Rights

SoundExchange signals plans for AI registry for music creators

Music rightsholders want AI-music companies to ask permission and strike licensing deals before training their models on commercial recordings. Now US firm SoundExchange has announced plans to launch a registry of sound recordings that will give AI companies a clear picture of what they can and can’t use for their training processes. It will launch in the first quarter of 2025, built using its existing ISRC (international standard recording code) database.

Source: SoundExchange signals plans for AI registry for music creators

Judge sharply criticizes lawyers for authors in AI suit against Meta

A federal judge on Friday brutally district Court Judge Vincent Chhabria accused the plaintiffs’ attorneys of dragging out litigation that may help set important guardrails for the emerging technology. “You are not doing your job. This is an important case,” Chhabria told lead counsel Joseph Saveri during an hour-long video conference about fact-finding issues in the case.

Source: Judge sharply criticizes lawyers for authors in AI suit against Meta

Lionsgate Inks Deal With AI Firm to Mine Its Massive Film and TV Library

In a significant move, Lionsgate and the video-focused artificial intelligence research firm Runway have inked a deal that will see Runway train a new generative AI model on Lionsgate content, and will see the entertainment company use the tech as it produces future film and TV projects. While details are scarce, the companies say that the new model will be “customized to Lionsgate’s proprietary portfolio of film and television content,” and exclusive to the studio.

Source: Lionsgate Inks Deal With AI Firm to Mine Its Massive Film and TV Library

Gov. Gavin Newsom Signs AI Bills Backed by SAG-AFTRA

California Gov. Gavin Newsom visited SAG-AFTRA headquarters on Monday to sign two bills regulating the use of performances generated by artificial intelligence. The actors’ union lobbied for passage of the legislation, which builds on the protections won during the four-month actors’ strike against the major studios last year.

Source: Gov. Gavin Newsom Signs AI Bills Backed by SAG-AFTRA

Could a new remuneration right be the key to AI music licensing?

The music industry has been clear on its views about training musical AIs: licensing deals are required. But what should those licensing deals look like? A new white paper written by Professor Daniel J. Gervais of Vanderbilt Law School offers some ideas on that. “The best way for creators to generate a decent stream of ongoing revenue for the use of their copyrighted works by GenAI applications is to be paid when the datasets used to train GenAI containing their works are used to create new ‘content’.”

Source: Could a new remuneration right be the key to AI music licensing?

Web3 music streaming platform Tune.FM raises $50m in funding

The company has now raised $80M in its efforts to cut out the middleman between artists and music streamers. Unlike traditional platforms where artists receive a fraction of streaming profits, Tune.FM claims to pay artists 90%of their streaming revenue through its JAM token. This stands in contrast to industry giants like Spotify, which distributes “nearly 70%” of its music revenue to rightsholders, who then further distribute it to artists and songwriters.

Source: Web3 music streaming platform Tune.FM raises $50m in funding

House Judiciary Committee Asks Copyright Office to Examine ASCAP, BMI

House Judiciary members sent a letter to the Copyright Office requesting an examination of concerns related to performing rights organizations (PROs). In the letter, signed by the committee’s chairmen Rep. Jim Jordan and Rep. Darrell Issa as well as member Rep. Scott Fitzgerald, two particular areas of concern are addressed: the “proliferation” of new PROs and the lack of transparency about the distribution of general licensing revenue.

Source: House Judiciary Committee Asks Copyright Office to Examine PROs, Citing ‘Difficult to Assess’ Royalty Distributions

UMG strikes global licensing deal with B2B music streaming tech provider Tuned Global

The expanded agreement builds on a long-standing relationship between the two companies and, according to Tuned Global Managing Director Con Raso, marks “a significant milestone” for Tuned Global and the companies it works with. “Music licensing is an essential part of integrating music into various platforms, and this partnership provides an integrated solution for our clients, giving them direct access to UMG’s extensive repertoire,” said Raso.

Source: Universal strikes global licensing deal with B2B music streaming tech provider Tuned Global

Audius strikes global licensing deal with Kobalt

San Francisco-based blockchain-powered music platform Audius, which says it has 6 million monthly users, has signed a global licensing deal with music publisher Kobalt. The deal gives Kobalt-signed songwriters access to Audius’ decentralized marketplace, providing them with a potential new revenue stream, the companies said in a statement on Tuesday. Audius’ blockchain-powered marketplace offers music fans a way to engage with their favorite artists and support them via US dollar payments and its own crypto token, $AUDIO.

Source: Audius strikes global licensing deal with Kobalt

Audiomack teams up with Mogul to bring royalty tracking to its creators

Music streaming service Audiomack has partnered with royalty tracking platform Mogul to enable half a million active creators to manage their Audiomack royalties alongside other revenue streams. The collaboration is designed to help independent artists track and collect the royalties they’re owed more accurately, according to a joint release,

Source: Audiomack teams up with Mogul to bring royalty tracking to its creators

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