Recent TalkFuse coverage from Music Business Worldwide. Open a story to read its summary, compare its sources and join the discussion.
BandLab Technologies has appointed Ivan Chen as CEO, effective 1 October, while co-founder Meng Ru Kuok moves from Chairman and CEO to Executive Chairman. The change gives Chen responsibility for day-to-day leadership, with Kuok focusing on long-term strategy, partnerships and investment priorities. Kuok said the shift would help…
Tomas Ericsson is stepping down as Chief Executive Officer of amra, the global digital collection society, after more than a decade in the role, effective 1 January 2027. He will transition to Chairman of the Board, while Robin Davies, amra's Chief Operating Officer, will assume the CEO position…
Simon Robson will leave Warner Music Group in December after nearly 30 years with the company. His departure forms part of a wider recorded-music leadership reshuffle, and marks the end of a career spanning senior roles across Asia-Pacific, the UK and Europe. Robson joined WMG in 1998 as…
Warner Music Group is reshaping its global leadership team as it targets its next phase of growth. Val Blavatnik has joined the executive team as Managing Director for Warner Music North America, the UK and corporate development, while Simon Robson will leave in December after nearly 30 years…
Sound designers, recordists, and sound effects library companies have established the Professional Sound Alliance to combat unauthorised use of professional sound in both commercial media and AI training. The coalition, launched today, seeks to secure fair licensing protections for sound design and effects across film, television, games, and…
Universal Music Group is suing DIY music distributor DistroKid, alleging copyright infringement and deceptive trade practices linked to the distribution of AI-generated music presented as human-created. The case matters because it highlights the growing scale of AI-generated material on streaming platforms and could test whether a record company…
A federal judge has refused to dismiss a copyright infringement lawsuit against Sam Smith and Normani over their 2019 hit single "Dancing with a Stranger," sending the case to jury trial after four and a half years. The decision is significant because it validates the plaintiff's claim that…
Partisan Music has acquired Firebird’s interest in independent publisher OTM Music, making Partisan the publishing company’s majority partner. OTM will become the main publishing operation within Partisan Music and will merge with Left Music, Partisan’s existing publishing arm, expanding its creative and sync capabilities. Alex Sheridan will remain…
Epidemic Group has appointed Erik Wahlberg as chief executive, replacing interim CEO Sara Börsvik, who will become joint chief operating and financial officer. The changes take effect on 1 October 2026 and reflect the group’s broader focus on AI, video production and creator-led storytelling following its acquisition of…
Robert Palmer’s estate has partnered with Primary Wave Music on his publishing and recording catalogues, as well as his name, image and likeness rights. The deal gives the estate access to Primary Wave’s marketing and publishing infrastructure, with plans to develop new branding, digital, synchronisation, film and television…
HYBE and Trafalgar Releasing will take HYBE CINE FEST 2026 to more than 60 territories from 24–31 October, expanding on earlier editions in Latin America and Asia. The festival matters because it brings live BTS broadcasts, major K-pop concert films and interactive cinema experiences to a global audience.…
AI music company GRAI has acquired Hangout, the social music platform created by Joseph Perla's Turntable Labs, strengthening its position in music technology following its August licensing of over 24 AI music patents from Music IP Holdings, an entity backed by Universal Music Group. The merger combines Hangout's…
Rehan Ahmed, a 40-year-old from west London, has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison for operating a major counterfeit vinyl manufacturing operation between 2017 and 2024. Operating under the name Phoenix of Vinyl, he generated £2.7 million through the sale of unauthorised records featuring…
A US federal judge has ruled that a ticket buyer agreed to StubHub’s arbitration terms when he clicked “Buy Now”, preventing him from pursuing his lawsuit in court or as a class action. The decision sends Louis Sanquini’s allegations against StubHub and CEO Eric Baker to private arbitration,…
London-based avatar concert producer Unit1 Studio has raised $20 million in an oversubscribed equity round led by Balderton Capital, alongside production financing for shows in development. The funding supports the company’s effort to make avatar concerts cheaper and easier to reproduce, potentially allowing more artists and venues to…
BeatHub Entertainment has acquired full control of Bogotá's Movistar Arena by purchasing the 50% stake previously held by Chile's BeLive Entertainment Group. The move consolidates the Colombian company's position in the local entertainment sector and represents its long-term commitment to investment in the country, as emphasised by BeatHub…
The United States House of Representatives has passed the American Music Tourism Act, which now awaits President Trump's signature. The legislation adds music tourism to the existing responsibilities of the Commerce Department's tourism promotion duties, which currently cover conferences, cultural heritage destinations, and sports events. This bipartisan bill…
My Block Records, the independent music label founded by producer Warryn Campbell, has sued its former distributor SRG/ILS Group in New York federal court, alleging the company never sent a single royalty statement across three album releases. The lawsuit highlights a significant breakdown in payment accountability within the…
HYBE's CEO Jason Jaesang Lee has been appointed a vice chair of the Korea Venture Business Association (KOVA), alongside Jung Hyun-kyung, chair of the Korean royalty-investment platform Musicow. The appointment reflects HYBE's status as a global leader in K-pop and content industries, and KOVA said it expects the…
The T.J. Martell Foundation raised more than $3.2 million for cancer research at its 51st Annual New York Honors Gala, the event’s strongest result in over 20 years. Held at New York’s Cipriani 42nd Street, the sold-out gala honoured Red Light Management founder Coran Capshaw with its Lifetime…