Will the Michael Jackson estate follow through on its threat to sue Leaving Neverland producer/director Dan Reed? In late February, the Michael Jackson estate made good on its promise. The late King of Pop’s family sued HBO for $100 million at Los Ange…
Author archives: Daniel Sanchez
FLVTO.biz Issues a Fiery Response Brief Against the RIAA’s Court Appeal
At the beginning of this year, and in a shocking ruling, notorious Russian stream-ripper FLVTO.biz soundly defeated the major labels – led by the RIAA – in a U.S. federal courtroom. Industry observers had expected the RIAA – which represents Warner, So…
‘Lady Marmalade’ Co-Writer Sues Sony/ATV for $20 Million
Kenny Nolan, one of the songwriters behind the Patti LaBelle hit, ‘Lady Marmalade,’ has filed a $20 million lawsuit against Sony/ATV. According to the 60-page lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, the music pu…
Amazon’s New Karaoke Platform ‘Twitch Sings’ Could Cut into ByteDance’s TikTok Market Dominance
While ByteDance executives battle it out with major labels, Amazon’s Twitch may very well steal away TikTok’s core audience. According to a report published earlier this week, Chinese conglomerate ByteDance – parent company of TikTok – remains in stall…
Despite Billboard’s Antiquated Opposition, Lil Nas X’s ‘Old Town Road’ Tops Hot 100, Breaking a Drake Record
Thanks to TikTok – as well as a slight nudge from Justin Bieber – Lil Nas X’s ‘Old Town Road’ became an overnight sensation last month. The popular hybrid hip-hop/country song soon debuted on several Billboard charts, including the famed Hot Country So…
Nancy Pelosi Warns That Democrats May Do Away With Section 230, the Law That Protects Freedom of Speech and Expression Online
Nancy Pelosi and House Democrats don’t exactly have a great view of tech firms nor protecting freedom of speech online. In a new interview, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has issued a stern warning to major tech firms. She may prepare to do away wi…
Thanks to Streaming, Universal Music Group’s Q1 2019 Revenue Jumps 19.2% to $1.7 Billion
Vivendi has just revealed it may sell up to half of Universal Music Group to one or more partners. Ahead of its upcoming sale of up to 50% Universal Music Group (UMG), parent company Vivendi has posted strong financials for the first quarter of 2019. T…
Music Creation Startup Splice Brings in $105 Million in Funding to Date
Can Splice overcome piracy to remain a successful music creation startup? Several weeks ago, Splice announced a new fundraising milestone. The music creation startup raised an impressive $57.5 million in a Series C funding round. Existing investors Un…
The European Council Gives Final Approval to the Copyright Directive
Last month, as critics decried “a dark day for internet freedom,” major rightsholders and copyright organizations hailed a major victory in Europe. In a landmark vote, the European Parliament approved the Copyright Directive. This includes two controv…
Vivid Seats Acquires FanXchange for “Up To” $64 Million
Vivid Seats has confirmed its first acquisition. The indie secondary ticketing platform has purchased FanXechange for ‘up to’ $85 million CAD ($64 million USD). Founded in 2009 by Brandon Koffler and Shawn Brooks, the Toronto-based white-label company …