A coordinated push just told the industry to shut the door on Suno, blasting the AI music platform as a rights-stripping machine that floods streaming services with synthetic junk.
Artist reps call out Suno
Ron Gubitz and Helienne Lindvall signed an open letter rejecting Suno.
Chris Castle and David C. Lowery also backed the Say No to Suno message.
Blake Morgan and Abby North joined the coalition.
The letter labels Suno a smash-and-grab operation built on unlicensed training.
Lawsuits and label settlements
RIAA sued Suno and Udio in mid-2024 over mass infringement.
Udio later struck licensing deals with Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group.
Suno settled with Warner Music Group but still fights Universal Music Group.
European...
A major Asia-Pacific push just got a new captain as AEG hands John Langford the wheel to steer its venue empire across the region.
John Langford steps into the APAC lead
John Langford becomes President APAC at AEG International, starting April 1.
AEG says the role signals deeper investment in Asia-Pacific growth.
Langford will oversee the performance of current and upcoming regional venues.
Singapore becomes his base when he relocates in September 2026.
Langford’s AEG track record
Before this, Langford served as Executive Vice President for Venues at AEG International.
He joined AEG in November 2016 to run The O2 in London.
Two years later, he moved up to Chief Operating Officer of AEG Europe.
Earlier, he handled live entertainment...
A looming antitrust jury trial could get iced if an appeals court steps in, because Live Nation and Ticketmaster are trying to slam the brakes before things even start.
Live Nation seeks trial pause
Live Nation Entertainment and Ticketmaster asked to halt the DOJ trial.
Filing landed in the Southern District of New York on February 22.
The company wants an interlocutory appeal before any jury gets seated.
Jury selection is currently slated for March 2.
What Judge Arun Subramanian decided
Judge Arun Subramanian trimmed parts of the government’s monopoly case.
Promotion-market monopoly claims were tossed at summary judgment.
Ticketmaster venue exclusivity allegations survived and head to trial.
Tying claims tied to amphitheaters also...
A courtroom loss just morphed into a fresh appellate fight as Salt-N-Pepa push back against Universal Music Group over who actually controls their master recordings.
Salt-N-Pepa appeals copyright loss
Salt-N-Pepa filed an appeal after Judge Denise Cote tossed their case.
February paperwork landed in the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.
Cote had ruled they never possessed the sound recording copyrights.
Because of that finding, Section 203 termination rights were shut down.
How the 1986 contracts backfired
Cheryl James and Sandra Denton first signed with Noise In The Attic Productions Inc.
That deal handed master ownership to Hurby Azor’s company.
Same day, Azor shifted rights to Next Plateau Records.
Inducement...
A massive global music tie-up just handed Animaj outside muscle for distribution and publishing while it keeps a tight grip on its own IP vault.
Animaj locks in Magic Star and Sony Music Publishing
Animaj inked a worldwide music pact with Magic Star and Sony Music Publishing.
Magic Star will handle the global rollout of Animaj recordings.
Sony Music Publishing takes charge of administering song rights worldwide.
Gregory Dray framed the setup as a long-game, IP-first play.
What the deal actually covers
Animaj folds Pocoyo, Maya the Bee, HeyKids, and Super Sema into the agreement.
Those core catalogs sit at the heart of its kids and family slate.
Distribution and publishing get outsourced, while ownership stays in-house.
Dray stressed...
A fresh tie-up just handed Atlantic Music Group another globally wired indie partner and tightened its grip on cross border music hustle.
Atlantic Music Group links with Today Is Vintage
Atlantic Music Group is locked in a joint venture with Today Is Vintage.
Today Is Vintage was launched by Rebin Shah in Sweden.
Headquarters sit in New York, with crews in Stockholm, London, and Los Angeles.
Under Shah and Dave Gordon, the label pushed releases past 20 billion streams.
Rebin Shah and Dave Gordon's track record
Rebin Shah has steered platinum acts and Grammy-winning producers.
Previously, Shah held a Creative Director post at c, started by Queen Silvia of Sweden.
Dave Gordon most recently ran Urban Sales and served as SVP of A and R...
A near double-digit medical aid spike just set off province-wide protests, with public servants saying their paychecks are getting squeezed harder every year.
KZN unions mobilize against GEMS hike
Congress of South African Trade Unions in KwaZulu-Natal spearheaded the protests.
The Government Employees Medical Scheme imposed a 9.8% contribution increase.
Workers staged lunchtime pickets across Durban and other provincial hubs.
Public servants argue the jump wrecks already stretched household budgets.
Two-year increase dwarfs wage gains
Combined hikes hit 23.3% after last year’s 13.4% rise.
Salary adjustments trailed behind at 5.5% and 4%.
Nurses, teachers, and police officers say take-home pay feels thinner.
Inflation at 3.6% makes...
A R4.9 million grant scam just imploded in Johannesburg, dragging agency insiders into court and exposing how cash meant for the poorest got rerouted into shady hands.
Arrests shake SASSA in Johannesburg
South African Social Security Agency backed the Soweto takedown.
Four staffers were grabbed at a retail store during a cash withdrawal attempt.
Whistleblower tips and payout red flags triggered the sting.
Total suspects climbed to 11, spanning employees and outside helpers.
Named accused appear in Lenasia court
Phumzile Dlamini stood among those hauled before the Lenasia Magistrates Court.
Paul Bones and Phumelele Myeza were listed in the proceedings.
Keamogetswe Ledwaba and Phiwe Mkhuzangwe also faced charges.
An Ethiopian national...
A R1.5 million SUV nearly slipped into Zimbabwe until soldiers dragged it out of the Limpopo River, blowing up a cross-border smuggling run mid-move.
River recovery near Musina
The South African National Defence Force teamed with police near Musina.
Soldiers spotted a white Toyota Land Cruiser VX-R stuck mid-river.
The SUV had been taken from Boksburg days earlier.
Troops hauled it out before accomplices across the border could grab it.
More vehicles pulled from hotspot zones
Near Masisi policing precinct, a Toyota Fortuner was yanked from the riverbed.
That Fortuner came from Witbank, with numbers tampered to mask it.
Gumbu village checkpoint officers stopped another Toyota Fortuner lacking papers.
In Mutale, a fleeing Toyota...
