The Society of Composers, Authors, and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN) and SoundExchange have announced that the two entities have entered into a purchase agreement under which SOCAN will acquire the Canadian Musical Reproduction Rights Agency (CMRRA). The transaction, which is still subject to regulatory approval, will unite the neighboring rights management of mechanical rights with public performance rights in Canada.
Disney, TikTok Strike Content-Sharing Deal Aimed at Boosting Short-Form Programming on Disney+
The entertainment giant struck an alliance with TikTok that will have creators on the popular quick-hit video service making shorts tied to characters and stories from Marvel, Pixar, Star Wars, FX and more. The resulting pieces from creators who opt-in to the program will be available on both TikTok and on Disney+ in the form of “Verts,” the company’s vertical video products.
Source: Disney, TikTok Strike Content-Sharing Deal Aimed at Boosting Short-Form Programming on Disney+
Universal Music Group sells $467M in Spotify stock – artists set to be paid $100M+
Universal Music Group banked gross proceeds of EUR €403 million (USD $467 million) from selling part of its Spotify shareholding during the first half of 2026. On MBW‘s calculations, UMG artists could be in line for approximately $131 million of that money. The sale figure was disclosed by UMG CFO Matt Ellis on the company’s Q2 and H1 2026 earnings call on Thursday (July 30).
Source: Universal Music Group sells $467M in Spotify stock – artists set to be paid $100M+
South Korea’s KOMCA ends ban on AI-assisted songs
South Korea‘s largest music copyright collective has ended its ban on registering songs made with artificial intelligence. The Korean Music Copyright Association (KOMCA) will now register AI-assisted works and pay royalties on them, provided a human creator took a substantial part in the writing, composition, or arrangement. The amended rules took effect on Monday (August 3), replacing a ban that had applied since March 24, 2025.
The prisoner’s dilemma: Why UK publishers are signing Google AI deals
At industry events publishers fume about the broken bargain with Google, which historically scraped and copied their entire websites at no charge in exchange for sending them substantial amounts of traffic. Now that referral traffic is drying up. At events most agree that publishers must unite to strike a new collective bargain with Google based on a universally applied fair payment for content model. But privately many are signing secret deals with Google that provide them with cash and (a little) referral traffic in the short-term.
Source: The prisoner’s dilemma: Why UK publishers are signing Google AI deals
Merlin signs Spotify licensing deal for AI-powered ‘fan-made’ covers and remixes
Spotify has signed a licensing agreement with Merlin, the digital licensing partner for independent labels and distributors, for its upcoming fan-made covers and remixing tool. The tool will let fans create covers and remixes of songs from participating Merlin members’ artists and songwriters. It will launch as a paid add-on for Spotify Premium users, and according to the company, “will create an additional revenue stream for participating artists”.
Source: Merlin signs Spotify licensing deal for AI-powered ‘fan-made’ covers and remixes
The More Americans Know About AI, the Less They Like It: Gallup
According to Gallup, seven in 10 Americans now say they are somewhat or extremely knowledgeable about AI, up from 64% in 2024. But as familiarity has grown, so has skepticism. More Americans now believe AI does more harm than good, expect it to reduce the number of U.S. jobs over the next decade, and are less likely to trust businesses to use the technology responsibly.
Source: The More Americans Know About AI, the Less They Like It: Gallup
Google adds Top Stories links to many news-related AI summaries
Google has begun giving publishers a prominent “Top Stories” plug above many news-based queries which generate an AI Overview summary. While the move could lead to more referral traffic for publishers, they could lose the opportunity to feature in these snippets if they opt out of allowing their content to be used in AI Overviews.
Source: Google adds Top Stories links to many news-related AI summaries
Record Labels Offer to Abandon $46.8 Million Piracy Case Against Grande
After the Supreme Court’s Cox ruling reshaped ISPs piracy liability, the record labels behind a $46.8 million verdict against Grande Communications are ready to walk away from the case entirely. Grande won’t let them, however. The Internet provider is holding out for a formal win and the millions in bond costs it says the appeal ran up.
Source: Record Labels Offer to Abandon $46.8 Million Piracy Case Against Grande
Reddit keeps its strange DMCA fight over Google search results alive
On Friday, a judge largely denied a motion to dismiss from a web scraper, SerpApi, which is accused of conspiring with Perplexity AI to illegally scrape copyrighted Reddit content from Google search results. In his opinion, US District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer said that at this early stage, Reddit has plausibly pleaded that there was a conspiracy, with SerpApi providing a product to circumvent Google access controls and Perplexity AI paying for it.
Source: Reddit keeps its strange DMCA fight over Google search results alive