Universal Music Group (UMG) has filed a new injunction against a boy band group. The major music group has said O-Town can’t file a trademark. It sounds too similar to its own popular and iconic label, Motown Recordings. Two years ago, the band’s memb…
Category archives: Feature Story
Snoop Dogg-Backed Cameo Raises $50 Million to Send Personalized Celebrity Greetings
Cameo, a Chicago-based startup that allows users to purchase video messages from prominent actors, athletes, celebrities, and musicians, just received a whopping $50 million in series B funding from Kleiner Perkins. Cameo, which was founded by Martin B…
Spotify Only Paid 0.5% on App Store Commissions to Apple for Premium Subscriptions
Several months ago, and with the help of Anghami and Deezer, Spotify formally lodged an antitrust complaint against Apple in the European Union. The Swedish music streaming company accused its rival of taking a 30% “fee” on the App Store. This, claime…
Report: 62% of Festivalgoers Want Music Festivals to Cut Down on Waste Reduction, Yet Most Abandon Their Tents at Events
Ticketmaster UK has unveiled its State of Play report. In its latest annual study, the live promoter focused on music festivals across the UK. Drawing on 10 years of ticket data and surveying over 4,000 festivalgoers, Ticketmaster found 62% remain conc…
Eldorado Purchases Struggling Caesars Entertainment for $17.3 Billion
Eldorado Resorts has agreed to purchase its much-larger rival, Caesars Entertainment. The overall cash-and-stock deal is valued at $17.3 billion. The acquisition includes Caesars’ debt. Eldorado will acquire all of Caesars’ outstanding shares for $12….
Gibson Sues Dean, Luna Guitars for Trademark Infringement & Counterfeiting
Gibson has filed a lawsuit against Armadillo Distribution Enterprises, the owner of Dean Guitars and Luna Guitars, for several alleged legal violations, including trademark infringement and trademark counterfeiting. The former charge is relatively co…
Spotify Says They ‘Overpaid Most Publishers In 2018’ — And They Want Their Money Back
Looks like everybody’s gotta play by the same rules — Spotify’s rules. Not only is Spotify fighting a proposed increase songwriter and publisher royalties. They’re also demanding a refund, based on overpayments made in 2018 on family bundles and colle…
Universal Music Sued for $100 Million by Tom Petty Estate, Tupac Estate, Soundgarden, Hole, Steve Earle Over 2008 Fire
Universal Music Group now faces a $100 million lawsuit from a group that includes the estates of Tom Petty and Tupac Shakur, surviving members of Soundgarden, Hole, and Steve Earle, among others. The litigation stems from a recent New York Times Magazi…
The Music Industry Successfully Shuts Down Convert2MP3
Looks like the music industry continues to score more victories in its fight against major music pirates. Starting a major offensive against music piracy several months ago, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has managed to shut down …
The Week’s Top U.S. Festivals & Tours, Presented by SeatGeek
The most popular concert tickets, tour stops, and artists around the country, through Wednesday, June 19th. Welcome back to our weekly report on the world of live music, based on exclusive data from SeatGeek, a ticketing platform that enables fans to b…