Headlines

Spotify Beats MLC Audiobook Lawsuit After Judge Calls Royalty Rules ‘Unambiguous’

January 29, 2025By rightstech

In her decision on Wednesday, Judge Analisa Torres said that federal royalty rate rules clearly allowed Spotify to legally claim the lower rate, rejecting MLC’s argument that the company was not actually offering a “bundle” of services. “Audiobook streaming is a product or service that is distinct from music streaming and has more than token value,” the judge wrote, alluding to the specific wording of the federal rule. “Premium is, therefore, properly categorized as a Bundle.”

Source: Spotify Beats MLC Audiobook Lawsuit After Judge Calls Federal Royalty Rules ‘Unambiguous’

In the wake of new Spotify deal, Universal Music adds $3.4 billion to its market cap

January 29, 2025By rightstech

Off the back of yesterday’s Spotify/UMG pact announcement, today (January 27), Universal Music Group’s share price on the Amsterdam Euronext has risen by a whopping 7.35% vs. the stock’s closing price on Friday. This jump has had a significant impact on UMG’s public valuation. According to MBW’s calculations, at the close of Friday, UMG had a public market cap of approximately EUR €44.30 billion, or around USD $46.47 billion at current exchange rates.

Source: In the wake of new Spotify deal, Universal Music Group adds $3.4 billion to its market cap; Warner Music Group shares up 4.7% as investors await similar agreement with streamer

Spotify Paid Out $10 Billion to the Music Industry in 2024; $1 Billion More Than 2023

January 29, 2025By rightstech

Spotify paid out $10 billion to the music industry in 2024 — some $1 billion more than last year, the previous record — making its total around $60 billion since it was founded in 2006. The company made the announcement in a blog post Tuesday morning. The news comes two days after Spotify reached a new deal with Universal Music that sees more-favorable royalty payments to musicians from the service’s audiobooks-music “bundle” announced last year.

Source: Spotify Paid Out $10 Billion to the Music Industry in 2024 — $1 Billion More Than Last Year — and $60 Billion Total

Usage of copyright content: Digital news publishers join legal battle against OpenAI

January 27, 2025By rightstech

A group of digital news publishers in India have filed an intervention in the Delhi High Court, joining an ongoing proceeding against OpenAI for improperly using copyright content. The intervention was filed by the Digital News Publishers Association (DNPA), along with some of its members, which include The Indian Express, Hindustan Times and NDTV.

Source: Usage of copyright content: Digital news publishers join legal battle against OpenAI

Roc Nation partners with South Korea’s Musicow to launch royalty trading platform in US

January 27, 2025By rightstech

The new platform, scheduled to launch in the first quarter of 2025, will allow music rights owners “to securely fractionalize royalty revenue from their songs and sell shares, enabling fans to earn alongside them,” Roc Nation said on Thursday (January 23). Musicow purchases the copyright of a song from its original creator and splits the rights into smaller portions, allowing members on the platform to buy shares in the copyright royalties.

Source: Jay Z’s Roc Nation partners with South Korea’s Musicow to launch music royalty trading platform in the US

Spotify and Universal Unveil New Deal That Improves ‘Bundling’ Payment Structure

January 27, 2025By rightstech

Spotify and Universal announced a new deal that sources say improves the payment structure for the streamer’s controversial music-audiobooks ‘bundle.’ A Spotify rep said in a separate statement, “Spotify maintains its bundle, but with this direct deal [with UMPG], it has evolved to account for broader rights, including a different economic treatment for music and non-music content.”

Source: Spotify and Universal Unveil Far-Reaching Deal That Improves ‘Bundling’ Payment Structure

Sony to End Blu-ray Disc Media Production, Marking the End of an Era for Optical Media

January 27, 2025By rightstech

Sony has announced that it will cease production of Blu-ray media discs in February 2025, bringing an end to the format’s nearly two-decade run. This decision marks a significant milestone in the decline of physical media, as streaming services continue to dominate the entertainment landscape and cloud storage replaces the need for physical recordable discs.

Source: Sony to End Blu-ray Disc Media Production, Marking the End of an Era for Optical Media | Cord Cutters News

OpenAI faces new copyright case, from global book publishers in India

January 24, 2025By rightstech

Indian book publishers and their international counterparts have filed a copyright lawsuit against OpenAI in New Delhi, a representative said on Friday, the latest in a series of global cases seeking to stop the ChatGPT chatbot accessing proprietary content. The New Delhi-based Federation of Indian Publishers told Reuters it had filed a case at the Delhi High Court, which is already hearing a similar lawsuit against OpenAI.

Source: OpenAI faces new copyright case, from global book publishers in India

Spotify slams ‘ridiculous and unfounded’ Duetti report

January 24, 2025By rightstech

The company suggested that “Spotify’s payouts are holding down industry rates” by presenting a table comparing the effecting per-stream rates of Amazon Music, Apple Music, YouTube and Spotify, with the latter at the bottom. “These claims are ridiculous and unfounded,” a Spotify spokesperson responded. “No streaming service pays per stream because that approach would incentivize streaming services to minimize streams. It would mean low engagement, fewer artist connections, and lower overall payouts.”

Source: Spotify slams ‘ridiculous and unfounded’ Duetti report

Spotify Mechanical Royalties Just Dropped 30-40%, Publishers Say

January 24, 2025By rightstech

Spotify’s mechanical publishing royalties took a sudden-and-sizable dip this month for many US-based publishers and songwriters, according to preliminary stats shared with Digital Music News over the past few days. That includes multiple reports of 30-40% drops compared to previous months — all specifically tied to US-based mechanical publishing royalties.

Source: Spotify Mechanical Royalties Just Dropped 30-40%, Publishers Say