Matthew Lutz, Founder & CEO, Music Benefactors On November 14th, 2019, Taylor Swift wrote an open letter to the public, the music industry, and, most importantly of all, her many millions of fans. In it, Swift — who has sold over 50 million records and became a global sensation long before her 30th birthday — […]
Thomas Rabe (l), Chairman & CEO of Bertelsmann; and Immanuel Hermreck (r), Chief Human Resources Officer BMG parent company Bertelsmann has committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2030. The multibillion-dollar conglomerate announced the commitment via a formal media release. Bertelsmann also indicated that the initiative would be undertaken as part of Science Based Targets, a climate-awareness […]
New York-based rights-management company Kobalt Music Group has inked a neighboring rights deal with Australian pop singer Tones and I. With the support and resources of Kobalt behind her, Tones and I (whose real name is Toni Watson) will be in a position to maximize her royalties. The Victoria native burst onto the music scene […]
Primary Wave has purchased a 70% stake in the song catalog of Air Supply, a two-piece soft-rock band from Australia. The deal, loosely valued in the millions, also involves a substantial interest in the group’s recording asset revenue streams. Popular tracks like “All Out of Love,” “Making Love Out of Nothing At All,” and “Lost in Love” are included […]
EMI’s on-again, off-again lawsuit with Kanye West has officially drawn to a close. According to a stipulation of dismissal submitted to the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, the matter has been settled; a tentative agreement was reached on January 13th, and both sides had until February 14th to raise any […]
Photo Credit: Bam0822 / CC by 4.0 Today Kobalt announced a global publishing deal with Raedio Publishing, Issa Rae’s company. The new global partnership includes creative and administration services. That includes providing guidance and funding on new Raedio signings and more. Issa Rae’s YouTube series, “The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl,” started her rise to […]
Top page of joint joint Protective Order request filed by GMR, RMLC this week. Ahead of their upcoming legal showdown, Global Music Rights (GMR) and the Radio Music License Committee (RMLC) have jointly filed for a protective order that will keep potentially sensitive specifics out of the public eye. According to the filing, the courtroom […]
Universal Music Publishing Group has launched UMPG Window, a digital resource that provides creators with instant access to their songs’ real-time earnings data and information. UMPG Window is available both on computers and mobile devices; the website/app bills itself as “The Future of Royalty Portals.” According to Universal Music Publishing Group’s press release and the platform’s Apple Store […]
Global Music Rights founder Irving Azoff The legal battle between Global Music Rights (GMR) and the Radio Music License Committee (RMLC) has taken another interesting turn, as a federal judge has allowed each of their antitrust lawsuits to proceed. GMR had been attempting to dismiss the RMLC’s antitrust lawsuit, which alleges that the performers’ rights […]
Mariah Carey has moved her extensive catalog to performance rights organization ASCAP. The superstar was previously with BMI. ASCAP trumpeted the big news early this morning. ASCAP CEO Elizabeth Matthews indicated that she and her team are “honored” to have a “legend” like Carey join the organization. Carey was previously signed with BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc.), and […]