During his time at PRS for Music, Robert Ashcroft played an important role in launching three joint collective rights management ventures. On the tenth anniversary of his appointment, Robert Ashcroft will step down as PRS for Music’s CEO in December 20…
Author archives: Daniel Sanchez
EDC China Has Just One Rule for Performers – Swear and Go to Jail
Most DJs love to swear onstage. Upon arriving in China, they found out they’d lose their freedom if they did. Over the weekend, several DJs stopped by to perform at EDC Guangdong in China. These included Zedd, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Infected M…
LL Cool J Files Lawsuit Against Rock the Bells Music Festival
‘Rock the Bells’ made LL Cool J famous. Now, he’s willing to stop any infringement of the name. LL Cool J has filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against the Rock the Bells music festival. Thirty-three years ago, the rapper released ‘Rock the Bells…
Amidst Dismal Numbers, YouTube Retreats from Its Premium Service
Let’s face it. Very few people actually pay to watch movies and stream music on YouTube. At its peak last year, YouTube’s former premium video service – YouTube Red – had around 1.5 million subscribers. Google Play Music had around 7 million. Then, t…
Hipgnosis Purchases Significant Stake in Bernard Edwards’ Catalog
Hipgnosis continues purchasing and making significant investments in important song catalogs. Two weeks ago, Hipgnosis Songs Fund Limited (HSFL) purchased 100% of Poo Bear’s catalog. Poo Bear has written songs for David Guetta, DJ Khaled, Justin Timber…
Mixcloud Signs Long-Term Licensing Deal with Merlin
To ensure fair royalties – and avoid costly lawsuits – Mixcloud keeps unveiling new direct licensing deals. Mixcloud has had a pretty good 2018. Last March, the British indie long-form streaming service secured $11.5 million to expand its business arou…
New Details Emerge About Spotify’s Upcoming Difficult Launch in India
Ahead of its upcoming launch in India, Spotify faces major obstacles in its quest to gain subscribers, including a limited song catalog. According to a new report, Spotify has geared up to rollout in another major music market. In “as soon as six month…
Viagogo Executives Forced to Obey Court Order or Face Jail Time
Viagogo must now change its business model or face the consequences, including prison time for top executives. Viagogo isn’t exactly the most reputable secondary ticketing platform. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. In order to ensure it makes a profit…
MusicMonster, a Notorious Stream Ripper, Declared Illegal
MusicMonster argued it merely provided a private copying service for song downloads. A German high court disagreed. Among stream rippers, MusicMonster is a very curious service. The music service scans active internet radio streams, searching for the …
Dentsu Aegis Network Unveils Strategic Partnership with Rupture Records
Dentsu Aegis Network makes an entry into the digital music advertising scene. Two weeks ago, Dentsu Aegis Network’s CEO abruptly stepped down. Jerry Buhlmann had served for nine years as the digital advertising group’s top boss. Tim Andree, Dentsu Aegi…