Headlines May 2026
| April 2026 | |
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BIEM, ITS MEMBERS AND SISTER ORGANISATIONS - Go to Section ▼
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| BIEM, ITS MEMBERS AND SISTER ORGANISATIONS | |
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SOCAN and APRA AMCOS release joint statement on AI and copyright
Billboard, 6 March 2026 SOCAN and APRA AMCOS are calling for ethical AI use, stressing licensing, transparency, and fair remuneration for creators. They warn that unregulated AI could shift value to tech companies and stress that governments must ensure frameworks that protect human creativity while enabling sustainable industry growth. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ GEMA vs. Suno: German court hears landmark AI music copyright case Music Business Worldwide, 9 March 2026 A Munich court heard GEMA’s case alleging that Suno trained its AI on copyrighted music without permission and produced outputs resembling original songs. Suno denies infringement. The case tests AI training and output liability, with a ruling expected in June 2026 that could shape licensing, transparency, and creator remuneration. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ SACEM: Navigating AI, copyright and the future of music rights SACEM, 16 March 2026 SACEM highlights growing challenges around AI training on copyrighted music, questioning consent, ownership, and remuneration. It calls for transparent data use, licensing frameworks, and stronger legal protections, arguing that collective management organisations will play a key role in ensuring creators are fairly paid while supporting responsible AI innovation. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ Private Copying Global Study 2026 by BIEM, CISAC, IFRRO, and Stichting de Thuiskopie BIEM, 25 March 2026 This study provides the most comprehensive analysis to date of private copying laws and remuneration frameworks worldwide, examining legal provisions, collection and distribution mechanisms, levy rates and revenues derived from private copying across 196 countries and five global regions. This year’s edition includes reprographic rights for the first time, which covers the reproduction of text and images. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ AKM calls for AI remuneration for Austrian artists AKM, 25 March 2026 AKM argues that AI is further reducing already low earnings for Austrian musicians, as copyrighted works are used to train AI without compensation while AI-generated music rapidly expands. It calls for clear legal frameworks to ensure fair pay, warning that most creators are not benefiting from industry growth and need stronger protections to sustain their livelihoods. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ | |
| ROYALTY & COPYRIGHT | |
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Video gaming platform Steam faces legal proceedings PRS for Music, 9 March 2026 PRS for Music has launched legal action against Valve, alleging that Steam has used members’ music without a licence since 2003. Despite years of attempted negotiations, PRS claims Valve failed to engage. The case seeks to secure proper licensing and compensation for songwriters, composers, and publishers whose music features in games and soundtracks on the platform. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ Google sued by indie musicians over AI music amid escalating battle against tech giant AOL, 13 March 2026 A group of independent musicians has sued Google, alleging its AI music model was trained on copyrighted songs taken from YouTube without permission or payment. The lawsuit claims that Google used its control over distribution and rights systems to exploit creators, raising major questions about AI training, ownership, and fair compensation. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ EC delays its new rules on payouts for radio and public performances—IMPALA says Europe desperately needs to speed it up Digital Music News, 18 March 2026 The European Commission has delayed clarifying rules on broadcasting and public performance royalties, prompting concern from IMPALA. The group warns that the delay risks lost income for European creators and urges faster action, including trade pressure, as some countries adopt temporary measures amid legal uncertainty. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ Spotify seeks $300M from Anna’s Archive, which ignores all court proceedings ARS Technica, 26 March 2026 Spotify and major record labels sued Anna’s Archive for massive copyright infringement after it scraped millions of songs and metadata. They won a court order to suspend key domains and block infrastructure, but Anna’s Archive remains accessible through alternative domains. The site hasn’t engaged in the legal process, and efforts to remove it have had limited success so far. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ | |
| NEW MEDIA | |
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Apple Music’s new “Transparency Tags” aim to flag AI-generated content – but labels have to self-report MusicTech, 7 March 2026 Apple Music is introducing “Transparency Tags” to identify when AI was used in creating music, artwork, compositions, or videos on its platform. The system relies on labels and distributors to voluntarily report AI involvement in metadata, promoting transparency, but raises questions about enforcement and accuracy, as Apple does not independently detect AI generated content. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ Canada allows TikTok to keep operating after security review Finance.Yahoo, 10 March 2026 Canada has reversed an earlier move to shut down TikTok’s Canadian business following a national security review, allowing the short form video platform to continue operating. The decision comes with new data protection and security commitments, including stronger safeguards for user privacy and minors, third party oversight, and enhanced protections for Canadian creators. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ Apple Music and TikTok introduce new 'Play Full Song' experience, bringing seamless music discovery and listening together Newsroom.Tiktok, 11 March 2026 Apple Music and TikTok have launched Play Full Song, letting Apple Music subscribers play full tracks they discover on TikTok without leaving the app. Built with Apple’s MusicKit, it supports paid streams and helps fans save songs or add them to playlists. A new Listening Party feature also enables shared listening and artist interaction in real-time. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ Spotify Co-CEO Gustav Söderström puts listeners in charge of Taste algorithms Observer, 14 March 2026 At SXSW, Spotify co CEO Gustav Söderström unveiled new Taste Profile tools that let users view and adjust how the platform interprets their listening preferences. Listeners can tweak recommendations for artists, genres or vibes, giving them more control over personalised home pages and playlists—a shift toward user directed discovery. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ ChatGPT now lets users identify songs with Shazam IMusician, 16 March 2026 ChatGPT has integrated Apple’s Shazam music recognition tech, letting users identify songs directly within the chat. By typing a prompt like “Shazam, what’s playing?”, Shazam listens to audio and returns the track title, artist, artwork, and a preview — without switching apps. Songs can also be saved to the Shazam library if the app is installed. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ Tencent Music Entertainment Group announces fourth quarter and full-year 2025 unaudited financial results PR Newswire, 17 March 2026 Tencent Music reported strong Q4 and full year 2025 results: Q4 revenue rose ~15.9% to RMB 8.64 bn, and full year revenue grew ~15.8% to RMB 32.90 bn. Online music services and subscriptions drove growth. Full year net profit jumped ~66.4%. The board approved a ~$368 million cash dividend, and the company ended 2025 with robust cash reserves. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ Deezer achieves profitability in FY25 as strategy delivers tangible results Newsroom.Deezer, 18 March 2026 Deezer reported profitability for the first time in FY2025, achieving positive net income, free cash flow and adjusted EBITDA after strategic efforts. Revenue was stable at €534 m, costs were reduced, and subscriber growth continued. Key partnerships were renewed and AI focused tools helped improve transparency. The company enters 2026 with a solid financial position and ongoing growth priorities. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ Spotify rolls out ‘Artist Profile Protection’ beta amid mounting fake release issues: ‘The rise of easy-to-produce AI tracks has made the problem worse’ Digital Music News, 24 March 2026 Spotify is testing “Artist Profile Protection,” a beta feature that lets artists review and approve releases before they appear on their profiles to combat fake and AI generated tracks misattributed to real artists. Only approved music will count toward an artist’s catalogue and recommendations. The tool includes “artist keys” for trusted providers and will be refined before wider rollout. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ Meet SongDNA, a new beta feature that reveals the creative connections behind your favorite tracks Newsroom.Spotify, 24 March 2026 Spotify has launched SongDNA, a new beta feature for Premium users that shows the creative connections behind songs — including writers, producers, collaborators, samples, interpolations, and covers — right in the Now Playing view. Listeners can tap to explore linked creators and influences, while eligible artists and labels can review and manage SongDNA details in Spotify for Artists. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ |
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| AI IN MUSIC | |
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South Korea’s music industry wages war on AI copyright abuse Routenote, 6 March 2026 South Korea’s leading music organisations have formed the K Music Rights Organization Mutual Growth Committee to fight AI copyright abuse, declaring a “state of emergency” against unlicensed AI training of music. The coalition demands permission based AI training, transparency, and clear standards to distinguish human and AI works, and plans systems to better track usage and royalties in the AI era. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ EU Parliament urges new rules to protect creative works from AI training Euronews, 10 March 2026 The European Parliament adopted recommendations urging new EU rules to protect creative works from being used to train AI without permission. Lawmakers want copyright laws to apply to all generative AI on the EU market, require transparency on training data, allow creators to opt out, and ensure fair remuneration. They also propose a European register of copyrighted works used in AI training. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ UK government drops AI copyright opt-out plan after backlash Routenote, 20 March 2026 The UK government has scrapped its controversial proposal to let AI companies train on copyrighted material unless rights holders opt out, after strong backlash from music creators and industry groups. The original text and data mining exception plan faced criticism for weakening copyright protections. Officials say they now “have no preferred option” and will continue consultations, exploring licensing, transparency, and how to label AI content. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ US music publishers suing Anthropic make their case against AI 'fair use' Reuters, 24 March 2026 Major U.S. music publishers, including Universal Music Group, Concord and ABKCO, asked a California judge to rule that Anthropic isn’t protected by “fair use” after allegedly using their song lyrics to train its Claude AI chatbot. They argue that copyright law should hold the AI company liable for copying and using their works without permission. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ |
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| INDUSTRY INSIGHTS | |
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Universal Music Group N.V. reports financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2025 Universal Music, 5 March 2026 Universal Music Group N.V. reported its Q4 and full year 2025 financial results, highlighting strong revenue growth and strategic progress. The company emphasised advances in streaming, artist services, and global expansion, plus investments such as the acquisition of Downtown Music and a €500 million share buyback programme. Free cash flow increased, supporting long term value creation for shareholders. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ Music industry groups push US Senate to tighten TICKET Act and cap resale fees at 10% Routenote, 6 March 2026 Music and live entertainment groups are urging the U.S. Senate to strengthen the TICKET Act by capping ticket resale fees at 10%, banning speculative ticketing and requiring full price transparency. Their goal is to combat scalpers and inflated secondary market fees that make concerts less affordable for fans and to ensure tickets reach genuine concertgoers rather than resellers. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ Live Nation reaches settlement in US monopoly case BBC, 9 March 2026 The U.S. Department of Justice and Live Nation/Ticketmaster reached a settlement in a major antitrust lawsuit, with Live Nation agreeing to restrictions after accusations of monopoly power in concert ticketing. The deal avoids breaking up the company but addresses competition concerns, including limits on service fees and structural changes aimed at opening up the live event market. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ BPI: UK recorded music market tops £1.5 billion as new generation of British acts make chart impact MusicWeek, 12 March 2026 BPI figures reveal that the UK recorded music market grew 5 % in 2025 to a record £1.57 billion, exceeding £1.5 billion for the first time, driven by streaming and a surge in vinyl sales. A new generation of British artists made a notable impact on the charts, boosting visibility and revenue. Physical formats also rose, and the industry marked its eleventh consecutive year of growth. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ RIAA reports: US recorded music annual revenue achieves new high of $11.5 billion in 2025 RIAA, 16 March 2026 The U.S. recorded music industry hit a record $11.5 billion in annual wholesale revenue in 2025, up about 3% year on year, according to the Recording Industry Association of America. Streaming subscriptions remained dominant, while vinyl sales surpassed $1 billion for the first time since the 1980s, marking continued growth across formats. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ Global Music Report 2026: Global recorded music revenues grow 6.4% as record companies drive innovation IFPI, 18 March 2026 Global recorded music revenues reached US $31.7 billion in 2025, growing 6.4 % for the eleventh consecutive year, driven by paid streaming, which now dominates the market. Growth occurred in all regions, with strong gains in Latin America, MENA and Asia. The report also highlights industry innovation and ongoing challenges like streaming fraud. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ Vinyl sales are on the rise, IFPI, RIAA, and Luminate data shows — but do these growth stats tell the full story? Digital Music News, 18 March 2026 Vinyl sales continued rising in 2025, with U.S. units and revenue up roughly 7.9% and 9.3% respectively, contributing to vinyl’s 19th consecutive year of growth and surpassing $1 billion in wholesale value, per RIAA, IFPI and Luminate data. However, analysts note that recent methodology changes and incomplete data sources make precise comparisons difficult. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ Alibaba wants to be a global ticketing player — starting with Malaysia tour stop for Chinese rap superstar GAI Music Business Worldwide, 17 March 2026 Alibaba’s live entertainment arm, MAISEAT — part of Damai Entertainment, itself a subsidiary of Alibaba Group — is entering international ticketing by securing the primary ticketing role for Chinese rapper GAI’s EVOLUTION 2026 World Tour stop in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. This marks MAISEAT’s first overseas ticketing deal, supporting localised sales, customer service and global expansion plans. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ France’s recorded music revenue grew 3.9% in 2025 amid solid streaming gains — as local artists dominated the charts, SNEP report shows Digital Music News, 24 March 2026 France’s recorded music market grew 3.9% to €1.07 billion in 2025, driven by solid streaming gains and strong performance from local artists dominating lists and radio. Paid on demand streaming revenue rose nearly 5.9%, while freemium listening saw a notable 12% increase, helping offset slower digital growth compared with global trends. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ BMG delivers strong profitability and strategic milestones in 2025 BMG, 26 March 2026 BMG reported a solid 2025 performance: overall revenue declined slightly from 2024 due to strategic divestments and currency effects, but paid streaming and digital revenue grew strongly, with double digit streaming subscription gains reported. Profitability and EBITDA margins improved, and the company completed 30 catalogue acquisitions while pursuing larger deals, reflecting growth in rights management and digital focus. Management changes and future expansion plans were also highlighted. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ | |
| FIGHT AGAINST PIRARCY | |
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RIAA welcomes US government spotlight on music industry piracy priorities in notorious markets report RIAA, 4 March 2026 The Recording Industry Association of America welcomed the U.S. government’s Notorious Markets Report for highlighting online and physical piracy sites that harm American music creators and the industry’s economic contributions. The RIAA praised the focus on digital piracy—including stream ripping, cyberlockers and unlicensed streaming—and urged future attention to emerging AI related copyright abuses like illegal use of recordings, likenesses and voice cloning. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ US man pleads guilty to defrauding music streamers out of millions using AI The Guardian, 21 March 2026 A North Carolina man, Michael Smith, pleaded guilty to conspiracy for defrauding music streaming platforms by generating thousands of AI made songs and using bot accounts to rack up billions of fake streams, stealing millions in royalties that otherwise would have gone to real artists. His guilty plea is one of the first AI related music fraud prosecutions in the U.S. justice system. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ Supreme Court rules against record labels in $1 billion Cox Communications piracy case Variety, 25 March 2026 The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled that internet service provider Cox Communications cannot be held liable for users’ music piracy, overturning a previous $1 billion damages award sought by major record labels. The decision limits copyright liability for ISPs unless they intentionally induce infringement, marking a significant setback for rights holders in digital music enforcement. Link to original article | Back To The Top ▲ |
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