Music News

The Internet Archive and the major labels are discussing a possible settlement in their Great 78 Project copyright infringement battle. Photo Credit: Mick Haupt Multiple years and twists later, the major labels’ copyright infringement lawsuit against the Internet Archive looks to be trending towards a resolution. That’s according to the litigants themselves, which just recently requested a 30-day stay in the case. The presiding judge promptly approved the sought pause, and as a result, we sho

(l to r) Warner Chappell France senior A&R exec Valentin Zucca, Bob Sinclar, and Warner Chappell France MD Matthieu Tessier. Photo Credit: Warner Music Bob Sinclar (real name Christophe Le Friant), the DJ behind perennial dance hit “World Hold On,” has inked a global admin and sub-publishing deal with Warner Chappell. The publisher and the Paris-born “dance legend” announced their agreement today. As described by those parties, the tie-up extends to north of “350 works written or composed

Photo Credit: Danny Howe Australia’s festival sector is suffering more than most, so the Australian Greens have announced a $20 million annual Festivals Support Package. Between rising insurance costs, climate impacts, and reduced consumer spending, Australia’s festival circuit is suffering even more than those worldwide. But the Australian Greens have announced a $20 million (12.8 million USD) annual Festival Support Package designed to strengthen and stabilize the country’s live events secto

Alexandre Marmita (left) and Cleber Augusto in the studio. Photo Credit: Warner Music Decades after losing his voice to throat cancer, samba artist Cleber Augusto has harnessed AI to create a project entitled Minhas Andanças (My Wanderings). Rio de Janeiro-born Cleber Augusto technically released that album in late April. But a 14-track deluxe version, including four additional songs, only dropped via Warner Music Brazil today. According to the same label, 74-year-old Augusto has suffered fr

Kevin Liles, who’s taken a step towards officially seeking the dismissal of a sexual assault lawsuit filed against him by a Jane Doe plaintiff. Photo Credit: Maryland GovPics Universal Music Group (UMG) and 300 Entertainment co-founder Kevin Liles are taking steps to seek the dismissal of a Jane Doe accuser’s sexual assault lawsuit. The major label and the former Warner Music higher-up (who was an exec with UMG’s Def Jam as well as the overarching Island Def Jam in the 90s and early 2000s) ma

A live performance from Metallica, which has achieved 20x Platinum certification with The Black Album. Photo Credit: Raph_PH Metallica’s self-titled 1991 album (aka The Black Album) has officially moved 20 million units in the U.S., achieving 20x Platinum certification – and 2x Diamond certification – in the process. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) officially logged those certifications today, a couple months short of the 34th anniversary of Metallica’s release. Unsurpris

Photo Credit: 50 Cent for Branson Cognac 50 Cent says he’s going to make his feelings about Diddy known after Trump said he’d “look at the facts” of the case regarding a potential pardon. 50 Cent says he’s going to “make sure” Donald Trump is aware of the “really bad things” Diddy has said about him. His comments come on the heels of Trump saying he would “look at the facts” of Diddy’s sex trafficking case regarding a potential pardon. “[Diddy] said some really bad things about Trump, it’s no

Photo Credit: Revolt Black News 50 Cent makes good on his promise after he vowed to let Trump know what Diddy has said about him, heading off a potential pardon for the mogul. 50 Cent promised to let Trump know what “really bad” things Sean “Diddy” Combs has said about him, after the president stated he would “look at the facts” pertaining to a potential pardon for the disgraced star. Now, the rapper has made good on that promise, posting a pair of clips on Monday featuring Combs condemning th

7-Eleven has finalized a Live Nation sponsorship deal, including When We Were Young naming rights. Photo Credit: 7-Eleven Introducing 7-Eleven the music festival sponsor: The convenience chain has scored When We Were Young naming rights and more under a Live Nation partnership. That newly announced partnership is already in full swing; When We Were Young’s poster has been updated to clarify that the festival is “Presented by 7-Eleven.” This marks the first time that the Las Vegas event “has w

Photo Credit: 7-Eleven 7-Eleven teams up with Green Day’s Punk Bunny for a new, exclusive Slurpee flavor: Kerplunk Kandy Grape, an ode to the band’s 1992 album, Kerplunk! The Kerplunk Kandy Grape Slurpee drink mashes up cotton candy sweetness with juicy grape tartness. It’s a sweet and “slightly twisted treat” meant to taste like the cotton candy grapes Green Day keeps as a staple backstage. The new flavor is available now for a limited time at participating 7-Eleven, Speedway, and Stripes sto

Photo Credit: Connie Francis for ABC Television, 1961 Connie Francis reacts to her 1962 song “Pretty Little Baby” becoming a viral hit on TikTok, 63 years after she recorded it. Connie Francis, 87, was surprised to learn her 1962 song “Pretty Little Baby” is having a massive resurgence, going viral on TikTok—even if she had to ask what exactly that meant. Sixty-three years after she recorded the track, it’s become a huge hit on TikTok, where even celebrities like Kylie Jenner have recorded li

A live performance from the Pointer Sisters, whose ‘Hot Together’ is riding high after appearing in a Grand Theft Auto trailer. Photo Credit: Rick Kramer Some four decades after its release, Pointer Sisters track “Hot Together” is taking off on Spotify and elsewhere thanks to a Grand Theft Auto trailer appearance. Both Spotify and the Pointer Sisters themselves are touting the sync-fueled streaming ascent of “Hot Together” (1986). According to the platform, that refers to an astonishing 182,0

The Copyright Licensing Agency is set to release an AI training license later in 2025. Photo Credit: Igor Omilaev An AI training license is expected to launch just months from now in the UK – albeit with an initial focus on the writing and publishing side. London’s Copyright Licensing Agency (CLA) announced its “ambitious plans” for the license in a brief release. With a rollout teed up for Q3 2025, the system will enable gen AI developers to purchase one-stop training authorization for “text-

Photo Credit: ABC News ABC News announces a daily program covering the trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs, “Burden of Proof: The Case Against Diddy,” beginning this Friday. The 30-minute-episode deep-dive premieres Friday, May 9, at 5:30 PM EDT on ABC News Live, hosted by “GMA3” co-anchor Eva Pilgrim. Each episode of the series will spotlight and analyze the day’s events from the courtroom with real-time updates. The first episode will examine the science behind the jury selection and go over the ch

Photo Credit: Amelia Troubridge Electronic trio Above & Beyond are returning to North America for a 13-date amphitheater tour in support of their latest studio album, Bigger Than All Of Us. Presented by Live Nation and spanning three months, the tour marks the group’s first full album tour in North America since 2018. It kicks off on August 15 in Vancouver and concludes on October 4 at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View. Other stops include major cities such as New York City, Chic

Photo Credit: Ashley King (AccuRadio website) AccuRadio, an early pioneer in human-curated online radio, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after a protracted legal battle with SoundExchange over royalties. The conflict traces back to 2016, when AccuRadio’s royalty payments to SoundExchange became inconsistent and ultimately ceased in 2018. SoundExchange is tasked by the U.S. government with administering the statutory license under Section 114 of the Copyright Act. SoundExchange claims that

Photo Credit: Edison Research A new study from Edison Research finds ad-supported streaming has more listeners than its paid, ad-free counterparts. For decades, music on the radio was the most accessible and free way to listen to music. But radio stations have traditionally been supported by ads, so listeners were well accustomed to hearing them between songs. The only way to get an “ad-free” experience was by purchasing an album on vinyl, tape, or CD. These days, thanks to streaming services

Photo Credit: Netflix Netflix tees up a trailer for Adam Sandler’s “Happy Gilmore 2,” featuring a slew of stars, including Bad Bunny, Eminem, and Post Malone. Adam Sandler’s highly anticipated sequel, “Happy Gilmore 2,” got a new trailer reveal during Netflix’s Tudum event on Saturday, May 31. The footage shows a cavalcade of stars, including Eric André, Travis Kelce, Ben Stiller, Bad Bunny, Eminem, and Post Malone. A teaser that initially dropped in March showed Sandler’s character, former p

The Korean National Police Agency in Seoul. Photo Credit: Gohsuke Takama A step towards reconciliation? Despite its contractual dispute with NewJeans, Hybe’s Ador is bringing out the legal guns to protect the girl group from online harassment. Ador disclosed as much in a lengthy social media post, claiming at the outset that “malicious” comments targeting K-pop artists have seen a “significant escalation” as of late. Said comments include but aren’t limited to appearance-related criticism, “f

Photo Credit: Gary Musick Productions AEG Presents has acquired Nashville-based special events production company Gary Musick Productions and affiliated entity Destination Musick City. The partnership will bring together decades of expertise in corporate event production, scenic fabrication, and destination management. Under the new structure, Gary Musick Productions will retain its name and continue to provide its corporate and social event services, including audio-visual production, scenic

Photo Credit: Fyre Hotels Convicted frauster Billy McFarland’s Fyre Festival do-over failed after local officials revealed the ‘festival’ did not have the required permits. Now McFarland is trying again with a newly dubbed ‘Fyre Coral View Pop-Up’ on Utila—a small island in Honduras. This new event is slated for September 3 – 10, 2025 and appears to follow the same setup as Fyre Festival 2. This attempt is being marketing as an ‘adventure-infused’ island getaway. That was supposedly the same a

Photo Credit: Darren Halstead The U.S. House of Representatives has narrowly passed the sweeping ‘One Big, Beautiful Bill’ which includes a controversial 10-year moratorium on state-level regulation for AI. This measure, if enacted, would prevent states from passing or enforcing any laws governing AI models, systems, or automated decision-making processes for a decade. The provision has drawn fierce opposition from a bipartisan coalition of 40 state attorneys general and more than 140 organiza

I’ve been overwhelmed by the fantastic new album releases lately. And with the bank holiday weekend here, it’s the perfect opportunity to share an exciting album review. Whether you’re gearing up for a lively BBQ, hitting the road for an adventure, or just lounging at home with some snacks and a flavoursome beverage. You’ll doubtless want to discover fresh music to elevate your experience. With this in mind, not long ago, I teased that pop sensation Tom Aspaul was getting ready to unveil his thi

Photo Credit: Miami Worldcenter Downtown Miami’s cultural landscape is about to reach new heights as Miami Worldcenter celebrates its grand opening. The $6 billion mixed-use destination will celebrate with a free, star-studded concert and block party on May 22. The event is a showcase of international talent and a testament to Miami’s growing stature as a global music and entertainment hub. The evening’s programming will kick off with Lee Greenwood singing “God Bless the U.S.A.” to set a patri

Photo Credit: World Red Eye DJ Alesso headlined the grand opening of downtown Miami’s Worldcenter, a $6 billion retail, dining, and entertainment hub. Miami’s downtown lit up as global superstar DJ Alesso headlined a massive open-air block party celebrating the grand opening of Miami Worldcenter, the city’s new 27-acre, $6 billion retail, dining, and entertainment hub. Thousands turned out for the high-energy show, which transformed Miami Worldcenter’s streets into a full-sensory experience wi