Dylan Smith

Universal Music Group Acquires Hyperion Records Ahead of Apple Music Classical Rollout, Touts Itself ‘As the Definitive Home for Classical Music Globally’

March 15, 2023

Photo Credit: Manuel Nägeli About one week after the formal announcement of Apple Music Classical, Universal Music Group (UMG) has officially acquired British classical label Hyperion Records. The Big Three... Read More...

Larrosa Music Group Announces $16 Million Tranche for Spanish-Language Catalog Investments

Dylan Smith

March 14, 2023

A nighttime shot of Tallinn, Estonia's capital city. Photo Credit: Gleb Makarov Larrosa Music Group has officially announced that it’s raised €15 million ($16.01 million at the present exchange rate) to inves... Read More...

Judge Rules on Musical Evidence Exclusions — Including a Live ‘Medley’ of ‘Let’s Get It On’ and ‘Thinking Out Loud’ — in Ed Sheeran Infringement Suit

Dylan Smith

March 14, 2023

Photo Credit: Amazon Music Ahead of an infringement trial involving “Thinking Out Loud” creator Ed Sheeran and the estate of “Let’s Get It On” co-writer Ed Townsend, a federal court has ruled that the plainti... Read More...

Metallica Purchases Entire 70,000-Square-Foot Record Pressing Plant Amid Vinyl Resurgence

Dylan Smith

March 14, 2023

Photo Credit: James Sutton After reaching a substantial number of new fans with a Stranger Things placement last year – and as vinyl’s nearly two-decade-long commercial resurgence continues – Metallica has of... Read More...

frank sinatra catalog pythagoras music fund deal

Pythagoras Music Fund Invests in Frank Sinatra Classics With Reportedly €10 Million Barton Music Acquisition

Dylan Smith

March 13, 2023

Frank Sinatra recording circa 1955. The Netherlands’ Pythagoras Music Fund has officially announced the acquisition of Barton Music’s publishing catalog, which includes the rights to songs popularized by Fran... Read More...

Musicians Organization Renews Discovery Mode Criticism Amid Indie Expansion: ‘The Most Brazenly Anticompetitive Form of Payola We’ve Seen in Digital Music’

Dylan Smith

March 13, 2023

Photo Credit: Bastian Riccardi As it attempts to generate $100 billion annually by 2032, Spotify is rapidly expanding Discovery Mode to indie artists – a move that’s spurring new criticism of the long-controv... Read More...

SM Entertainment Stock Plummets As Hybe Calls Off Takeover Plans: ‘The Market Has Been Showing Signs of Overheating’

Dylan Smith

March 13, 2023

Hybe's Tomorrow X Together. Photo Credit: Dispatch After a much-publicized battle for control of rival K-pop company SM Entertainment, Hybe has officially opted to “discontinue the acquisition process” at onc... Read More...

Death Row Records Catalog Officially Returns to Streaming Services As Snoop Dogg Partners With Gamma

Dylan Smith

March 10, 2023

Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg, two of the original Death Row Records artists, performing live. Photo Credit: Jason Persse / CC by 2.0 About one year after the Death Row Records catalog was removed from streaming ser... Read More...

AI-Powered Music-Promotion Startup Unhurd Closes Seven-Figure Seed Round, Adds Willard Ahdritz As Advisor

Dylan Smith

March 10, 2023

Unhurd founder and CEO Alex Brees. Photo Credit: Unhurd AI-powered music-marketing startup Unhurd (stylized as “un:hurd” as well as "unhurd") has officially announced a seven-figure seed round. London-based... Read More...

Salt Acquires Björn Ulvaeus’ Session, Unveils 10-Year Buma/Stemra Deal Ahead of ‘The Music Industry’s Long-Awaited and Inevitable Transformation’

Dylan Smith

March 10, 2023

Photo Credit: Spotify Royalty-collection platform Salt has inked a decade-long deal with the Netherlands’ Buma/Stemra and announced the acquisition of Björn Ulvaeus’ Session. London-based Salt, which bills ... Read More...

Streaming Is Taking Off In Japan, 2022 Data Shows — As Both Vinyl and CD Sales Remain Strong

Dylan Smith

March 9, 2023

Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. Photo Credit: Jezael Melgoza The Japanese recorded music industry achieved a more than 17% year-over-year increase in digital revenue during 2022, when streaming gains (including an 18.... Read More...

U.S. Recorded Music Revenue Approached $16 Billion In 2022 Amid Continued Vinyl and Streaming Growth, Report Shows

Dylan Smith

March 9, 2023

U.S. recorded music revenue approached $16 billion during 2022 as streaming subscriptions generated more than $10 billion for the first time, according to a new report. Photo Credit: RIAA The value of the U.S... Read More...

Author Dylan Smith