Ex-Spotify Innovation Chief Raises $5.5M Pre-Seed for Music App Startup

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A startup founded by Spotify’s former Head of Innovation has closed a $5.5 million pre-seed funding round. The company builds apps that allow users to deconstruct and rebuild recorded music, and was launched in 2024, the same year its founder departed Spotify.

Former Condé Nast chief executive and Spotify board member Dawn Ostroff is among the investors backing the round, signaling continued interest from industry veterans in tools that reimagine how listeners interact with recordings.

Read the full story at Music Business Worldwide.

UMG Sues DistroKid Over AI-Generated Music and ‘Unlawful Practices’

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Universal Music Group has filed suit against DistroKid, alleging the digital distributor engaged in unlawful practices and allowed platforms to be flooded with AI-generated music. The lawsuit centers heavily on DistroKid’s alleged role in facilitating the spread of AI-made tracks.

The suit marks another flashpoint in the major labels’ escalating legal campaign against companies they say are enabling AI music to proliferate unchecked across streaming services. Details on the specific claims and damages sought were not fully outlined in initial reporting.

Read the full story at Music Business Worldwide.

Panic! at the Disco Entity Sues Online Vendors Over Counterfeit Merchandise

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A company tied to Panic! at the Disco has filed a lawsuit against a group of online sellers accused of distributing counterfeit merchandise bearing the band’s branding. The complaint cites two counts under the Lanham Act: trademark infringement and counterfeiting.

The filing adds to a steady stream of legal actions from music rights holders targeting unauthorized merch sellers, an area labels and artist companies increasingly police to protect licensing revenue.

Read the full story at Music Business Worldwide.

Curve Royalty Systems CEO: Independence Doesn’t Mean Isolation for Indie Labels

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Richard Leach, CEO of Curve Royalty Systems, argues in a new op/ed for Music Business Worldwide that independent labels and distributors, while operating outside major-label ownership structures, remain deeply reliant on shared industry infrastructure, from distribution and data systems to royalty processing.

Leach’s piece makes the case that true independence in music today is less about going it alone and more about how effectively independent companies plug into and navigate an increasingly interconnected industry ecosystem.

Read the full story at Music Business Worldwide.

MNRK Music Group Acquires Black Label Society’s Recorded Catalog

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MNRK Music Group has acquired the recorded music catalog of Black Label Society, the metal band led by guitarist Zakk Wylde. The catalog covers more than two decades of output and includes 11 studio albums.

The deal adds another rock catalog to MNRK’s holdings as the company continues to build out its recorded music assets through acquisitions.

Read the full story at Music Business Worldwide.

Linda Perry Documentary “Let It Die Here” Sets Hulu Premiere

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The documentary “Linda Perry: Let It Die Here” will premiere on Hulu on September 18, following a theatrical run and its debut at the Tribeca Film Festival. Directed by Don Hardy and produced by KTF Films, the movie traces the career of the songwriter, producer and 4 Non Blondes frontwoman, whose production and writing credits include Dolly Parton, Christina Aguilera, P!nk, Adele and Alicia Keys.

The film draws on years of access to Perry’s creative process, including interviews with Dolly Parton, Christina Aguilera, Brandi Carlile, Sara Gilbert and Kate Hudson. According to the announcement, it has qualified for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature, and the film’s original song, “What Lies With You,” is under consideration for the Best Original Song Oscar. The distributor also cites a 100% Rotten Tomatoes score and says reviewers at Rolling Stone, Billboard and The Wrap praised the film’s candor.

The Hulu debut arrives alongside Perry’s first solo album in more than 25 years, also titled “Let It Die Here.” The release follows a 2025 reunion for 4 Non Blondes, whose 1993 single “What’s Up” resurfaced via a TikTok mashup that the band says drew billions of views and led to a performance on Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve in 2026.

Based on a press release provided to Music Industry Weekly by Beachwood Entertainment Collective.

Soprano Brandie Inez Sutton to Debut Solo Show at 54 Below This Fall

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Soprano Brandie Inez Sutton will make her debut at New York venue 54 Below with a one-woman concert titled “Miss Sutton, Live!” on October 8 and October 11. The show spans arias, art songs, spirituals, jazz, pop, classical selections, and Broadway and Disney standards, according to the announcement.

The evening features arrangements by and collaboration with music director Joseph Joubert, with Richard Jay-Alexander directing. Sutton, whose opera and concert work has drawn praise from The New York Times and Opera News according to the announcement, described the performance as a more personal show than her opera house appearances, offering audiences insight into her story alongside the music.

Based on a press release provided to Music Industry Weekly by Gwendolyn Quinn Public Relations.

MusiMap Launches AI Music Intelligence Suite, Names Ty Roberts Chief Commercial Officer

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MusiMap, a B2B music intelligence company, has launched a new technology platform combining machine learning with human annotation to classify music by emotional, contextual and cultural attributes rather than traditional metadata. The company says the system can analyze tracks across more than 120 genres, 60 moods, 70 listening situations, 48 acoustic attributes and over 4,000 descriptive keywords in 12 languages.

The intelligence suite includes four products: MusiTag, which tags tracks with emotional and sonic attributes; MusiSearch, a tool for searching music by emotional profile; MusiProfile, which analyzes audience preferences; and MusiTrace, an audio fingerprinting tool for identification and royalty monitoring. According to the announcement, the technology is built on more than 40 years of research by musicologist Pierre Lebecque and was developed by an in-house team of more than 60 specialists.

Alongside the launch, MusiMap named Ty Roberts, co-founder of Gracenote and former chief technology officer at Universal Music Group, as its Chief Commercial Officer. The company also announced brand and music strategy agency Light On as its first customer for the new platform.

Based on a press release provided to Music Industry Weekly by Jose Guariglia, fourthpillarpr.com.

Brit Floyd Sets 2027 ‘Animals 50’ Tour, Extends 2026 North American Trek

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Pink Floyd tribute act Brit Floyd has announced “Animals 50,” a 2027 tour marking the 50th anniversary of Pink Floyd’s “Animals” album. The production, mounted by Palladium Entertainment, is set to run nearly three hours and will draw on material from “Animals” alongside catalogue staples such as “Time,” “Money,” “Shine On You Crazy Diamond,” “Comfortably Numb” and “Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2.”

The first announced leg covers more than 39 North American dates beginning February 23, 2027, at FirstOntario Concert Hall in Hamilton, Ontario, and running through the spring with stops including the New York area, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Atlanta and Miami. Additional North American and European dates are expected to be announced in the coming months. Tickets for the initial run go on sale September 18.

The new tour follows the final stretch of Brit Floyd’s 2026 outing, “The Moon, The Wall and Beyond,” which resumes September 18 and runs through late October with 123 dates in total. That tour, built around “The Dark Side of the Moon” and “The Wall,” coincides with the band’s 15th anniversary; according to the announcement, Brit Floyd has performed more than 1,600 shows worldwide since forming.

Based on a press release provided to Music Industry Weekly by Marcee Rondan, sropr.com.

Daniel Pickard Sets Debut Album ‘Behaviour’ for October 23

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Daniel Pickard, the Coventry-raised, London-based singer-songwriter formerly of art-pop band Half Loon, will release his debut album, Behaviour, on October 23 via AWAL. The record features contributions from composer and violinist Owen Pallett, composer Michael Stein, and French artist Mahault, who guests on lead single “Heartbeats the Flaw.”

According to the announcement, Pickard began working on the 10-track album during the 2020 lockdown while staying with family in Coventry, using the period to connect with collaborators who had more availability at the time. The album was co-produced with Max Prior, with vocals recorded by mixer Eduardo De La Paz at producer Craig Silvey’s Kensal Rise studio, drums tracked at Hoxa HQ in West Hampstead, and mastering by Antoine Chabert in Paris.

Pickard describes the album as drawing on French pop, Italo disco and Serge Gainsbourg-style lyricism, with songs touching on settings including a Victorian gay brothel, a Sao Paulo airport, and a hotel afterparty. He previously fronted Half Loon alongside actor Charlie Heaton before the band split in 2017.

Based on a press release provided to Music Industry Weekly by Vic Borlando.