Phoebe Bridgers has landed her first No. 1 on the ARIA Albums Chart with “Lost Weekend,” marking a career milestone in the Australian market.
KATSEYE also notched a first chart-topper in the country, according to the latest ARIA rankings, giving the group its own breakthrough moment alongside Bridgers.
Read the full story at Billboard.
Hyde Lane, the corporation behind metal band Demon Hunter, has filed suit against Netflix and AEG over the animated hit “KPop Demon Hunters.” The complaint seeks treble damages, restitution, disgorgement of Netflix’s profits and attorneys’ fees, and demands a jury trial.
The filing adds another legal front to the fallout from the streaming and touring success of “KPop Demon Hunters,” pulling AEG into the dispute alongside Netflix. Details on the specific claims underlying the suit were not disclosed.
Read the full story at Music Business Worldwide.
A judge has authorized Ariana Grande to subpoena Instagram, TikTok, and PayPal in an effort to identify individuals allegedly responsible for leaking her music. The case currently names no specific defendants, instead listing them as John Doe 1 and John Does 2 through 100, a placeholder approach common in litigation targeting anonymous online infringers.
The ruling allows Grande’s legal team to compel the three platforms to turn over identifying information tied to accounts suspected of distributing or profiting from unreleased material. The move underscores the ongoing challenge labels and artists face in tracking down leakers who operate through pseudonymous social media and payment accounts.
Read the full story at Music Business Worldwide.
Music IP Holdings, a venture backed by Universal Music Group, has introduced a patent portfolio aimed at governing how artificial intelligence intersects with music creation and distribution. The company says the effort is intended to establish a licensing framework for AI-driven music tools rather than leave the space unregulated.
Udio and GRAI have secured licenses under the new portfolio, which the companies say will underpin AI services covering covers, remixes and other interactive music formats. The move signals a push by rights holders to build commercial guardrails around generative AI music technology as adoption accelerates across the industry.
Read the full story at Music Business Worldwide.
Apple Music will begin flagging tracks created with Suno’s AI technology with disclosure labels, according to a message sent to industry partners on Thursday and obtained by Music Business Worldwide. The move puts Apple among the streaming services responding to growing pressure over AI-generated music appearing alongside human-made recordings.
Notably, the labeling responsibility falls on record companies and distributors rather than Apple itself, meaning the platform is relying on rights holders to properly identify and tag AI-involved content before it reaches listeners. The approach raises questions about enforcement and how consistently labels will be applied across the catalog.
Read the full story at Music Business Worldwide.
Spotify’s Board of Directors has approved a $1.5 billion increase to the company’s share repurchase program, bringing the total authorization to roughly $2.2 billion. The company confirmed the move in a press release issued Thursday, August 20.
The expanded buyback signals continued confidence from Spotify leadership in the company’s financial position and stock valuation. Share repurchase programs allow companies to buy back their own stock, typically to return capital to shareholders and support share price.
Read the full story at Music Business Worldwide.
Weezer performed “We Might as Well Be Strangers,” a track off the band’s “Gold Album,” on “The Tonight Show.” Frontman Rivers Cuomo appeared on stage covered head to toe in gold paint for the performance.
The appearance ties into the band’s ongoing promotion of the “Gold Album” project, giving the release additional visibility through a late-night television slot.
Read the full story at Billboard.
Universal Music Group’s Virgin Music Group has struck a global distribution agreement with Sur Music World, a Mumbai-based label with roots in Bhojpuri and South Indian entertainment content. The deal expands Virgin Music Group’s footprint in India’s regional-language music market.
Sur Music World began by licensing Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam film titles for digital release before expanding into Bhojpuri repertoire. The partnership gives the label access to Virgin Music Group’s international distribution network as demand grows for South Asian regional content among global streaming audiences.
Read the full story at Music Business Worldwide.
Robert Clivillés, co-founder of C+C Music Factory, has filed a $30 million lawsuit against former group member Freedom Williams. The suit seeks cancellation of the trademark registration Williams holds on the group’s name.
Clivillés is also asking the court to grant him administrative control of the C+C Music Factory Instagram account, which Williams currently manages. The filing marks an escalation in a dispute over ownership and control of the act’s branding decades after its early-1990s dance-pop hits.
Read the full story at Music Business Worldwide.
SoundExchange has presented MC Lyte with its Music Fairness Award, recognizing her advocacy work on behalf of recording artists. The recognition centers on her support for the American Music Fairness Act, legislation aimed at requiring AM/FM radio stations to pay performance royalties to artists and rights holders.
Terrestrial radio in the US remains exempt from paying such royalties, a longstanding point of contention for artist advocates and industry groups. MC Lyte’s campaigning has been cited as part of a broader push by musicians and organizations to close that gap.
Read the full story at Music Business Worldwide.