News
Wyclef Jean and Jaeson Ma's D2 C service Open Wav launches Snafu-backed indie artist financing platform
2+ week, 1+ day ago (798+ words) Open Wav, a direct-to-fan platform co-founded by Wyclef Jean and 88rising's Jaeson Ma, has launched a new financing service for independent artists. Called Open Wav Artist Bank, the program offers qualifying independent artists cash advances against their streaming royalties. "Together,…...
Splice launches AI tools that compensate sample creators when their sounds are used
2+ day, 7+ hour ago (480+ words) Music creation platform Splice has launched a new suite of AI-powered tools " and says original sample creators will be compensated when their sounds are used to generate new material. Splice says the tools combine its existing catalog of more than…...
Universal Music Group launches Everything Jazz, a new global digital platform for jazz music and culture
1+ day, 9+ hour ago (616+ words) Universal Music Group's Global Classics & Jazz division has launched Everything Jazz, a new digital platform and online store dedicated to jazz music and culture. The platform follows a phased international rollout of online stores across Europe " including local stores in…...
As K-pop concert revenues rise, HYBE, SM Entertainment, JYP, and YG plot music festival joint venture
1+ day, 18+ hour ago (586+ words) K-pop giants HYBE, JYP Entertainment, SM Entertainment, and YG Entertainment are preparing to establish a joint venture to launch a "global" music festival. An FTC official told Business Post that the regulator could not confirm individual filings, but noted that…...
Streaming Fraud Doesn't Respect Silos. Neither Should We.
2+ day, 19+ hour ago (860+ words) MBW Views is a series of op-eds from eminent music industry people" with something to say. The following MBW op/ed comes from the CEO of Merlin, Charlie Lexton. Lexton's comments add to an ongoing debate around "manipulated' (i. e. sped up,…...
UMG's Michael Nash takes aim at "false narrative of artist replacement' by AI " and 3 other things we learned from his Human X panel with Splice's CEO
2+ day, 21+ hour ago (974+ words) Universal Music Group's EVP and Chief Digital Officer, Michael Nash, appeared alongside Splice CEO Kakul Srivastava at the Human X AI conference in San Francisco last week. The pair discussed UMG's approach to AI, and the recently-announced partnership between UMG…...
Mark Pitts exits as President of RCA Records, launches new management venture COFVNDERS
3+ day, 2+ hour ago (510+ words) Mark Pitts has stepped down as President of RCA Records. He will maintain a relationship with RCA and Sony Music in a consultancy capacity, working with the artists he developed during his tenure at the label, including Chris Brown and…...
Chris Marking appointed Executive Vice President, International Venue Sponsorship at Live Nation
2+ day, 23+ hour ago (468+ words) Live Nation has appointed Chris Marking as Executive Vice President, International Venue Sponsorship, a role overseeing naming rights, founding partnerships, venue network deals and broader sponsorship strategy across its international venue portfolio outside North America. Marking, who will be based…...
India added nearly 4m paid music streaming subscriptions in 2025, taking its total to 14. 4m, according to new report
3+ day, 49+ min ago (604+ words) India's paid music streaming market crossed INR "10. 3 billion in subscription revenue for the first time in 2025. That's according to a joint report from EY and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, which you can read here. The…...
Spotify strikes deal with National Independent Venue Association to boost indie venues in the US
2+ day, 23+ hour ago (483+ words) Spotify is partnering with the National Independent Venue Association or NIVA for a year-long initiative aimed at giving independently owned music venues more exposure on the streaming platform. Under the partnership, Spotify will boost visibility for independent venues through existing…...