Independent musicians filed lawsuits against artificial intelligence music platforms Suno and Udio in Illinois courts. Attack the Sound and other artists claim the companies trained software models on protected recordings without permission. The complaints, each spanning approximately 100 pages, allege unauthorized copying of audio tracks and lyrics from databases like Genius. Musicians accuse both firms…

British music rights organization PPL selected Richard James Burgess as board chairman starting January 2026. The appointment follows John Smith’s departure after leading the directors for nearly ten years. Burgess will leave his position as American Association of Independent Music president by year’s end after serving since 2016. The incoming chairman produced albums for Spandau…

Live Nation rejected federal accusations that it worked with ticket scalpers and broke automated purchasing rules, but announced platform reforms to address consumer worries. The company will prevent users from maintaining multiple Ticketmaster accounts and restrict TradeDesk inventory tools that help resellers monitor transactions. Dan Wall wrote to two senators explaining that secondary sales generate…

Warner Music established a record label in Riyadh through an agreement with the Saudi multimedia company Merwas. The partnership will sign and develop regional talent for audiences across the Middle East, North Africa, and global markets. Merwas operates what it describes as the world’s largest recording facility that opened in 2022. The venture extends Warner’s…

Spinnin Records cofounder Roger de Graaf launched Fluent Music Group with marketing veteran Robert Tammens to develop electronic music talent. De Graaf retired from Spinnin last November after building careers for Martin Garrix and Afrojack since establishing the label in 1999. Warner acquired Spinnin for more than 100 million dollars in 2017. The Amsterdam operation…

London management firm Karma Artists expanded its leadership team through two appointments. Jess Miller advanced to senior creative and operations manager after six years with the company. Anne Sandig joined as a senior manager with a background from AAM Management and Kobalt. Both executives report to founder Jordan Jay. Miller helped grow international operations while…

Independent music distributor Too Lost positioned itself to capture market share as Universal Music Group pursues Downtown Music Holdings. Chief executive Gregory Hirschhorn said the New York company already serves 300,000 labels and artists without relying on Downtown or FUGA infrastructure. The profitable operation expects to exceed $100 million in annual revenue by year’s end…

Two Zimbabwean businessmen received guilty verdicts from the High Court in Harare following a corruption trial that captured national attention. Moses Mpofu and Mike Chimombe faced conviction this afternoon after lengthy proceedings that revealed systematic problems in government contract awards and procurement systems. The court found the pair misused taxpayer money in a disputed state…

Two Zimbabwean businessmen await a High Court decision on fraud charges related to an $87 million government livestock program. Moses Mpofu and Mike Chimombe allegedly manipulated the Presidential Goat Pass-on Scheme tender process through their company, Blackdeck. Prosecutors claim the pair submitted falsified tax and social security documents to secure the contract designed to supply…

Former Spice Girl Melanie C partnered with Virgin Music Group through her independent Red Girl Records label. The British pop artist released Sweat as the first single from her ninth studio album, scheduled for 2026. Virgin previously worked with the Spice Girls and distributed her initial solo recordings. The track incorporates elements from Diana Ross…