https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2023/02/27/mechanical-licensing-collective-mlc-black-box-will-not-disclose/ Tue, 28 Feb 2023 05:02:24 +0000 https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/?p=232653 mlc mechanical licensing collective

More questions than answers continue to surround the Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC) as both royalty payouts and unallocated 'black box' holding accounts reach astronomical levels.

The Mechanical Licensing Collective, or MLC, is now trumpeting cumulative payouts of more than $1 billion to songwriters, publishers, and other compositional IP owners since its formal inception in 2020. That heady payout, however, is being rivaled by unallocated 'black box' royalty. . .


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]]> Sound Credit Partners With PPL — North American Creators Can Now Collect Neighboring Rights Royalties https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2023/02/07/sound-credit-ppl-neighboring-rights-royalties/ Tue, 07 Feb 2023 14:00:28 +0000 https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/?p=231064 A just-signed Sound Credit-PPL partnership will now allow North American performers to better collect international royalties from a range of neighboring rights. Music rights holders can now increase their payouts from music played overseas in public (shops, bars, nightclubs) or broadcast (TV, radio, and some online streaming services).

The black box got a bit smaller this week, thanks to a cross-Atlantic partnership aimed at identifying and matching more music royalties to creators. Sound Credit and PPL have joined forces. . .


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]]> TikTok CEO Meets with EU Officials Over Privacy & Child Safety Concerns https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2023/01/11/tiktok-ceo-meets-eu-officials-privacy-concerns/ Wed, 11 Jan 2023 20:40:15 +0000 https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/?p=229088 TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew met with EU officials to discuss privacy concerns and child safety protections.

The European lawmakers asked the TikTok chief several questions focused on its preparation for EU rules focused on content governance and safety. EU commissioners also discussed child safety on the platform, the spread of Russian disinformation, and the transparency of any paid political content. TikTok will face even more scrutiny from the European Commission itself if it falls under the 'gatekeeper' criteria laid out in the . . .


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]]> Multiple Universities Begin Banning TikTok After ByteDance Admits Employees Improperly Accessed User Data https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2022/12/23/tiktok-ban-universities/ Fri, 23 Dec 2022 19:25:38 +0000 https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/?p=227893 After a number of states prohibited government employees from using TikTok due to security concerns – and as Congress weighs a similar measure at the federal level – public universities are now outlawing the highly controversial app.

This latest step to curb the prevalence of the ever-popular TikTok, which is owned and operated by Beijing-headquartered ByteDance, arrives amid ample stateside scrutiny of the platform. . .


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]]> As Jordan Bans TikTok, Virginia Joins List of US States Banning the App https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2022/12/19/jordan-bans-tiktok-virginia-joins-states-ban-tiktok/ Mon, 19 Dec 2022 20:42:11 +0000 https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/?p=227530 Virginia joins the growing list of U.S. states that have banned TikTok for government officials.

"TikTok and WeChat data are a channel to the Chinese Communist Party, and their continued presence represents a threat to national security, the intelligence community, and the personal privacy of every single American," Glenn Youngkin said in a statement on Friday announcing the ban.

The U.S. . .


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]]> iHeartMedia, Google Settle Deceptive Ads Lawsuit with FTC https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2022/11/29/ftc-google-iheartmedia-settle-over-deceptive-ads/ Tue, 29 Nov 2022 22:08:25 +0000 https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/?p=226121 iHeartMedia and Google have settled a lawsuit with the FTC and seven states over deceptive advertising of its Pixel 4 smartphones.

The lawsuit claims that Google paid radio hosts to read endorsements for the Pixel 4 phone–despite not using the phone. Google allegedly paid more than $2.6 million to iHeartRadio and $2 million to smaller radio networks for the deceptive advertising featuring the Pixel 4 phone.

According to the complaint, Google provided a script for radio hosts to read about the phone. "The only thing I love more than taking the perfect photo? Taking the perfect. . .


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]]> Tunedly Aims to Disrupt the Music Industry With TunedCoin Project https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2022/11/16/tunedly-tunedcoin-project/ Wed, 16 Nov 2022 18:00:39 +0000 https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/?p=225125 Blockchain technology is rapidly evolving with new use cases. Supply chain tracking and tracing, compliance auditing, and simplified payment processing are all some of the applications for which the technology is being adopted. Now Tunedly aims to disrupt the music industry by introducing blockchain-fueled reward mechanisms to help encourage user engagement.

The following was created in collaboration with Tunedly, a company DMN is proud to be partnered with.

The technology has drawn the attention of artists, publishers, agencies, managers, and more, all. . .


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]]> Apple Keeps Rejecting Spotify’s Audiobook App Store Updates https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2022/10/26/apple-spotify-audiobooks-multiple-times/ Wed, 26 Oct 2022 19:37:26 +0000 https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/?p=223831 A new report says Spotify is facing issues getting Apple to approve an App Store update featuring audiobooks.

The New York Times reports that Spotify's latest update has been rejected at least three times. Apple says it's because Spotify's new audiobooks offering breaks the rules governing how developers may communicate with customers about online purchases. Spotify says this is just another example–similar to the 30% App Tax–that hampers competing services like itself.

Spotify says it included. . .


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]]> CRB Orders Phonorecords IV Settling Parties to File All ‘Supplemental’ Written and Oral Agreements Following Pushback https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2022/10/18/phonorecords-iv-crb-order-side-agreements/ Tue, 18 Oct 2022 15:45:04 +0000 https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/?p=223130 Earlier this month, leading music publishers and streaming giants including Spotify released an unredacted version of their Phonorecords IV settlement. But songwriter organizations then called for the disclosure of any “side” agreements, and the Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) has now ordered the parties to shed light upon deals related to (but not included in) the core settlement.

Chief Copyright Royalty Judge David P. Shaw just recently . . .


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]]> Warner Music Group and Believe Continued to Operate In Russia After Officially Announcing Exits, Reports Say https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2022/09/20/believe-warner-music-russia-operations/ Tue, 20 Sep 2022 17:36:09 +0000 https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/?p=221185 Warner Music Group (WMG) continued to operate in Russia even after announcing that it would cease conducting business in the nation, while indie label and distributor Believe is actively pursuing deals in the country of about 144 million residents, according to reports.

Warner Music Group’s purported post-suspension efforts in Russia – as well as Believe’s alleged moves to expand its presence in the market – just recently came to light, including in a report from The Guardian.

For reference, WMG . . .


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]]> Tencent Music Officially Prepares to List Shares In Hong Kong — Trading Begins Next Week https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2022/09/14/tencent-music-hong-kong-listing/ Thu, 15 Sep 2022 01:15:27 +0000 https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/?p=220851 Tencent Music Will Go Public on December 12th

About six months after disclosing its intention of spearheading a secondary stock listing, Tencent Music (NYSE: TME) is reportedly preparing to make shares available on Hong Kong’s exchange “as soon as next week.”

Update (9/15): Tencent Music has . . .


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]]> New Grant Offers Free Festival Passes to People with Disabilities – Lollapalooza, EDC, Stagecoach & More https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2022/09/01/new-grant-offers-free-festival-passes-to-people-with-disabilities/ Thu, 01 Sep 2022 17:34:16 +0000 https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/?p=219935 A new grant program offers free festival passes to several popular festivals for people with disabilities. Here's what you should know.

The Dan Grover Memorial Ticket Grant Program offers free access to concerts, festivals, and conventions for individuals with disabilities. Anyone who is impacted by a newly acquired, temporary, or lifelong disability is encouraged to apply for free access to their favorite events. Anyone with disabilities who is experiencing financial hardship is also encouraged to apply.

Accessible Festivals has partnered with several high-profile music festivals, including Electric Daisy Carnival, Lollapalooza, Rolling Loud, Stagecoach. . .


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]]> Audacy Stock Hits All-Time Low Amid Disappointing Financials, Layoffs https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2022/08/25/audacy-financials-layoffs-disappointing-stock/ Thu, 25 Aug 2022 23:33:36 +0000 https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/?p=219538 Audacy financials

Following slow revenue growth for Q2 2022, Audacy has started layoffs after disappointing financials.

The Philadelphia-based company is expected to make job cuts that will impact all divisions and geographic markets. According to one report, the layoffs will impact less than 5% of Audacy's workforce, with no more layoffs expected this year. The company has more than 5,000 employees spread across the United States.

"We. . .


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]]> Capitol Records ‘Drops’ Virtual Rapper FN Meka Following Allegations of Racism https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2022/08/23/fn-meka-racism-dropped-capitol-records/ Wed, 24 Aug 2022 05:51:00 +0000 https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/?p=219398 Yes, robots can get canceled, too. Effectively immediately, Capitol Music Group and its parent Universal Music Group have 'severed ties' with virtual artist FN Meka following allegations of racism and cultural appropriation.

Earlier this month, Capitol Music Group proclaimed FN Meka as the first virtual artist to be signed by a major label. Now, just two weeks later, FN Meka is also the first virtual artist to get dropped by a major label. According to Capitol, FN Meka. . .


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]]> Muse NFT Album To Be Chart Eligible in the UK https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2022/08/07/muse-nft-album-chart-eligible-uk/ Mon, 08 Aug 2022 04:51:59 +0000 https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/?p=218070 Muse is set to become the first music act with a chart-eligible NFT album.

British rock group Muse and Warner Music UK have partnered with eco-friendly web3 music marketplace Serenade for the release of Muse's ninth studio album, Will of the People


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]]> Spotify Head Daniel Ek to Be Deposed In Eminem Publisher Lawsuit, Judge Confirms https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2022/07/15/daniel-ek-deposition-ruling/ Fri, 15 Jul 2022 23:37:20 +0000 https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/?p=216368 About three months back, a court rejected Spotify’s motion for a protective order in a long-running legal battle, thereby determining that CEO Daniel Ek would have to provide an up to three-hour deposition. Now, a different judge has affirmed the ruling despite the Stockholm-based streaming platform’s objections.

This latest verdict represents one of several twists in a much-publicized lawsuit that kicked off three years ago. In brief, regarding the marathon showdown’s history, Eminem publisher Eight Mile. . .


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]]> TikTok Pauses Privacy Policy Update in Europe Following Regulatory Pushback https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2022/07/13/tiktok-pauses-privacy-policy-update-in-europe/ Thu, 14 Jul 2022 03:09:55 +0000 https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/?p=216125 TikTok postpones a controversial privacy policy change following European regulatory pushback.

TikTok has agreed to postpone a controversial privacy policy update in Europe that would have enabled the platform to stop asking users for consent to be tracked for targeted advertising. The Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC), the lead privacy regulator that oversees TikTok for the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), says the "pause" follows engagement between TikTok and the oversight office.

"Further to engagement with the DPC. . .


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]]> Major Music Publishers Send ‘Formal Notices’ to Google and Apple as Part of Broader App Crackdown https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2022/06/16/nmpa-google-apple-notices/ Thu, 16 Jun 2022 23:09:20 +0000 https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/?p=214099 The National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA) has officially taken aim at about 100 apps that it says are using unlicensed music – in addition to sending “formal notices” to the Play Store owner Google and the App Store owner Apple, “demanding accountability for this problem.”

The effort to curb the allegedly unauthorized use of music in apps – and to prompt action from Google and Apple – came to light yesterday, in a speech delivered by National Music Publishers’ Association president and CEO David Israelite.

Speaking at the NMPA’s annual meeting in New York, Israelite highlighted songwriter and publisher revenue. . .


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]]> Universal Music Group Inks Licensing Deal With Music-Integration Platform Songclip https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2022/06/13/songclip-universal-music-group-deal/ Mon, 13 Jun 2022 17:37:31 +0000 https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/?p=213628 About 15 months after announcing an $11 million funding round, music-integration platform Songclip has inked “a multi-year global strategic partnership with Universal Music Group” as well as Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG).

Five-year-old Songclip unveiled its pact with the Big Three label and the namesake publishing operation this morning. Songclip bills itself as an “all-in-one patented. . .


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]]> Amazon No Longer Offers Kindle, Music, & Audiobooks Purchases on Android https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2022/06/05/amazon-music-audiobooks-sales-android/ Mon, 06 Jun 2022 02:16:15 +0000 https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/?p=213032 Amazon is making changes to its suite of apps which removes music, books, and audiobooks purchases on Android devices. Here's why.

This month Amazon began notifying Kindle app users that the app would be changing. Users can no longer buy and rent ebooks or subscribe to the Kindle Unlimited Service in the app. This change also applies to the Audible and Amazon Music Unlimited apps – so what's changing?

Google is enforcing a policy to require all developers to process payments involving. . .


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]]> Epic Games and Google Ink Temporary Agreement to Keep Bandcamp on the Play Store https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2022/05/20/bandcamp-play-store-deal/ Fri, 20 May 2022 16:26:05 +0000 https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/?p=212017

Late last month, reports revealed that Bandcamp was facing a possible removal from the Play Store amid a broader billing-policy battle between its Epic Games parent and Google. Now, the involved parties have finalized a temporary agreement that will keep Bandcamp available. . .


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]]> Session Wants to Solve the Music Metadata Mess — And Unleash Billions In Missing Royalties https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2022/05/09/session-solve-music-metadata-mess/ Tue, 10 May 2022 00:54:21 +0000 https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/?p=211221 Are you leaving money on the table as an artist, producer, songwriter, label, or publisher? Mismanaged metadata is one of the biggest problems plaguing indie artists and the broader music industry today — but it doesn't have to be. Now, solutions like Session are finally tackling the metadata headache and dislodging billions in missing royalties.

In a nutshell, metadata is all the underlying information tied to any released song or album. That includes everything from song titles, songwriter cuts, producer names, publishers, the record label, and more. Think of it as all the info printed on the CD. . .


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]]> TikTok Is Deleting Accounts After Its $5.7 Million Compliance Violation https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2019/03/01/tiktok-deleting-accounts/ https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2019/03/01/tiktok-deleting-accounts/#comments Sat, 02 Mar 2019 00:26:52 +0000 https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/?p=120692

After getting slapped with a $5.7 million dollar fine by the FTC for violating child privacy laws, TikTok is making sweeping changes to the platform — including deleting accounts.

People under the age of 13 now have a drastically different app experience to better conform with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).

Some of those changes include. . .


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]]> https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2019/03/01/tiktok-deleting-accounts/feed/ 36 Senator Prods Radio Conglomerates on Payola Compliance https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2007/07/12/feingold/ Thu, 12 Jul 2007 12:23:36 +0000 https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/?p=152677

Just months after the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued payola-related penalties against US-based radio conglomerates, a prominent lawmaker is assuming the role of compliance cop.

Senator Russ Feingold (D-Wis) recently mailed a letter to heads of several major station groups requesting detailed reports on anti-payola measures implemented.  The letters were specifically issued to CBS Radio, Inc., Entercom Communications Corp., Clear Channel Communications, Inc., and Citadel Broadcasting Corporation. . .


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