SOCAN members — including songwriters, composers, producers, publishers, and other composition rights owners — received an average of $67 (Canadian dollars) for domestic digital royalties in 2019, according to the organization. SOCAN, a performance rig…
Category archives: Feature Story
Marvin Gaye’s Estate Doubles Down on Pharrell Williams Perjury Charges
Marvin Gaye’s estate has doubled down on perjury allegations against Pharrell Williams, whose statements in a 2019 GQ interview are said to have contradicted those he gave while under oath in the courtroom. Today, Marvin Gaye’s lawyers subm…
One of Germany’s Largest ‘Fake Stream’ Operations Has Been Shut Down
The recording industry has taken decisive action against a company that offered artists stream-manipulation services—i.e., fake plays on Spotify and other leading music platforms. The IFPI, which represents the global recorded music community, previous…
Facebook Officially Exits SXSW 2020 — Event Not Getting Canceled, Organizers Say
Following Twitter’s lead, Facebook has pulled out of South by Southwest (SXSW) 2020. Even so, event organizers say the mega-festival will go on as scheduled, despite rising domestic and international concerns relating to the coronavirus (COVID-19). Twi…
Spotify Faces Independent Contractor Misclassification Lawsuit In California
A California man has filed a class-action lawsuit against Spotify over the company’s alleged misclassification of his employment status and failure to provide legally required breaks and payments. Matthew Elias submitted the lawsuit both on his behalf …
Warner Music Group Is Putting Its IPO on Ice — For Obvious Reasons
Warner Music Group owner Len Blavatnik was smart enough to spark a public offering last month — and wise enough to put it on ice this week. Blavatnik, the Ukranian-born billionaire who presciently purchased Warner Music Group back in 2011, savvily deci…
Taylor Swift Declared Best-Selling Global Artist of 2019 by IFPI
London-based global recording industry trade group IFPI has declared Taylor Swift the bestselling worldwide artist of 2019. Swift edged out the likes of Ed Sheeran, Billie Eilish, Lady Gaga, Post Malone, Queen, and the Beatles for the crown. Having las…
The Recording Academy Officially Fires Deborah Dugan, Lawyers Promise to Retaliate
The very public conflict between the Recording Academy and Deborah Dugan has taken yet another dramatic turn, as Recording Academy board members have officially fired Dugan as CEO. Dugan’s firing was revealed in a letter distributed to Recording Academ…
Megan Thee Stallion Says Her Label Is Blocking the Release of New Music
Texas rapper Megan Thee Stallion says renegotiating her contract has led to a nasty dispute with her label. Her upcoming album, Suga, is due to release on May 2. That release may not be happening after one of her labels put a freeze on those plans. The…
UK Government Discusses Post-Brexit US Trade Goals, British Labels Respond
The United Kingdom government has released a comprehensive (184-page-long) analysis of post-Brexit trade goals with the United States, and the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), the largest label-representation organization in the UK, has responded w…