Music Industry Daily
Music Industry Daily is your daily shot of music industry news — deals, lawsuits, streaming wars, tour drama, artist moves, and global plays. Pour the coffee, hit play, and you'll know what's moving in music before you walk out the door.
Episodes
10 episodes
Is AI the Future or the Crime of the Century? — Week of June 29
The AI copyright war escalated on every front: Jamendo sued Suno for $20M, Hagens Berman joined the independent artists' class action against Suno and Udio, Sony's Udio discovery closed, and Tidal became the most aggressive major streaming plat...
Spotify's $3M Stream-Fraud Scandal, Primary Wave's $100M Atticus Bet — Friday, July 3
Spotify's artificial-stream scandal dominates Friday's brief after the platform stripped 500,000+ fake plays from a chart-topping track tied to a $3M prediction-market payout. Meanwhile, Primary Wave backs a new $100M literary and theatrical IP co...
Suno Sued for $20M, Elton Hologram Deal, MJ Biopic Hits $977M — Thu, July 2
Jamendo's $20M lawsuit against Suno headlines a packed legal day, while Elton John's hologram Las Vegas residency and the Michael Jackson biopic closing in on $1 billion dominate the culture beat. Catalog deals, a MENA streamer take-private bid, a...
Firebird's $750M Fund, Suno Sued Again, Michael Biopic Hits $977M — Wed, July 1
Catalog money is flowing, AI lawsuits are multiplying, and the Michael Jackson biopic just rewrote box office history. Wednesday brings a $750M acquisition fund, a fresh Suno lawsuit, Ricardo Montaner vs. UMG, and Illinois cracking down on predato...
Jamendo Sues Suno, Tidal Demonetizes AI Music, Backstreet Boys Trademark Voices — June 30
AI copyright battles are accelerating on multiple fronts, with a new Suno lawsuit, Google staking out a bold fair-use position, and artists turning to trademark law to protect their voices. Tidal meanwhile became the first major DSP to fully demon...
European Festivals Cancelled by Heatwave, iHeartMedia's $150M Cuts — Monday, June 29
Europe's record heatwave dominated the weekend, forcing the cancellation of Defqon.1 in the Netherlands and Solidays in Paris — with the latter's HIV/AIDS charity warning its global programs are now at serious financial risk. Meanwhile, iHeartMedi...
"AI Lawsuits Escalate, Catalog M&A Heats Up — Week of June 23"
What a week. BlackRock muscled into music publishing as Influence Media snagged Anthem's $650M catalog, while a court filing caught Live Nation's CEO whispering in Trump's ear right before the DOJ came knocking. The AI reckoning rolled on too —...
Influence Media Wins Anthem for $650M, Live Nation's Trump Call — June 26
Music Industry DailyBlackRock-backed Influence Media Partners emerges as the winning bidder for Anthem Entertainment's $650M music catalog, while court filings reveal Live Nation's CEO called Trump directly before the DOJ's antitrust set...
HarbourView Buys Max Martin Catalog, Live Nation–Trump Filings Drop — June 25
Music Industry DailyHarbourView's nine-figure acquisition of Max Martin and Shellback's catalog leads a deal-heavy Thursday, while explosive court filings reveal Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino's direct communications with President Trump...
Anthem Sells for $650M, Hagens Berman Joins Suno/Udio Suits — June 24
Music Industry DailyThe 2026 M&A wave crests as Influence Media wins Anthem Entertainment's music assets for $650M, capping a half-year that saw five major catalog deals totaling well over $14B. Meanwhile, the law firm behind a $260B...