Setlist
Complete Music Update (CMU)
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SETLIST is the music business podcast from CMU.
CMU helps people to navigate and understand the music business through media, training, research and events.
Available episodes
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5 days ago
How a 1980s Prince photo impacts on AI
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including the US Supreme Court ruling on a long-running copyright dispute between the Andy Warhol Foundation and the photographer Lynn Goldsmith, and Universal getting into bed with AI music company Endel.
SECTION TIMES
01: Prince (00:06:30)
02: AI Music (00:23:37)
(Timings may be slightly different due to adverts)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Music industry welcomes US Supreme Court ruling in Prince artwork copyright case
• Universal Music allies with music AI company Endel to create some “science-backed soundscapes”
ALSO MENTIONED
• TikTok sues Montana over ban
• CMU Podcast: Sound Of 2017, AI in music, Kate Bush (December 2016)
MORE FROM CMU
• Upcoming CMU webinars
• Buy MMF and CMU Insights’ Dissecting The Digital Dollar book on Amazon
• Sign up to receive the CMU Daily news bulletin
• Listen to the full Setlist theme tune
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May 22, 2023
Fans and bands rally to save London’s Brixton Academy
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including news that more than 20,000 people have made representations to Lambeth Council in support of the Brixton Academy as the local authority considers a request by London’s Metropolitan Police to revoke the licence of current operators Academy Music Group, plus the latest round in the ongoing battle between the Village People and Donald Trump.
SECTION TIMES
01: Brixton Academy (00:06:38)
02: Village People (00:15:39)
(Timings may be slightly different due to adverts)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• More than 20,000 representations submitted in support of Brixton Academy ahead of licence review
• Village People hit out at lookalike performance at Donald Trump event
MORE FROM CMU
• Upcoming CMU webinars
• Buy MMF and CMU Insights’ Dissecting The Digital Dollar book on Amazon
• Sign up to receive the CMU Daily news bulletin
• Listen to the full Setlist theme tune
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May 9, 2023
Ed Sheeran wins another song-theft legal battle
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including Ed Sheeran’s victory in another high-profile headline-grabbing song-theft legal battle – this time over whether or not he ripped off Marvin Gaye’s ‘Let’s Get It On’ when he wrote his 2014 song ‘Thinking Out Loud’ – plus two sets of proposals for better regulating the sale of tickets put forward in US Congress late last month and another industry-led campaign launched last week that says it will advocate for “a ticketing experience better than the nightmare many fans and artists currently navigate”.
SECTION TIMES
01: Ed Sheeran (00:05:36)
02: US tickets (00:18:52)
(Timings may be slightly different due to adverts)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Non-idiot (allegedly) Ed Sheeran testifies on first day of Thinking Out Loud song-theft trial
• Ed Sheeran gets his guitar out in court as song-theft case continues
• Ed Sheeran calls musicologist’s actions “criminal” in Thinking Out Loud song-theft trial
• Ed Sheeran losing will remove “an essential element in every songwriter’s toolkit”, argues lawyer in song-theft case
• Ed Sheeran did not rip off Let’s Get It On says jury in song-theft case
• Live Nation responds to proposed new ticketing regulations in the US
ALSO MENTIONED
• The Great Escape conference
MORE FROM CMU
• Upcoming CMU webinars
• Buy MMF and CMU Insights’ Dissecting The Digital Dollar book on Amazon
• Sign up to receive the CMU Daily news bulletin
• Listen to the full Setlist theme tune
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Apr 24, 2023
Universal hits out at AI generated music
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including Universal Music latest call for streaming platforms to play their part in ensuring that generative AI tools are not infringing the copyrights of the music industry, plus the news that cassette sales are booming and driving chart success in the UK.
SECTION TIMES
01: AI (00:05:49)
02: Cassettes (00:27:31)
(Timings may be slightly different due to adverts)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Universal Music again demands streaming platform support over AI-created music as fake Drake goes viral
• Drake says AI generated Ice Spice cover is “the final straw”
• Liam Gallagher says AI version of himself sounds “mega”
• Idiots rejoice! The cassette revival continues
ALSO MENTIONED
• The Great Escape conference
• Download the TGE app
MORE FROM CMU
• Upcoming CMU webinars
• Buy MMF and CMU Insights’ Dissecting The Digital Dollar book on Amazon
• Sign up to receive the CMU Daily news bulletin
• Listen to the full Setlist theme tune
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Apr 17, 2023
Live at Wide Days 2023
A special edition of the show recorded live at Wide Days in Edinburgh. CMU’s Chris Cooke is joined on stage by Clara Cullen from Music Venue Trust, Toni Malyn from EmuBands and Silvia Montello from AIM. As Setlist returns after a short break, our guests dissect three topics that have been big talking points within the music industry in recent months: the ongoing challenges in the live sector, the debate around making streaming more “artist-centric”, and the increasingly urgent discussions about music-making AI.
SECTION TIMES
01: Live sector (00:04:25)
02: Streaming (00:23:40)
03: AI (00:43:15)
(Timings may be slightly different due to adverts)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Music Venue Trust annual report says grassroots venues are “operating on razor thin margins” and often “struggling to survive”
• Own Our Venues initiative to move onto venue-buying phase, MVT confirms
• Universal boss says streaming needs to shift to an “artist-centric” model
• Universal Music announces alliance with Tidal to shake up the streaming business model
• Universal and Deezer’s alliance to find “potential new economic models for streaming” officially announced
• Music industry organisations back Human Artistry Campaign putting the spotlight on generative AI debates
ALSO MENTIONED
• An edition of Setlist where we explained user-centric royalty distribution
MORE FROM CMU
• Upcoming CMU events
• Buy MMF and CMU Insights’ Dissecting The Digital Dollar book on Amazon
• Sign up to receive the CMU Daily news bulletin
• Listen to the full Setlist theme tune
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Feb 27, 2023
Hybe defends buying into K-pop rival SM Entertainment
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including Hybe CEO Park Ji-won’s defence of his company’s recent acquisition of shares in rival SM Entertainment after its management hit out at the deal, plus concerns raised by two more US senators about TikTok and its Chinese parent company Bytedance and what access the Chinese government has to users and user-data on the video sharing platform.
SECTION TIMES
01: Hybe (00:06:51)
02: TikTok (00:19:11)
(Timings may be slightly different due to adverts)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Hybe CEO defends his company’s bid to control rival SM Entertainment
• Hybe boss sets out vision for SM alliance
• Two more US senators hit out at TikTok over data concerns
• European Commission bans staff from using TikTok on work devices over data concerns
ALSO MENTIONED
• David Bowie archive acquisition (V&A press release)
MORE FROM CMU
• Upcoming CMU webinars
• Buy MMF and CMU Insights’ Dissecting The Digital Dollar book on Amazon
• Sign up to receive the CMU Daily news bulletin
• Listen to the full Setlist theme tune
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Feb 20, 2023
Scottish festival boss hits out at proposed alcohol sponsorship ban
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including the boss of Scottish live music firm DF Concerts' proclamation that any ban on alcohol brands sponsoring shows and festivals would be “nothing short of disastrous for Scotland’s live music industry”, plus the Australian record industry’s anger at TikTok over its ongoing experiment in the country to test the role music plays on the video-sharing platform.
SECTION TIMES
01: Alcohol ban (00:05:28)
02: Merch fees (00:20:14)
(Timings may be slightly different due to adverts)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• DF Concerts chief says that alcohol sponsorship ban in Scotland would be “nothing short of disastrous” for the country’s live sector
• TikTok is working super hard on tackling harmful content and data concerns, says TikTok
ALSO MENTIONED
• CMU at SXSW, MENT and Liverpool Sound City
MORE FROM CMU
• Upcoming CMU webinars
• Buy MMF and CMU Insights’ Dissecting The Digital Dollar book on Amazon
• Sign up to receive the CMU Daily news bulletin
• Listen to the full Setlist theme tune
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Jan 30, 2023
Live Nation faces tough questions in US Congress
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including Live Nation and Ticketmaster coming under fire from both sides of the political spectrum, as the US Senate Judiciary Committee staged a session looking at ticketing following the problems that occurred last year when tickets for Taylor Swift’s upcoming tour went on sale via Ticketmaster’s Verified Fan system, plus one US venue company’s decision to stop taking a cut of income when artists sell merch at gigs.
SECTION TIMES
01: Live Nation (00:07:53)
02: Merch fees (00:29:12)
(Timings may be slightly different due to adverts)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Live Nation’s market dominance in the spotlight at Congressional hearing
• US venue owner axes merch commissions following artist’s testimony in Congress
• Artists welcome progress on venue merch commissions, but call for more venues to drop their merchandise fees
ALSO MENTIONED
• Rick Astley says Yung Gravy track infringed his publicity rights
• Clyde Lawrence’s full statement to US Congress (judiciary.senate.gov)
MORE FROM CMU
• Upcoming CMU webinars
• Buy MMF and CMU Insights’ Dissecting The Digital Dollar book on Amazon
• Sign up to receive the CMU Daily news bulletin
• Listen to the full Setlist theme tune
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Jan 23, 2023
Music industry hits out at BBC Introducing cuts
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including the campaign against proposed cuts to BBC Music Introducing, which gained momentum last week after a plethora of music industry organisations published an open letter to the board of the BBC seeking reassurance that the service does not become an “unintended victim” of any changes being made to ensure the “future stability and viability” of the broadcaster.
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Music industry groups say cuts to BBC Introducing local radio shows would be “fundamental blow to the health of the entire grassroots sector”
• Tom Robinson urges artists and music fans to communicate their appreciation for the local BBC Introducing shows
• BBC provides update on local radio cutbacks
• BBC execs defend local radio cuts to MPs (December 2022)
• BBC boss Tim Davie talks about an internet-centric future with fewer TV channels and radio stations (December 2022)
ALSO MENTIONED
• PRS announces new funding model for PRS Foundation, securing current levels of support
• Full transcript of Tim Davie's Royal Television Society speech (BBC)
MORE FROM CMU
• Upcoming CMU webinars
• Buy MMF and CMU Insights’ Dissecting The Digital Dollar book on Amazon
• Sign up to receive the CMU Daily news bulletin
• Listen to the full Setlist theme tune
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Jan 16, 2023
Universal boss calls for “artist-centric” streaming model
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including Universal Music boss Lucian Grainge's confirmation that a big old rejig of the way streaming monies are allocated to individual tracks by the digital platforms each month is a key priority for the biggest music rights company in the world, plus Dr Dre’s legal run-in with US Congress member Marjorie Taylor Greene.
SECTION TIMES
01: Lucian Grainge (00:06:51)
02: Dr Dre (00:32:03)
(Timings may be slightly different due to adverts)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Universal boss says streaming needs to shift to an “artist-centric” model
• Dr Dre sets lawyers on Marjorie Taylor Greene over copyright infringement
• Marjorie Taylor Green responds to Dr Dre
ALSO MENTIONED
• Public Image Ltd vying to represent Ireland at Eurovision
• Eurovision hopeful John Lydon brands competition “disgusting”
MORE FROM CMU
• Upcoming CMU webinars
• Buy MMF and CMU Insights’ Dissecting The Digital Dollar book on Amazon
• Sign up to receive the CMU Daily news bulletin
• Listen to the full Setlist theme tune
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Jan 9, 2023
Top five artist gripes in 2023
In the first episode of the Setlist podcast for 2023, CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke look at the five key complaints that musicians have about the modern music industry as we go into the new year, including streaming royalties, venue merch commissions, the difficulties getting music playlisted on streaming services, the pressure to always be active on social media, and a frustration that the music that is popular isn’t always of the highest quality.
SECTION TIMES
01: Streaming services screw us over (00:07:39)
02: Venues take a cut of our merchandise income (00:18:09)
03: Spotify won’t playlist my music (00:26:02)
04: There’s too much pressure to always be on social media (00:37:05)
05: People like shit music (00:47:41)
(Timings may be slightly different due to adverts)
MORE FROM CMU
• Upcoming CMU webinars
• Buy MMF and CMU Insights’ Dissecting The Digital Dollar book on Amazon
• Sign up to receive the CMU Daily news bulletin
• Listen to the full Setli…
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Dec 19, 2022
The music business review of the year 2022
In this final edition of the Setlist podcast for 2022, CMU's Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last year.
That includes: the ongoing economics of streaming debate, the resurgence (or not) of the live music industry, the continued increase in song-theft lawsuits, the growing trend of interpolation in pop, and the licensing of music on social media platforms.
Apologies for the slight sound issues on some of this episode - one of us (naming no names) managed to record themselves through a microphone that wasn't the one pointing at their face.
SECTION TIMES
01: Economics of streaming (00:06:47)
02: Live industry (00:12:46)
03: Song-theft lawsuits (00:18:45)
04: Interpolation (00:24:59)
05: Licensing on social media (00:32:17)
(Timings may be slightly different due to adverts)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Artist remuneration remains a key sticking point as MPs return to the economics of streaming debate (November 2022)…
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Nov 21, 2022
MPs ask for an update on the "complete reset of streaming”
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including last week's Digital, Culture, Media & Sport Select Committee hearing, which saw music industry experts and representatives updating MPs about the work that has been ongoing within the music community since the committee published its report last year on the economics of music streaming.
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Artist remuneration remains a key sticking point as MPs return to the economics of streaming debate
• DCMS Economics Of Streaming Inquiry timeline
ALSO MENTIONED
• Music consumption at all time high powered by streaming and video apps
• IFPI Engaging With Music report 2022 (ifpi.org)
• MMF Song Royalties Manifesto (themmf.net)
• Watch the DCMS select committee hearing (parliamentlive.tv)
• CMU Podcast: Spotify mechanicals, BBC pay, BBC music show with guest presenter Becky Brook (July 2017)
MORE FROM CMU
• Upcoming CMU webinars
•…
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Nov 14, 2022
Drake and 21 Savage ordered to destroy fake Vogue cover
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including Drake and 21 Savage being sued by magazine publisher Condé Nast for trademark infringement over a fake Vogue cover that formed part of the promotional campaign for their new collaborative album ‘Her Loss’, plus Lorde's discussion of the challenges facing the live music sector at the moment and how for an increasing number of artists the economics of touring currently don’t add up.
SECTION TIMES
01: Drake and 21 Savage (00:05:16)
02: Lorde (00:20:03)
(Timings may be slightly different due to adverts)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Condé Nast sues over Drake and 21 Savage fake Vogue cover
• New York court orders Drake and 21 Savage to stop distributing their fake Vogue cover
• Lorde is the latest artist to discuss the challenges of touring in 2022
ALSO MENTIONED
• Upcoming CMU webinars
• Setlist: Why is touring becoming economically unviable for…
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Nov 7, 2022
Has music copyright “never had it so good”?
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including former Spotify economist Will Page's claim that “music copyright has never had it so good”, with – by his calculations – the value of the wider music rights business now almost $40 billion worldwide, and the changes over at Amazon Prime Music with more music but less functionality.
SECTION TIMES
01: Will Page report (00:09:15)
02: Amazon Music (00:28:04)
(Timings may be slightly different due to adverts)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Will Page says “music copyright has never had it so good” as global revenues reach almost $40 billion
• Amazon shuffles its Prime Music offer, full 100 million track catalogue now available
ALSO MENTIONED
• BBC celebrates 70 years of singles chart by playing most streamed track released each year
• Listen to the full Setlist theme tune
MORE FROM CMU
• Upcoming CMU webinars
• Buy MMF and CMU Insights’ D…
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Oct 31, 2022
Noise complaints still threatening live music
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including Manchester music venue the Night & Day Café continuing to fight against a Noise Abatement Notice served by Manchester City Council last year, and 5 Seconds Of Summer’s feelings about winning the Worst Band prize at the NME Awards three years in a row.
SECTION TIMES
01: Night & Day Café (00:09:52)
02: 5 Seconds Of Summer (00:26:14)
(Timings may be slightly different due to adverts)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Manchester music venue Night & Day Café facing closure as it continues to fight noise complaint
• 5 Seconds Of Summer discuss being voted Worst Band at NME Awards three times
ALSO MENTIONED
• Apple Music increases baseline subscription rate to 10.99
• Night & Day Café petition (Change.org)
• James Blunt demands NME award he won thirteen years ago (May 2019)
MORE FROM CMU
• Upcoming CMU webinars
• Buy MMF and CMU Insights’ Dissec…
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Oct 24, 2022
How much will promoters lose from the Festicket collapse?
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including confirmation from Festicket's administrators that a number of the promoters who worked with the collapsed ticketing company are insisting that the money it collected for their shows and events was meant to be held in trust although it wasn't, and the news that all seven members of BTS will serve their two years of military service in South Korea after all.
SECTION TIMES
01: Festicket (00:05:32)
02: BTS (00:20:37)
(Timings may be slightly different due to adverts)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Festicket did not hold promoters’ ticket sale monies in trust, administrators confirm
• BTS confirm that they will carry out military service in South Korea
ALSO MENTIONED
• Little Simz wins 2022 Mercury Prize
MORE FROM CMU
• Upcoming CMU webinars
• Buy MMF and CMU Insights’ Dissecting The Digital Dollar book on Amazon
• Sign up to receive the CMU Daily…
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Oct 17, 2022
Why is touring becoming economically unviable for more artists?
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including Animal Collective's announcement that they are cancelling their European tour, which was due to take place next month, explaining that – while preparing for the shows – they realised they were looking at “an economic reality that simply does not work and is not sustainable”, plus Mike Batt’s revelation that he’s destroyed his original multitrack tapes for the music he made as The Wombles to stop anyone remastering his work.
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Animal Collective cancel European shows after concluding that international touring in 2022 isn’t economically viable
• Mike Batt destroyed the Wombles master tapes so that they can’t be remixed after he dies
ALSO MENTIONED
• Coachella sues Afrochella for trademark infringement
• Santigold cancels US tour: “I will not continue to sacrifice myself for an industry that has become unsustainable…
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Oct 10, 2022
Did the Tories infringe M People's copyright?
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including M People's anger at Liz Truss walking on stage at the Conservative Party conference to their song 'Moving On Up' and whether or not her doing so was copyright infringement, plus Apple Music's big brag that it now has over 100 million tracks available for users to listen to.
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• M People hit out as Liz Truss walks on stage to Moving On Up
• Apple Music catalogue passes 100 million tracks
ALSO MENTIONED
• CMU Insights copyright training (for any Conservative MPs reading)
MORE FROM CMU
• Upcoming CMU webinars
• Buy MMF and CMU Insights’ Dissecting The Digital Dollar book on Amazon
• Sign up to receive the CMU Daily news bulletin
• Listen to the full Setlist theme tune
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Oct 3, 2022
Will data developments get songwriters paid?
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including songs rights data announcements that saw PRS For Music in the UK set out plans to launch a new online portal that will provide easy access to key data linked to the songs catalogue it represents and American collecting society MLC launch a new tool that allows music distributors to easily access data on unclaimed mechanical royalties in the US for over two million recordings, plus Pusha T's latest entry into the world of corporate diss tracks.
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• PRS announces plans for new portal offering easy access to song rights data
• MLC launches unmatched royalty identification tool
• Pusha T drops second McDonald’s diss track
ALSO MENTIONED
• Listen to the full Setlist theme tune
• The Great Escape announces First Fifty shows and 2023 CMU+TGE themes
• Buy your TGE delegate pass
• Dissecting The Digital Dollar reports
• Pusha T…
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Sep 26, 2022
US recorded music revenues still climbing (slowly)
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including the Recording Industry Association Of America’s stats about the US recorded music market in the first half of 2022, and the live music and night-time sectors’ response to the UK government’s energy price cap for businesses and new budget.
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• RIAA stats confirm 9% growth in US recorded music market so far this year
• Live sector cautiously welcomes energy price cap, but says more action still needed
ALSO MENTIONED
• Triller Verzuz Timbaland and Swizz Beatz is settled
MORE FROM CMU
• Upcoming CMU webinars
• Buy MMF and CMU Insights’ Dissecting The Digital Dollar book on Amazon
• Sign up to receive the CMU Daily news bulletin
• Listen to the full Setlist theme tune
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Sep 19, 2022
Lizzo’s keeping her $5 million cancelled festival fee
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including the ruling that Lizzo can keep the $5 million fee she was paid to play the 2020 LA Virgin Fest that never happened because of COVID, and YouTube's announcement that it handed more than $6 billion over to the music industry in the twelve months to June this year.
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Lizzo can keep $5 million fee from COVID cancelled Virgin Fest, judge rules
• YouTube paid out $6 billion to the music industry over the last year
ALSO MENTIONED
• Worldwide FM to pause new programmes so to “re-organise and re-evaluate”
• Loud & Quiet financial troubles statement (Twitter)
• Loud And Quiet announces subscriptions to help weather COVID-19 crisis (April 2020)
• CMU Podcast: Convergence Sessions Special (March 2016)
• Lyor Cohen blog post (YouTube Official Blog)
MORE FROM CMU
• Upcoming CMU webinars
• Buy MMF and CMU Insights’ Dissect…
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Sep 12, 2022
Vinyl is now more popular than Playstation games
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including new figures from the UK's Entertainment Retailers Association showing that, so far this year, vinyl albums have risen up the ranks to become the second most successful form of physical media in terms of revenues, plus Taylor Swift's efforts to block two expert witnesses from testifying, and limit the testimony of a third, in the upcoming ‘Shake It Off’ song theft trial.
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Vinyl overtakes Playstation games, DVDs and CDs as UK’s second best-selling physical entertainment format
• Taylor Swift asks for expert witnesses to be dropped from upcoming Shake It Off trial due to lack of expertise
ALSO MENTIONED
• Music community pays tribute to Queen Elizabeth II
MORE FROM CMU
• Upcoming CMU webinars
• Buy MMF and CMU Insights’ Dissecting The Digital Dollar book on Amazon
• Sign up to receive the CMU Daily news bulletin
•…
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Sep 5, 2022
Venues and studios face closure as energy prices rocket
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including calls from various music industry organisations urging the incoming new UK Prime Minister to provide urgent support for music venues, recording studios and the wider night-time sector as they tackle surging energy bills and the cost of living crisis, plus bad news for people who invested in merch company Awesome after it went into administration.
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• UK Music and NTIA call for urgent support for music companies facing surging energy bills
• Awesome Merchandise founder comments on firm’s pre-pack administration
ALSO MENTIONED
• Streaming services and music publishers reach deal on song royalty rates in the US
MORE FROM CMU
• Upcoming CMU webinars
• Buy MMF and CMU Insights’ Dissecting The Digital Dollar book on Amazon
• Sign up to receive the CMU Daily news bulletin
• Listen to the full Setlist theme tune
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Aug 29, 2022
The rise and fall of ‘virtual’ rapper FN Meka
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including the claims of racism that saw 'virtual' rapper FN Meka dropped by Universal's Capitol label, and the controversy surrounding the discovery that digital processes have been used by a supposedly analogue reissues label for more than a decade.
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Capitol drops ‘virtual’ rapper FN Meka after claims of racism
• Human voice of ‘AI’ rapper FN Meka says he was cut out of the project
• FN Meka spokesperson Anthony Martini quits project, admits there was less AI involved than claimed
• Audiophile label sued over misleading statements regarding its mastering process
ALSO MENTIONED
• Michael Jackson’s nephew says Harry Styles cannot be the ‘new king of pop’
• Capitol Drops ‘Virtual Rapper’ FN Meka After Backlash Over Stereotypes (New York Times)
• This robot rapper and 9m following on TikTok. The company that created…
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Aug 22, 2022
Timbaland and Swizz Beats sue Triller
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including Timbaland and Swizz Beats suing video sharing platform Triller over $28 million they say the company owes them from a deal relating to the popular livestream DJ battle series Verzuz, Snoop Dogg's new breakfast cereal, and the legal battle over the name of Nicki Minaj's Barbie-Que Honey Truffle potato chips.
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Timbaland and Swizz Beats sue Triller
• Snoop Dogg launches breakfast cereal, Snoop Loopz
• Mattel sues over Nicki Minaj’s Barbie-Que snacks
ALSO MENTIONED
• HitPiece back from the dead
MORE FROM CMU
• Upcoming CMU webinars
• Buy MMF and CMU Insights’ Dissecting The Digital Dollar book on Amazon
• Sign up to receive the CMU Daily news bulletin
• Listen to the full Setlist theme tune
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Aug 15, 2022
Taylor Swift says she didn’t rip off players or haters
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including Taylor Swift's statement to a US court as part of the long-running song-theft legal battle over her 2014 hit ‘Shake It Off’ in which she explains how she came up with the lyrics for her track, while also insisting there was no way she could have been exposed to the song she is accused of ripping off before creating ‘Shake It Off’, plus some interesting new stats comparing consumer spending in the UK on recorded music and live music - and the impact of COVID-19 on all that.
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Taylor Swift submits statement to court in ongoing Shake It Off song-theft legal battle
• From Suffering to Recovering: The stats that explain why the UK music industry is set for a dramatic post-lockdown comeback (Music Business Worldwide)
ALSO MENTIONED
• UK label spend on A&R and marketing reach almost £500 million last year
MORE FROM CMU
• Upcom…
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Aug 1, 2022
Streaming market just fine, says UK competition regulator
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week. Well, this week we are looking at just one of the biggest and most interesting news stories of the last week, because last Tuesday the UK’s Competition & Markets Authority published an interim report based on its market study into the streaming music sector - and given it’s 97 pages long, we figured that was probably enough material to fill an edition of Setlist.
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• CMA declines to recommend a full market investigation into music streaming
OTHER LINKS
• Full CMA Music And Streaming report
• Mixed response from music industry to CMA’s decision on streaming investigation
• Full DCMS Economics Of Streaming Inquiry timeline
• Buy MMF and CMU Insights’ Dissecting The Digital Dollar book on Amazon
MORE FROM CMU
• Upcoming CMU webinars
• Sign up to receive the CMU Daily news bulletin
• Listen to the full Setlist theme tune
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Jul 25, 2022
Warner Music goes user-centric with SoundCloud
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including Warner Music joining SoundCloud’s user-centric Fan-Powered Royalties initiative, and Spotify CEO Daniel Ek’s continued, but seemingly futile efforts to avoid giving a deposition in a legal battle with Eminem’s publishing company, Eight Mile Style.
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Warner Music signs up to SoundCloud’s user-centric initiative
• US judge again declines to delay Daniel Ek deposition in Eminem v Spotify case
ALSO MENTIONED
• YoungBoy Never Broke Again found not guilty of illegal gun possession in LA
• AIM publishes insights on the artist growth model for streaming royalty distribution (July 2021)
• Deezer steps up endorsement of user-centric approach to digital royalties (October 2019)
• Eminem publisher sues Spotify, declares Music Modernization Act unconstitutional (August 2019)
MORE FROM CMU
• Upcoming CMU webinars
• Buy M…
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Jul 18, 2022
Youngboy ruling furthers Rap On Trial debate
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including the ruling that rapper Youngboy Never Broke Again's lyrics cannot be used as evidence during his trial on firearms charges, and how that fits into the wider Rap On Trial debate in the US. Plus, the ruling that Bang energy drink infringed Universal’s copyright in promotional videos on TikTok.
PLEASE NOTE: This episode was recorded before Youngboy Never Broke Again was found not guilty on firearms charges.
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Prosecutors in Youngboy Never Broke Again firearms case can’t use rapper’s lyrics as evidence in court
• 300 and Atlantic chiefs call for wider Rap On Trial legal reforms
• Court says Bang’s own TikTok videos infringed Universal’s rights, but not its influencer content
ALSO MENTIONED
• Triller CEO calls on all Americans to delete rival app TikTok
• CMU Insights music business training
MORE FROM CMU
• Upcomi…
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Jul 11, 2022
Proposed AI laws “dangerous and damaging”, UK Music warns
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including UK Music's claim that a proposed new copyright exception in the UK that would cover all and any text and data mining is “dangerous and damaging” and would simply allow AI companies to “launder” music in order to generate new content, plus the removal of three Michael Jackson tracks from streaming services that some (although not the Jackson estate and Sony Music) have said were recorded by an impersonator.
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• UK Music calls proposed data mining copyright exception “dangerous and damaging”
• Three posthumous Michael Jackson songs removed from streaming services – although not because they’re fakes, estate insists
ALSO MENTIONED
• US Copyright Royalty Board reconfirms 15.1% streaming rate for songwriters and publishers
MORE FROM CMU
• Upcoming CMU webinars
• Buy MMF and CMU Insights’ Dissecting The Digital Do…
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Jul 4, 2022
Is TikTok just “a sophisticated surveillance tool”?
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including Brendan Carr of the US Federal Communications Commission calling on Apple and Google to remove TikTok from their app stores claiming that the app is “a sophisticated surveillance tool that harvests extensive amounts of personal and sensitive data” that it then hands over to the Chinese government, plus a round-up of the week's Kanye West legal news.
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• FCC Commissioner calls on Apple and Google to block TikTok
• Kanye West sued over uncleared sample on Donda 2
• Kayne West fan forced to change restaurant menu following legal letter from rapper
ALSO MENTIONED
• Logic announces BMG deal, less than two weeks after releasing new major label album
MORE FROM CMU
• Upcoming CMU webinars
• Buy MMF and CMU Insights’ Dissecting The Digital Dollar book on Amazon
• Sign up to receive the CMU Daily news bulletin
• Listen t…
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Jun 27, 2022
Does Four Tet’s streaming settlement set a precedent?
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including Four Tet and Domino's settlement of their legal battle over what royalty rate the musician should be paid on streams and what it could mean for other artists, plus Belgium’s decision to add equitable remuneration to streams and IMPALA’s plea to other European countries not to follow suit.
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Domino Records settles Four Tet dispute, commits to pay 50% royalty on digital
• Domino comments on Four Tet settlement, insists no precedent set
• Belgium introduces ER right on streams
• IMPALA calls for French style agreements on fair digital remuneration instead of ER
ALSO MENTIONED
• French performer and label groups reach voluntary agreement regarding digital remuneration
MORE FROM CMU
• Upcoming CMU webinars
• Buy MMF and CMU Insights’ Dissecting The Digital Dollar book on Amazon
• Sign up to receive the CMU Daily n…
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Jun 20, 2022
BTS on a break, but don’t call it a hiatus
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including BTS's announcement that they are going on break to focus on solo projects - but whatever you do, don't call it a hiatus - plus Goldman Sachs' big predictions for music industry growth to the end of the decade.
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• BTS announce hiatus, management insists its not a hiatus
• BTS’s RM insists that group’s break “is not the end for us”
• Goldman Sachs Music In The Air report
ALSO MENTIONED
• Belgium introduces ER right on streams
MORE FROM CMU
• Upcoming CMU webinars
• Buy MMF and CMU Insights’ Dissecting The Digital Dollar book on Amazon
• Sign up to receive the CMU Daily news bulletin
• Listen to the full Setlist theme tune
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Jun 13, 2022
Spotify tells investors everything’s fine, honest
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including the UK’s Music Managers Forum new report on the topic of digital burnout and the wider debate around pressures being placed by the music industry on artists - particularly female artists - to be heavily active on TikTok, plus the petition calling on UK song rights collecting society PRS to reconsider its decision to reduce the funding it provides to the PRS Foundation.
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Spotify boss says his big ambitions in audio at large will deliver mega-revenues and better margins
• US bank upbeat about Spotify, lumping it in with Netflix is an “overgeneralisation”
• Spotify Shares Our Vision To Become the World’s Creator Platform (Spotify blog post)
ALSO MENTIONED
• 50+ music industry organisations call for a PRS rethink on PRS Foundation funding
MORE FROM CMU
• Upcoming CMU webinars
• Buy MMF and CMU Insights’ Dissecting…
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Jun 6, 2022
Is TikTok causing digital burnout in artists?
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including the UK’s Music Managers Forum new report on the topic of digital burnout and the wider debate around pressures being placed by the music industry on artists - particularly female artists - to be heavily active on TikTok, plus the petition calling on UK song rights collecting society PRS to reconsider its decision to reduce the funding it provides to the PRS Foundation.
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• MMF report proposes new support to help artists avoid digital burnout
• FAC launches petition over cut in PRS funding to PRS Foundation
ALSO MENTIONED
• Download MMF digital burnout report
• Pop Star Complaints About Being Forced to Make Viral TikToks Go Viral On Tiktok (GQ)
• Are record labels holding musicians hostage to post ‘relatable’ TikToks? (Dazed)
• Halsey Gets a Release Date for ‘So Good’ Single That Fueled TikTok Debate, as Label Promis…
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May 30, 2022
Is it time to #ownourvenues?
CMU's Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including the UK Music Venue Trust's launch of a new organisation called Music Venue Properties - which is a charitable community benefit society set up to buy the freeholds of properties that currently house grassroots music venues - and its #ownourvenues campaign, plus Sony Music's latest announcement regarding paying royalties to unrecouped artists.
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Music Venue Trust launches new initiative to buy freeholds of grassroots venues
• Sony Music expands commitment to pay through royalties to unrecouped heritage artists
ALSO MENTIONED
• Sarah Brightman & Alfie Boe - God Save The Queen
• The Kunts - Prince Andrew Is A Sweaty Nonce
MORE FROM CMU
• Upcoming CMU webinars
• Buy MMF and CMU Insights’ Dissecting The Digital Dollar book on Amazon
• Sign up to receive the CMU Daily news bulletin
• Listen to the full Setlist theme tune
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May 23, 2022
Live at Wide Days
A special live edition of the show recorded live at Wide Days in Edinburgh. CMU’s Chris Cooke is joined on stage by Serenade's Mike Walsh and SNM Management's Shikayla Nadine to review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including the latest judgement against Viagogo in Australia, Universal's DIY distribution platform Spinnup going invite-only, and the battle for the top of the singles chart in Jubilee week.
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Australian appeals court upholds AUS$7 million judgement against Viagogo
• Universal’s DIY distributor introduces A&R process, drops a chunk of its current artists
• Sarah Brightman and Alfie Boe aiming for jubilee number one with new recording of God Save The Queen
ALSO MENTIONED
• DCMS Economics Of Streaming Inquiry
MORE FROM CMU
• Upcoming CMU webinars
• Buy MMF and CMU Insights’ Dissecting The Digital Dollar book on Amazon
• Sign up to receive the CMU Daily news bulletin
• Listen to t…
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May 16, 2022
Live at The Great Escape
A special edition of the show recorded live at The Great Escape in Brighton. CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke are joined on stage by music rights consultant Becky Brook and creative entrepreneur Ameena Badley to review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including Napster's shift to Web3, the MMF's $ong Royalties Manifesto, and the death of the iPod.
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Napster acquired for Web3 fun
• MMF launches $ong Royalties Manifesto at The Great Escape
• Apple discontinues the iPod
ALSO MENTIONED
• STLST - Theme From Setlist
MORE FROM CMU
• Upcoming CMU webinars
• Buy MMF and CMU Insights’ Dissecting The Digital Dollar book on Amazon
• Sign up to receive the CMU Daily news bulletin
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Apr 25, 2022
Deezer to go public with €1 billion valuation
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including Deezer's announcement that it is going public with a valuation of more than €1 billion, as a result of a deal to merge with French special purpose acquisition company I2PO that will result in the streaming music firm being publicly listed on the Euronext Paris stock exchange, plus Tyga’s entry into the torrid world of sports shoe litigation.
SECTION TIMES
01: Deezer (00:05:49)
02: Tyga (00:23:15)
(Timings may be slightly different due to adverts)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Deezer to go public with €1.05 billion valuation
• Tyga’s MSCHF trainers prompt legal battle with Vans
ALSO MENTIONED
• Deezer announces partnership with German broadcaster RTL Deutschland (November 2021)
• Deezer’s IPO is off (October 2015)
• Setlist: Lil Nas X’s Satan Shoes recalled back to Hell (April 2021)
• Tommy Cash has collaborated with Adidas on some rea…
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Apr 18, 2022
The battle for Sheffield’s Leadmill music venue
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including the battle over Sheffield's Leadmill venue after its current management were served with an eviction notice with plans for the building's landlord to install their own team, plus the producer suing Justin Bieber for allegedly breaking promises on royalties.
SECTION TIMES
01: The Leadmill (00:10:45)
02: Justin Bieber (00:25:06)
(Timings may be slightly different due to adverts)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Sheffield Leadmill landlord says building will remain a music venue, despite eviction notice
• Dispute over the future of Sheffield’s The Leadmill rages on
• The Leadmill landlords have already begun registering the trademark for Electric Sheffield
• “The Leadmill will not continue” following landlord takeover, says current General Manager
• Leadmill management petition for suspension of Section 25 of Landlord And Tenant Act as dispute with la…
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Apr 4, 2022
Did Fortnite rip off a Charlie Puth dance? It’s complicated
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including the lawsuit launched against Fortnite maker Epic Games by the choreographer behind the dance routine in the video for the Charlie Puth song ‘How Long’ alleging that an 'emote' available within the gaming platform utilises his choreography without licence, and the US Copyright Royalty Board's rejection of industry proposals on royalty rates for discs and downloads.
SECTION TIMES
01: Fortnite dance (00:05:56)
02: Copyright Royalty Board (00:15:57)
(Timings may be slightly different due to adverts)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Choreographer on Charlie Puth video reignites debate about dance copyright on Fortnite
• US Copyright Royalty Board rejects proposal to keep mechanical royalty on discs and downloads unchanged
ALSO MENTIONED
• Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins dies
• Mira Calix dies
• The Wanted’s Tom Parker dies
MORE FROM CMU
• U…
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Mar 28, 2022
Record revenues for the record industry (if you don’t adjust for inflation)
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including the latest stats from the IFPI showing that global recorded music revenues grew 18.5% in 2021, plus a whole load more stats from Spotify aiming to fend of criticism about the money artists and songwriters earn from the platform (although possibly not doing that good a job of it).
SECTION TIMES
01: IFPI stats (00:05:50)
02: Spotify stats (00:31:13)
(Timings may be slightly different due to adverts)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Global record industry revenues grew 18.5% to $25.9 billion in 2021
• Spotify paid $7 billion to the music industry last year - and other fun stat brags
ALSO MENTIONED
• Shape Of You song-theft court case concludes
• The things people get wrong about streaming (Setlist specials, May 2020)
• The things people still get wrong about streaming - dissecting the Economics Of Streaming report (Setlist special, July 2021)
MORE FROM…
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Mar 21, 2022
Spotify says its FC Barcelona deal will be great for musicians
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including Spotify's $310 million deal to sponsor Spanish football team FC Barcelona - which the streaming service says will be great for artists - and former chief Brexit negotiator Lord Frost's admission that the deal he secured with the European Union may have messed things up for musicians.
SECTION TIMES
01: Spotify (00:05:24)
02: Brexit (00:19:00)
(Timings may be slightly different due to adverts)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Spotify’s $310 million FC Barcelona sponsorship deal confirmed – and it’s great news for artists, says Spotify
• Former Brexit negotiator admits “purist” approach to EU trade deal inflicted excessive paperwork on musicians
ALSO MENTIONED
• UK record industry revenues grew 12.8% in 2021
MORE FROM CMU
• Upcoming CMU webinars
• Buy MMF and CMU Insights’ Dissecting The Digital Dollar book on Amazon
• Sign up to receive…
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Mar 14, 2022
Ed Sheeran tells the High Court he’s no song thief
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including Ed Sheeran's trip to the High Court in London in a bid to defeat a song-theft lawsuit filed against him and his musical collaborators in relation to his 2017 track 'Shape Of You', and the return of LimeWire - not as a piece of peer-to-peer file-sharing software, but as a music NFT marketplace.
SECTION TIMES
01: Ed Sheeran (00:05:40)
02: LimeWire (00:23:13)
(Timings may be slightly different due to adverts)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Musical “magpie” Ed Sheeran in court over Shape Of You song theft claims
• Ed Sheeran testifies in Shape Of You song-theft dispute
• Musical “magpie” Ed Sheeran is also a “music squirrel”, says lawyer in Shape Of You song-theft case
• Johnny McDaid takes to the stand in Ed Sheeran’s Shape Of You song-theft battle
• Another Ed Sheeran collaborator testifies in Shape Of You song-theft case
• LimeWire to…
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Mar 7, 2022
Bandcamp bought by Fortnite maker Epic Games
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including Epic Games' acquisition of Bandcamp and what a gaming company might want with a direct-to-fan music platform, plus the Entertainment Retailers Association's stats on streaming music in 2021 and what it thinks should happen in the economics of streaming debate.
SECTION TIMES
01: Bandcamp (00:02:57)
02: ERA stats (00:17:43)
(Timings may be slightly different due to adverts)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Epic Games buys Bandcamp
• ERA publishes positive stats galore about streaming, but says industry needs to be “bold” in responding to economics of streaming debate
ALSO MENTIONED
• Music Export Ukraine: How to support the people of Ukraine
• Ukrainian musicians urge streaming services to allow political messaging on their platforms in response to Russian invasion
• Spotify and Live Nation make announcements regarding Russian activities following t…
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Feb 28, 2022
Megan Thee Stallion in album definition dispute
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including Megan Thee Stallion’s legal dispute over the definition of an album – and specifically whether her 2021 release ‘Something For Thee Hotties’ is one or now – plus the eventful rollout of Kanye West's latest record, 'Donda 2'.
SECTION TIMES
01: Megan Thee Stallion (00:06:14)
02: Kanye West (00:18:14)
(Timings may be slightly different due to adverts)
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STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Megan Thee Stallion goes back to court to dispute label’s definition of “album”
• Kanye West says he sold more than $2 million worth of Donda 2 players in 24 hours
• Kanye West mis…
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Feb 14, 2022
Comedians sue Pandora over joke copyrights
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including the lawsuits filed against Pandora by three comedians - and the estates of comedy legends Robin Williams and George Carlin - over allegations the American streaming service is streaming comedy routines by those performers without all of the proper licences in place, and the RIAA's legal letter to music NFTs website HitPiece that was both a cease-and-desist on behalf its members and a demand for information about all of the outfit’s activities and revenues to date.
SECTION TIMES
01: Pandora (00:10:22)
02: HitPiece (00:23:12)
(Timings may be slightly different due to adverts)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Comedians sue Pandora in dispute over literary work licences
• RIAA sends stern legal letter to controversial music NFTs site HitPiece
ALSO MENTIONED
• AWAL
• BRITs power up for fully-fledged return
MORE FROM CMU
• Upcoming CMU webinars
• Bu…
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Feb 7, 2022
HitPiece NFTs spark a cease and desist frenzy
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including the controversy sparked by a company called HitPiece after it appeared to be selling NFTs related to a plethora of musicians without permission, plus accusations by Lil Yachty that another music-focussed NFT Company, Opulous, used his name and brand as part of its launch communications, even though - he claims - he had not agreed to get involved in the venture.
SECTION TIMES
01: HitPiece (00:08:37)
02: Lil Yachty (00:20:55)
(Timings may be slightly different due to adverts)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Artists and labels hit out at unofficial NFTs site that allows people to “own a song”
• Lil Yachty sues music NFT start-up Opulous for trademark infringement
• Opulous says Lil Yachty lawsuit is “meritless”
ALSO MENTIONED
• Joe Rogan and Daniel Ek commit to beefed up and more transparent content polices in response to Neil Young boycott
• Sp…
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Jan 31, 2022
Spotify chooses Joe Rogan over Neil Young
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week. On this episode we’re discussing just one story that dominated the headlines over the last seven days – Neil Young’s protest against the Joe Rogan Experience podcast on Spotify. Saying that Rogan is “spreading fake information about [COVID-19] vaccines”, Young issued an ultimatum – ditch Rogan, or remove all of his music from its platform. Spotify chose Rogan.
Please note: This episode was recorded prior to Spotify CEO Daniel Ek and Joe Rogan’s latest statements on Neil Young’s protest.
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Over 250 scientists and medics hit out at Spotify over Joe Rogan podcast
• Management looking into Neil Young’s request to boycott Spotify in Joe Rogan protest
• Spotify confirms it is removing Neil Young’s music following his Joe Rogan podcast protest
ALSO MENTIONED
• CMU Insights & Friend MTS White Paper – Building Trust #02: Ha…
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Jan 24, 2022
Artists go to war over venue merch commissions
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including the artist backlash against venues that charge a commission on any merchandise they sell at gigs and the Featured Artist Coalition's new directory of '100% venues' that don't take any cut at all, plus the battle between the estates of former Jimi Hendrix Experience drummer Mitch Mitchell and bassist Noel Redding with the Hendrix estate and Sony Music over alleged unpaid royalties.
SECTION TIMES
01: Venue merchandise commissions (00:07:47)
02: Jimi Hendrix (00:19:01)
(Timings may be slightly different due to adverts)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• FAC launches campaign against venue merch commissions, urges ‘100% Venues’ to sign up to new directory
• Jimi Hendrix estate goes to court following royalty claim from former Experience collaborators
ALSO MENTIONED
• SOPA/PIPA and the MegaUpload shutdown (Chris' blog)
• The FAC's '100% Venues' directory…
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Jan 17, 2022
Yet another song theft case? You got it!
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including the US Ninth Circuit appeals court judges’ skeptical approach to an attempt to have the song-theft case over Katy Perry’s ‘Dark Horse’ reinstated and other song-theft lawsuits currently working their way through the courts, plus Spotify’s successful bid to block a trademark application for legal marijuana selling platform, Potify.
SECTION TIMES
01: Katy Perry (00:06:00)
02: Spotify (00:23:56)
(Timings may be slightly different due to adverts)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Dark Horse litigation back in court, but judges cautious of over-extending copyright
• Taylor Swift has one last go at getting the Shake It Off song-theft lawsuit dismissed
• Chris Brown and Drake hit back over No Guidance song-theft claim
• Spotify successfully blocks Potify trademark application
ALSO MENTIONED
• Over 250 scientists and medics hit out at Spotify over Jo…
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Jan 10, 2022
Five music controversies to expect in 2022
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke discuss five companies likely to find themselves involved in big music industry controversies in 2022. They span the economics of streaming debate, the major label system, the live industry, digital licensing and more. Some of these companies will be more used to finding themselves the focus of people’s anger than others, and some more willing to fight back than others.
SECTION TIMES
01: Spotify (00:04:29)
02: Universal (00:19:48)
03: Viagogo (00:28:13)
04: Twitter (00:35:13)
05: Live Nation (00:43:56)
(Timings may be slightly different due to adverts)
FURTHER READING
• Streaming services push for pre-2018 song royalty rate in US Copyright Royalty Board proceedings (October 2021)
• Songwriter groups make final submission to review of US royalty rates on discs and downloads (November 2021)
• Artist Rights Alliance calls Spotify’s Discovery Mode “exploitative and unfair” (May 2021)
• Believe, TuneCore and DistroKid formally…
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Dec 20, 2021
Review of the music business year 2021
CMU's Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last year. For this edition of Setlist we’re doing things a bit differently. It's our final episode of 2021, so we're going to look back at the big five stories of the last twelve months in the music business. It's been a while since we last did this, because last time we recorded a 'review of the year' edition it took so long we nearly missed Christmas. This time we've come up with a plan though, we only have five minutes to talk about each story. Can it be done? And what were the five big music industry stories of 2021 anyway? Find out here.
SECTION TIMES
01: Streaming economy debate (00:05:54)
02: Brexit (00:12:25)
03: NFTs (00:19:39)
04: Apple Tax (00:25:57)
05: Music rights boom (00:33:41)
(Timings may be slightly different due to adverts)
FURTHER READING
• CMU reports on the streaming economy debate
• CMU reports on Brexit
• CMU reports on NFTs
• CMU reports on Epic…
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Nov 22, 2021
There’s only room for one Republic in music, says Universal
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including Universal’s lawsuit against investment platform Republic over its move into music (there already being music company called Republic, which Universal has owned for more than 20 years), and Tidal’s big shift to user-centric royalties.
SECTION TIMES
01: Republic (00:06:51)
02: Tidal (00:20:38)
(Timings may be slightly different due to adverts)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Universal Music goes legal over investment platform Republic moving into music
• Tidal adds free tier – and announces artist bonuses and user-centric plans
ALSO MENTIONED
• Conference themes and lead country partner announced for Great Escape 2022
• Submit conference speakers for The Great Escape 2022
MORE FROM CMU
• Buy MMF and CMU Insights’ Dissecting The Digital Dollar book on Amazon
• Sign up to receive the CMU Daily news bulletin
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Nov 15, 2021
The legal fall out from the Astroworld tragedy
CMU's Andy Malt and Chris Cooke discuss the tragedy that occurred at Travis Scott's Astroworld festival in Houston Texas on Friday 5 Nov. Ten* people were killed and hundreds more injured after a dangerous crowd-surge occurred during Scott's headline set at the festival. A criminal investigation is now underway to ascertain the sequence of events that led to the injuries and deaths, and to what extent poor planning or bad decision making on the ground contributed to the tragedy. Meanwhile, over 100 lawsuits have been filed by victims of the event, with many more expected.
*This episode was recorded before the death of nine year old Ezra Blount.
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Travis Scott's Astroworld festival subject to criminal investigation and civil action, after eight people killed during crowd surge
• Astroworld lawsuits mount up, as further statements are issued over festival tragedy
• Lawyers for Astroworld victims get access to the festival's site, as calls for inde…
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Nov 8, 2021
Jay-Z in court over "crappy, lazy" perfume launch
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including Jay-Z claim in court that his fragrance launched in 2013 failed not because he didn't live up to his agreement regarding promoting it but because of perfume company Parlux's "crappy, lazy work", plus the All Party Parliamentary Group On Music's demand for "urgent action" from the UK government to tackle the crisis facing British musicians and crew planning to tour Europe as a result of the Brexit shambles.
SECTION TIMES
01: Jay-Z (00:04:31)
02: Brexit (00:18:16)
(Timings may be slightly different due to adverts)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Jay-Z takes to the witness stand in ongoing perfume promo dispute
• Jay-Z lays into perfume company’s “crappy, lazy work” in ongoing legal battle
• Cross-party group of MPs calls for urgent action on post-Brexit touring bureaucracy
ALSO MENTIONED
• Big Sean leaves GOOD Music “to start getting a bigger cut…
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Nov 1, 2021
COVID-19 wipes nearly $1 billion off song royalties
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including the 10.7% (or 775 million euros) drop in royalties collected by the song right collecting societies across the world as a result of COVID-19 in 2020, and the leaked UK government report that suggests that COVID passports might be counterproductive.
SECTION TIMES
01: CISAC stats (00:03:39)
02: COVID Passports (00:20:50)
(Timings may be slightly different due to adverts)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• COVID caused 775 million euro drop in song royalty collections in 2020, CISAC confirms
• Leaked government report warns that COVID passports could drive up infections
ALSO MENTIONED
• Dave Grohl comments on Nirvana baby lawsuit: “He’s got a Nevermind tattoo. I don’t”
MORE FROM CMU
• Buy MMF and CMU Insights’ Dissecting The Digital Dollar book on Amazon
• Sign up to receive the CMU Daily news bulletin
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Oct 25, 2021
Counting the impact of COVID on the UK music industry
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including UK Music stats revealing that the COVID-19 pandemic wiped out 69,000 music industry jobs in the UK and caused the economic contribution made by the music industry to slump by 46%, plus IFPI music stats showing that free services dominate how people consume music around the world.
SECTION TIMES
01: UK Music stats (00:06:37)
02: IFPI stats (00:19:44)
(Timings may be slightly different due to adverts)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• COVID-19 cost the UK music industry 69,000 jobs and caused a 46% slump in economic impact
• Free, social and video platforms online account for 45% of music consumption, according to IFPI
ALSO MENTIONED
• UK competition regulator announces market study into music streaming
• Artists and songwriter groups welcome Competition & Market Authority’s streaming market study
• Streaming services push for pre-2018 song royalty rate…
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Oct 18, 2021
Coldplay's plans to make touring eco-friendly
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including Coldplay’s plans to employ various technological solutions to reduce the environmental impact of their world tour next year, plus the music publishers' plans to push for the mechanical royalty rate on streaming in the US to be increased again in 2023.
SECTION TIMES
01: Coldplay (00:07:52)
02: Copyright Royalty Board (00:23:48)
(Timings may be slightly different due to adverts)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Coldplay announce plans for environmentally friendly world tour
• US music publishers to push for new streaming rate of 20%
ALSO MENTIONED
• That song that almost got to Christmas number number one
MORE FROM CMU
• Buy MMF and CMU Insights’ Dissecting The Digital Dollar book on Amazon
• Sign up to receive the CMU Daily news bulletin
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Oct 11, 2021
Tina Turner's big money brand and rights deal
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including Tina Turner’s wide-ranging deal with BMG in which she has given up her recordings, songs and brand for a reported $50 million, plus Friendly Fires’ anger after British Prime Minister Boris Johnson walked onto the stage at the Conservative Party’s annual conference to the sound of their song, ‘Blue Cassette’.
SECTION TIMES
01: Tina Turner (00:06:02)
02: Friendly Fires (00:22:34)
(Timings may be slightly different due to adverts)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• BMG announces wide-ranging rights deal with Tina Turner
• Friendly Fires hit out after their track is used at start of ‘Boris’ Johnson speech
ALSO MENTIONED
• Kanye West accepting admissions for his new school
MORE FROM CMU
• Buy MMF and CMU Insights’ Dissecting The Digital Dollar book on Amazon
• Sign up to receive the CMU Daily news bulletin
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Oct 4, 2021
Donald Trump's Electric Avenue fair use failure
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including Donald Trump's failed attempt to have a copyright infringement case brought against him by Eddy Grant dismissed on the grounds of fair use, and the attempt by the man who (as a baby) appeared on the cover of Nirvana's 'Nevermind' album to have the artwork on the record's 30th anniversary reissue censored.
SECTION TIMES
01: Electric Avenue (00:02:19)
02: Nevermind (00:18:13)
(Timings may be slightly different due to adverts)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• New York judge declines to dismiss Eddy Grant’s copyright case against Donald Trump
• Nevermind baby demands that the album’s artwork be edited on all future re-releases
ALSO MENTIONED
• R Kelly is guilty
• Britney Spears’ father removed from conservatorship role
MORE FROM CMU
• Buy MMF and CMU Insights’ Dissecting The Digital Dollar book on Amazon
• Sign up to receive the CMU Daily new…
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Sep 27, 2021
The government responds to Parliament’s streaming report
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week. This week we focus on just one story – because there’s a lot to say about it – the British government’s response to Parliament’s big ‘Economics Of Music Streaming’ report published by Parliament’s Digital, Culture, Media & Sport Select Committee in July.
SECTION TIMES
01: Economics of streaming response (00:03:52)
(Timings may be slightly different due to adverts)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Government responds to Parliament’s economics of streaming report
• Responses to the UK government’s response to Parliament’s Economics Of Streaming Report
• Merck Mercuriadis responds to NMPA chief and UK government on impact of majors on song royalties
• MU and #brokenrecord welcome government’s economics of streaming response, but want more commitment on copyright reforms
• Intellectual Property Office publishes report on music-makers’ earnings…
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Sep 20, 2021
Live from Spot+
Setlist’s Chris Cooke presents a live version of the programme at the Spot+ conference in Aarhus, Denmark. He is joined by a panel of industry experts to review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including the RIAA’s latest stats, Portishead’s user-centric royalties on SoundCloud, Epic Games and Apple, COVID passports, and why Ed Sheeran hates American awards ceremonies.
PANEL
• Maria Borg, Digital Partners & Export Manager at discowax / Sony Music
• Helienne Lindvall, songwriter + board director at Ivors Academy
• Daniel Nordgård, Associate Professor in music business at University Of Agder
• Josh Greenberg, Creative Strategy Consultant at Green Mountain Lodge
• Stein Bjelland, President at Stein70000 + Chair of Music Norway
SECTION TIMES
01: RIAA (00:04:37)
02: SoundCloud (00:26:05)
03: Epic v Apple (00:35:00)
04: COVID passports (00:48:28)
05: Ed Sheeran (00:55:46)
(Timings may be slightly different due to adverts)
STOR…
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Jul 26, 2021
Anarchy in the High Court - it's the Sex Pistols!
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including The Sex Pistols’ appearance in the High Court in a dispute over a sync deal to include the band’s music in a new show directed by Danny Boyle based on the memoir of guitarist Steve Jones, plus Sony Music’s lawsuit against sportswear brand Gymshark accusing it of using unlicensed music in social media promos for years.
SECTION TIMES
01: Streaming royalties (00:12:49)
02: Sainsbury’s (00:28:51)
(Timings may be slightly different due to adverts)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Sex Pistols in court over sync deals and a 1988 band agreement
• John Lydon is a “total dick”, former bandmate confirms in court
• Sex Pistols are probably “gone for good” following sync deal bust up, Paul Cook confirms
• John Lydon says he doesn’t remember signing “terrifying” Sex Pistols band agreement as sync deal dispute continues
• John Lydon lawyer says he…
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Jul 19, 2021
The things people still get wrong about streaming – dissecting the Economics Of Streaming report
Taking a break from the usual format, on this week’s Setlist CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke discuss the culture select committee of the UK parliament’s newly published report based on its inquiry into the economics of the music streaming business, including the key findings, what the committee got wrong, and an important question that should probably get answered before anyone instigates the “complete reset” of the entire music streaming business that the committee called for.
SUBSCRIBE TO SETLIST
Listen to Setlist and sign up to receive new episodes for free automatically each week through any of these services…
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STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• UK Parliament calls for “complete reset” of music streaming, including ER for performers and competition investigation into the majors
ALSO MENTIONED
• The full Economics…
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Jul 12, 2021
Let's fix streaming by taxing the superstars
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including the new research from the UK’s Association Of Independent Music’s arguing that paying popular tracks on streaming services lower royalties and less popular track more might be the key to a fairer system, and the news that supermarket chain Sainsbury’s is freeing up shelf space in its stores by ditching CDs and DVDs.
SECTION TIMES
01: Streaming royalties (00:12:56)
02: Sainsbury’s (00:30:41)
(Timings may be slightly different due to adverts)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• AIM publishes insights on the artist growth model for streaming royalty distribution
• Sainsbury’s confirms it is phasing out CDs and DVDs from its stores
ALSO MENTIONED
• John Barnes, Gazza and (please make it stop) Peter Beardsley rap on previously unheard World In Motion tapes
• Jacob Rees-Mogg raps in Parliament
MORE FROM CMU
• Book your place on CMU’s weekly webi…
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Jul 5, 2021
Brexit negotiator says touring issues aren't his problem
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including chief Brexit negotiator Lord David Frost’s less than reassuring answers to questions about how he failed to deliver visa-free touring in the EU for British musicians and what is being done about it, plus the music companies going on the record to say positive things about Spotify’s controversial Discovery Mode.
SECTION TIMES
01: Brexit (00:5:38)
02: Discovery Mode (00:25:00)
(Timings may be slightly different due to adverts)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Chief Brexit negotiator finally speaks to culture select committee about new bureaucratic barriers for touring artists, reassures no one
• Elton John says the government “tossed away” the arts when negotiating Brexit trade deal
• #LetTheMusicMove campaigns for resolution to UK touring musicians’ “no deal Brexit”
• Believe, TuneCore and DistroKid formally endorse Spotify’s controversial Di…
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Jun 28, 2021
Damon Dash and the court-blocked Jay-Z NFT
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including the court order barring Damon Dash from auctioning an NFT that the Roc-A-Fella record label claims is an attempt to sell off copyright in Jay-Z’s ‘Reasonable Doubt’ album that he does not own, and the private Universal Music share deal that edges it closer to a public stock market listing.
SECTION TIMES
01: Jay-Z NFT (00:7:38)
02: Universal Music (00:23:57)
(Timings may be slightly different due to adverts)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Damon Dash sued over Reasonable Doubt NFT
• New York court blocks Damon Dash from selling Reasonable Doubt NFT – for now
• Vivendi finalises $4 billion deal to sell 10% of Universal Music ahead of stock market listing
• Vivendi shareholders approve plan for spinning off Universal Music
ALSO MENTIONED
• Andrew Lloyd Webber says he will not defy COVID-19 rules to open his new musical at full capacity this week…
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Jun 21, 2021
Could this bold new law finally fix streaming?
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including the new private members bill proposed by MP Kevin Brennan to change UK copyright law to provide musicians with guaranteed income when their music is streamed, and Sony Music’s announcement that it will start paying royalties to unrecouped artists on 20th century record contracts.
SECTION TIMES
01: Private members bill (00:5:23)
02: Sony Music (00:24:24)
(Timings may be slightly different due to adverts)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Kevin Brennan MP proposes “a new right to fair remuneration” from streaming for musicians in private members bill
• Artist and management community welcome Sony Music’s decision to pay royalties to artists on unrecouped pre-2000 record deals
ALSO MENTIONED
• With lifting of COVID restrictions set to be delayed, live sector calls for more data and financial support
MORE FROM CMU
• Book your place on CMU’s weekl…
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Jun 14, 2021
The music publishers' $200 million lawsuit against Roblox
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including the $200 million lawsuit against Roblox from a consortium of music publishers led by the US National Music Publishers Association, plus Brexit negotiator David Frost’s big no-show at a parliamentary inquiry into how the UK-EU trade deal messed things up so badly for touring musicians and what, if anything, is being done about it.
SECTION TIMES
01: Roblox (00:3:36)
02: Brexit (00:15:90)
(Timings may be slightly different due to adverts)
SUBSCRIBE TO SETLIST
Listen to Setlist and sign up to receive new episodes for free automatically each week through any of these services…
Acast | Amazon Music | Apple Podcasts | audioBoom | CastBox | Deezer | Google Podcasts | iHeart | Mixcloud | RSS | Spotify | Stitcher | TuneIn
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Music publishers sue Roblox for $200 million, pile more pressure on Twitch
• UK’s Brexit negotiator critic…
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Jun 7, 2021
YouTube's four billion dollar stats brag
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including YouTube Global Head Of Music Lyor Cohen’s brag that the Google division has paid out over $4 billion to the music industry over the last year, and the last minute pleas for the government to save the festival season by offering state-backed cancellation insurance.
SECTION TIMES
01: YouTube (00:4:27)
02: Festival insurance (00:24:50)
(Timings may be slightly different due to adverts)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• YouTube paid $4 billion to the music industry last year and is still finding new sources of revenue for artists, says Lyor Cohen
• Culture select committee says government inaction on insurance will result in another “lost summer” for the festival sector
ALSO MENTIONED
• Robert Smith says he’s working on an album of “just noise”
• Lyor Cohen’s blog post
• Latest report from IMPALA’s One Step Ahead
MORE FROM CMU
• Book…
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May 31, 2021
The music industry's "war on the internet"
CMU's Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including US ISP Cox Communication's claim that the music industry is "waging war on the internet" as it appeals the 2019 safe harbour ruling against it, plus a new survey from the Musicians' Union and the Incorporated Society Of Musicians showing that 77% of UK music-makers expect their income to fall as a result of new post-Brexit touring bureaucracy.
SECTION TIMES
01: Cox Communications (00:5:44)
02: Brexit (00:19:49)
(Timings may be slightly different due to adverts)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Cox Communications files appeal against billion dollar copyright ruling
• 77% of musicians expect earnings to be hit by new post-Brexit touring bureaucracy
ALSO MENTIONED
• Culture Secretary “very hopeful” for full return of live music, as Download Festival added to Events Research Programme
MORE FROM CMU
• Book your place on CMU’s weekly webinars
• Buy MM…
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May 24, 2021
High quality audio goes mainstream
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including Apple and Amazon's announcements that users of their streaming services will now be able to enjoy some super enhanced audio action via their respective music platforms at no extra cost, plus the UK's competition regulator the Competition & Markets Authority's announcement that it has launched an investigation into the recent acquisition by Sony Music of Kobalt's recordings division.
SECTION TIMES
01: High quality audio (00:3:51)
02: Sony Music (00:21:05)
(Timings may be slightly different due to adverts)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Apple Music and Amazon Music offering higher quality audio at no extra cost
• UK competition regulator to investigate Sony’s AWAL purchase
• Sony confirms AWAL acquisition completed, acknowledges regulator investigation in the UK
ALSO MENTIONED
• Flo Rida arrives in Rotterdam to join San Marino’s Eurovision performance…
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May 17, 2021
Are iPhone users the real victims of the Apple Tax?
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including the new class action legal claim in London on behalf of the millions of iOS users in the UK, presenting consumers rather than app-makers as the bigger losers when Apple adds a 30% commission onto in-app purchases, plus Believe’s first step towards its IPO.
SECTION TIMES
01: Apple Tax (00:12:27)
02: Believe (00:26:00)
(Timings may be slightly different due to adverts)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Apple’s App Store rules now subject to £1.5 billion class action claim before UK tribunal
• Believe confirms first step completed towards IPO on Paris stock exchange
ALSO MENTIONED
• BRITs goes ahead with audience of keyworkers, but makes Coldplay stay outside
MORE FROM CMU
• Book your place on CMU’s weekly webinars
• Buy MMF and CMU Insights’ Dissecting The Digital Dollar book on Amazon
• Sign up to receive the CMU Daily news bulletin
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May 10, 2021
PRS livestreaming rates: the controversy continues
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including the new controversy over PRS For Music’s new livestreaming licence after it was revised to address previous controversy, plus media regulator Ofcom’s consultation on its view that BBC Sounds is no threat to anyone in commercial radio and podcasting.
SECTION TIMES
01: PRS livestream tariff (00:05:15)
02: BBC Sounds (00:31:07)
(Timings may be slightly different due to adverts)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• PRS proposes revised livestream licence after ‘call for views’, but still criticised by artists and managers
• OfCom opens consultation on its view BBC Sounds is not a threat to commercial radio
ALSO MENTIONED
• Buy delegate passes for The Great Escape Online 2021
MORE FROM CMU
• All about the Great Escape conference
• Book your place on CMU’s weekly webinars
• Buy MMF and CMU Insights’ Dissecting The Digital Dollar book on Amazon…
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May 3, 2021
The EU takes a stand against the Apple Tax
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including the European Commission’s ‘statement of objections’ to Apple saying that it believes it has distorted competition in the music streaming market by enforcing the mandatory use of its own payment system, plus Tencent’s likely fine for alleged anti-competitive behaviour in the music streaming market.
SECTION TIMES
01: EU v Apple (00:02:58)
02: China v Tencent (00:21:49)
(Timings may be slightly different due to adverts)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Apple’s App Store rules back in spotlight in both Europe and the US thanks to Spotify and Fortnite
• Tencent likely to be fined in Chinese competition law crackdown, could be force to sell music apps
ALSO MENTIONED
• Bjorn Ulvaeus confirmed as final keynote interviewee for Great Escape 2021
• Buy delegate passes for The Great Escape Online 2021
MORE FROM CMU
• All about the Great Escape confer…
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Apr 26, 2021
Artists call on Boris Johnson to fix streaming
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including the letter to UK Prime Minister 'Boris' Johnson from 156 musicians demanding that he fix music streaming, and another letter sent by an alliance of copyright industry trade groups to the European Union demanding that it beef up an element of its proposed Digital Services Act.
SECTION TIMES
01: Letter to 'Boris' Johnson (00:06:59)
02: Letter to the EU (00:30:05)
(Timings may be slightly different due to adverts)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• 156 artists call on UK government to add ER to streams and launch competition investigation into the majors
• Copyright groups say European Union’s Digital Services Act should do more to stop piracy sites operating anonymously
ALSO MENTIONED
• CMU+TGE 2021 Panel: Learning By Doing – Young Guns Artist Campaign Team
• CMU+TGE 2021 Panel: Getting Rights Data Right
• CMU+TGE 2021: Thursday’s Keynote In Convers…
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Apr 19, 2021
Live Nation prepares venues for the livestreaming future
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including Live Nation's announcement that it is kitting out more than 60 US music venues with equipment to offer any artist performing in them the option to also broadcast their shows online, and Ofcom's decision not to take action over a Capital Xtra DJ taking money in exchange for airplay.
SECTION TIMES
01: Livestreaming (00:04:31)
02: Capital Xtra (00:19:59)
(Timings may be slightly different due to adverts)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Live Nation and Veeps begin equipping US venues for post-pandemic livestreaming
• OfCom declines to take action against Capital Xtra following DJ Tiiny payola scandal
ALSO MENTIONED
• TikTok’s Ole Obermann, BBC’s Lorna Clarke and Ghostpoet join TGE Conference line-up
MORE FROM CMU
• All about the TGE Conference
• Buy delegate passes for TGE Online 2021
• Book your place on CMU's weekly webinars
• Buy MMF and…
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Apr 12, 2021
Lil Nas X's Satan Shoes recalled back to Hell
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including a legal settlement that will see 666 pairs of Nike trainers that were turned – without the sportswear brand’s permission – into Lil Nas X’s Satan Shoes recalled, plus the merger of Scooter Braun’s Ithaca Holdings with the South Korean music company formerly known as Big Hit Entertainment, HYBE.
SECTION TIMES
01: Satan Shoes (00:06:41)
02: HYBE and Ithaca (00:21:13)
(Timings may be slightly different due to adverts)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Nike launches lawsuit over Lil Nas X’s Satan Shoes
• Satan Shoes maker responds to Nike lawsuit – it’s all just “conceptual art”
• Nike and MSCHF reach settlement over Lil Nas X’s Satan Shoes
• BTS and Bieber among the artists welcoming the big HYBE Ithaca merger
• HYBE x Ithaca Holdings deal announcement video (YouTube)
ALSO MENTIONED
• Lordi to release seven albums (all at once) in…
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Apr 5, 2021
Songwriters call time on pop stars’ unearned credits
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including the new songwriter campaign seeking to stop famous artists from grabbing a cut of the copyright in songs that they help make famous but don’t actually co-write, plus Ice Cube’s lawsuit against the “unscrupulous and predatory” Robinhood app.
SECTION TIMES
01: Songwriters v Pop stars (00:03:58)
02: Ice Cube (00:21:14)
(Timings may be slightly different due to adverts)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Songwriter group pushes back on superstar artists demanding a copyright cut on songs they didn’t co-write
• Ice Cube sues “unscrupulous and predatory” Robinhood app for posting his photo on its website
ALSO MENTIONED
• FAC, MPA, MU and Sentric Music join Music Copyright Explained debate next Tuesday
MORE FROM CMU
• All about the TGE Conference
• Buy delegate passes for TGE Online 2021
• Book your place on CMU’s weekly webinars
• Buy…
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Mar 29, 2021
How record labels kept the money flowing in 2020
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including new stats from trade bodies the IFPI and BPI showing that streaming kept the record industry in growth in 2020, despite COVID-19, plus the new campaign launched by the Ivors Academy calling on labels to better compensate songwriters for their work.
SECTION TIMES
01: Stats! Stats! Stats! (00:05:15)
02: #PaySongwriters (00:21:40)
(Timings may be slightly different due to adverts)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Global record industry revenues grow 7.4% to $21.6 billion in COVID year
• BPI stats show slowed growth for UK record label revenues in 2020
• Wider music copyright market grew by 7% to $31.6 billion in 2019
• Ivors Academy calls on labels to #PaySongwriters
DIRECT LINKS TO REPORTS
• IFPI Global Music Industry Report 2021
• UK recorded music revenues grew 3.8% in 2020 (BPI)
• Music needs to know how much it’s worth (Will Page/Tarzan Econ…
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Mar 22, 2021
Spotify gets in on the economics of streaming debate
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including Spotify’s new website formally laying out its positions on the different aspects of the economics of streaming debate, and calls for the Recording Academy to support publishing contract reform.
SECTION TIMES
01: Spotify on the streaming economics (00:03:15)
02: The campaign against ‘minimum delivery and release commitment’ (00:28:23)
(Timings may be slightly different due to adverts)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Spotify formally enters the economics of streaming debate with new Loud & Clear website
• Songwriter groups call on Recording Academy to support campaign against minimum release commitments in publishing deals
ALSO MENTIONED
• Music Copyright Explained – download the new guide from the Intellectual Property Office and CMU Insights
• Music Copyright Explained – sign up for free webinars
• Setlist: Deezer’s big push to get suppor…
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Mar 15, 2021
The music business year so far
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from 2021 so far, including UK parliament’s inquiry into the economics of streaming, the debate around user-centric streaming royalties, and the issues facing UK musicians who want to tour Europe post-Brexit.
SECTION TIMES
01: Economics of streaming (00:07:33)
02: User-centric royalties (00:17:15)
03: Brexit and live music (00:23:31)
(Timings may be slightly different due to adverts)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• UK parliament’s economics of streaming inquiry
• SoundCloud announces shift to user-centric royalty distribution for its 100,000 independent creators
• MU and ISM call for more urgency from government over post-Brexit touring issues
ALSO MENTIONED
• Spotify confirms launch in 85 new markets, plus new tools galore and high quality audio, in big announcements splurge
• Jay-Z sells “significant majority” of Tidal to Jack Dorsey’s Square
• Get the lowdown on…
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Dec 14, 2020
Artists say PRS fees could cause livestream losses
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including the UK’s Music Managers Forum and Featured Artists Coalition anger at PRS For Music's “unworkable” proposed royalty rates for livestreamed shows, plus our favourite music of 2020.
SECTION TIMES
01: Livestream rates (00:04:43)
02: Tracks of 2020 (00:23:57)
(Timings may be slightly different due to adverts)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• MMF and FAC hit out at proposed PRS royalty rate for livestreamed shows
• On The CMU Stereo 2020 playlist
ALSO MENTIONED
• Taylor Swift releases her second surprise album of 2020
• Rina Sawayama barred from entering this year’s Mercury Prize for not being British enough (July 2020)
MORE FROM CMU
• Book your place on CMU's weekly webinars
• Buy the new Dissecting The Digital Dollar book on Amazon
• Sign up to receive the CMU Daily news bulletin
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Dec 7, 2020
Can the Grammy Awards ever escape controversy?
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including the accusations of corruption levelled at the Grammy Awards by The Weeknd and Halsey (among others) and whether the big US music industry awards show can ever escape criticism, plus the $3 million lawsuit launched by Chance The Rapper's former manager that calls his last album a “freestyle-driven product of sub-par quality”.
SECTION TIMES
01: Grammy Awards (00:05:35)
02: Chance The Rapper (00:19:32)
(Timings may be slightly different due to adverts)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Grammys fail to avoid controversy with 2021 nominations
• Halsey says getting Grammys nominations is about “knowing the right people”
• Ellie Goulding weighs in on music awards
• Chance The Rapper sued for $3 million in commission by former manager
ALSO MENTIONED
• Culture select committee chair says he will name and shame anyone trying to stop artists from speaking…
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Nov 30, 2020
Artists tell MPs streaming is "threatening the future of music"
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including the first parliamentary hearing in the culture select committee inquiry into the economics of streaming, plus Instagram's insistence that no one would ever confuse its Reels feature with US cable TV channel Reelz.
SECTION TIMES
01: Streaming inquiry (00:05:36)
02: Reels/z (00:28:35)
(Timings may be slightly different due to adverts)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Performer ER in the spotlight at first parliamentary hearing on the economics of music streaming
• No one would confuse Reels with Reelz, says Instagram
ALSO MENTIONED
• Setlist: Parliament probes the economics of streaming (from October 2020)
MORE FROM CMU
• Book your place on CMU's weekly webinars
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Nov 23, 2020
300 million reasons why Taylor Swift still hates Scooter Braun
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including Taylor Swift's anger upon learning that the master rights in her first six albums have been sold without her knowledge for a second time, plus music publisher Wixen's lawsuit against TikTok rival Triller.
SECTION TIMES
01: Taylor Swift (00:08:24)
02: Triller (00:23:37)
(Timings may be slightly different due to adverts)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Scooter Braun sells Taylor Swift’s first six albums to private equity firm for $300 million
• Wixen sues Triller for copyright infringement
ALSO MENTIONED
• Warner Music creates new radio edit of Fairytale Of New York, to the annoyance of homophobia fans
• Def Leppard re-record their old songs
MORE FROM CMU
• Book your place on CMU's weekly webinars
• Buy the new Dissecting The Digital Dollar book on Amazon
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Nov 16, 2020
Are we headed for a live music dystopia?
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including Ticketmaster's proposal to use its app to verify that ticketholders have had a COVID-19 vaccination or negative test before attending shows, and the latest twist in the copyright infringement battle between Nirvana and fashion designer Marc Jacobs.
SECTION TIMES
01: Ticketmaster (00:03:51)
02: Nirvana (00:18:04)
(Timings may be slightly different due to adverts)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Ticketmaster planning to use app to verify COVID status, in hopes of return to full capacity shows in 2021
• Ticketmaster says it won’t be barring people from entering shows based on their COVID status (that’ll be the promoter’s job)
• Nirvana company files another lawsuit over the band’s smiley face
ALSO MENTIONED
• Twitch responds to music takedown frenzy, says music licences will take time or may never happen
• Boris Johnson gives cautious welcome to…
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Nov 9, 2020
Spotify opens up its algorithm... for a fee
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including Spotify's new pilot scheme allowing artists and labels to influence its music-selecting algorithm in return for a lower royalty rate, plus Live Nation's beaming positivity in the face of another round of definitely not positive financial results.
SECTION TIMES
01: Spotify algorithm (00:07:01)
02: Live Nation finances (00:27:39)
(Timings may be slightly different due to adverts)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Spotify to allow artists and labels to influence its curation algorithm – in return for a royalty discount
• Live Nation summer revenues down 95%, but company talks of cautious optimism and being prepared
ALSO MENTIONED
• IMPALA and CMU partner to launch digital intelligence facility One Step Ahead
MORE FROM CMU
• Book your place on CMU's end of year webinars
• Buy the new Dissecting The Digital Dollar book on Amazon
• Sign up to receive…
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Nov 2, 2020
Songwriters fear 35% royalty drop in 2020
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including global collecting society grouping CISAC's positive revenue stats for 2019 and very gloomy predictions for 2020, and the news that Harry Styles has invested in a new arena venue in Manchester.
SECTION TIMES
01: CISAC figures (00:04:45)
02: Harry Styles (00:20:16)
(Timings may be slightly different due to adverts)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Song right societies saw collections grow 8.4% in 2019, but fear a 35% drop in 2020 due to COVID
• Harry Styles invests in new Manchester arena Co-op Live
ALSO MENTIONED
• Spotify boss discusses price rise strategies in latest investor report
• US musicians group calls for cent-per-stream payouts in Justice At Spotify campaign
MORE FROM CMU
• Book your place on CMU’s end of year webinars
• Buy the new Dissecting The Digital Dollar book on Amazon
• Sign up to receive the CMU Daily news bulletin
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Oct 26, 2020
Could Viagogo's StubHub merger be on the verge of collapse?
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including the UK competition regulator's conclusion that a merged Viagogo and StubHub would likely result in a “substantial lessening of competition in the online secondary ticketing market” and proposal that the whole thing be called off, plus the new report that warns that 170,000 live industry jobs are at risk as a result of the UK government's response to COVID-19.
SECTION TIMES
01: Viagogo/StubHub on the rocks (00:09:48)
02: Live music jobs in doubt (00:25:03)
(Timings may be slightly different due to adverts)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• UK competition regulator remains opposed to Viagogo/StubHub merger after phase two investigation
• Nearly 170,000 UK live sector jobs will be lost by the end of the year, industry warns in new report
ALSO MENTIONED
• Fyre Festival’s Billy McFarland launches podcast from prison to tell his side of the story
• Rishi S…
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Oct 19, 2020
Parliament probes the economics of streaming
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including the announcement that the culture select committee of the UK Parliament is opening an inquiry into the economics of music streaming, and the music industry's positive response to the number of venues, festivals and other music organisations who will receive support from the Culture Recovery Fund.
SECTION TIMES
01: Streaming inquiry (00:05:38)
02: Culture Recovery Fund (00:27:44)
(Timings may be slightly different due to adverts)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Parliament’s culture select committee to investigate the economics of music streaming
• UK music industry welcomes Culture Recovery Fund support for numerous venues and festivals, though COVID challenges remain
• The Lexington still in perilous position despite receiving Culture Recovery Fund grant
ALSO MENTIONED
• BTS management company Big Hit proves a big hit on the South Korean stock market…
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Oct 12, 2020
BMG moves to make record contracts fairer
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including BMG's announcement that it is eliminating a controversial, artist unfriendly clause from its record contracts and whether other labels might follow suit, plus what the members of BTS serving military service could mean for both the band and the South Korean economy.
SECTION TIMES
01: BMG’s contracts (00:04:26)
02: BTS’s conscription (00:18:22)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• BMG to eliminate ‘controlled composition’ deductions in all record contracts
• South Korean politician suggests BTS members should be offered “special alternative” to mandatory military service
ALSO MENTIONED
• Kickass founder disappears halting US extradition attempts
• BTS are on the brink of enrolling in a major military nightmare (Wired)
MORE FROM CMU
• Book your place on CMU’s Autumn Webinars
• Buy the new Dissecting The Digital Dollar book on Amazon
• S…
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Oct 5, 2020
Travis Scott's thumbs get him into trouble
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including Travis Scott being sued by gaming accessory company KontrolFreek over some (allegedly) dodgy thumbsticks that (allegedly) rip off the company's designs, and why John Lennon's former personal assistant is being sued for speaking publicly about his time as John Lennon's personal assistant.
SECTION TIMES
01: Travis Scott sued over thumbsticks (00:08:08)
02: John Lennon's former PA sued for talking (00:18:13)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Travis Scott sued over his Cactus Jack thumbsticks
• Yoko Ono sues former John Lennon assistant over recent interview
ALSO MENTIONED
• Capital launches new 24/7 dance music radio station
• McDonald’s recruits Travis Scott to sell burgers to The Kids
• Bill Murray responds to Doobie Brothers’ copyright infringement claim
• 'Good Ol Freda' trailer (YouTube)
MORE FROM CMU
• Book your place on CMU's Autumn Webi…
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Sep 28, 2020
Commerical radio hits out at BBC Sounds
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including OfCom's announcement that it intends to investigate whether the BBC Sounds app is competing with commercial media, and YouTube hitting back at a lawsuit arguing that it should not enjoy protection under the copyright safe harbour because it doesn’t make its Content ID rights management system available to everyone.
SECTION TIMES
01: OfCom to investigate BBC Sounds (00:05:19)
02: YouTube defends Content ID access policy (00:20:42)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• MPs call for OfCom review of BBC Sounds app after new dance music service added
• OfCom allows Radio 1 24/7 dance stream launch to go ahead, but will look at market position of BBC Sounds app
• YouTube hits back against lawsuit over Content ID access
ALSO MENTIONED
• Kanye West says he'll give GOOD artists back their masters; Big Sean, Desiigner & 070 Shake rejoice (Billboard)
MORE FROM CMU…
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Sep 21, 2020
Kanye West puts record deals in the spotlight
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including Kanye West's big dispute over the structure of record company deals with artists (and the contents of the deals he dumped on Twitter), and Facebook's deals with the music industry to include music in video game livestreams on its Twitch rival Facebook Gaming.
SECTION TIMES
01: Kanye v Universal (00:05:19)
02: Facebook Gaming (00:29:51)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Kanye West hits out at Universal and Sony in latest Twitter rant
• Kanye West publishes his Universal Music contracts as anti-label Twitter rant continues
• Facebook secures music deals for its gaming app
• SACEM announces licensing deal with Twitch
ALSO MENTIONED
• Nicki Minaj wins one element of her Tracy Chapman copyright dispute, but the wider case will go to a jury
MORE FROM CMU
• Book your place on CMU’s Autumn Webinars
• Buy the new Dissecting The Digital Dollar on Amazon…
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Sep 14, 2020
Music industry numbers - the week in stats
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including the increase in US record revenues, the cost of ‘Boris’ Johnson’s ‘Operation Moonshot’, the boost in users of Fender’s guitar tuition app, the settlement reached in the legal battle between Sony Music and the estate of 1950s pop star Ricky Nelson, and the festivals people have most been pining for on Spotify.
SECTION TIMES
01: RIAA figures (00:06:32)
02: Operation Moonshot (00:15:50)
03: Fender sale boom (00:22:48)
04: Ricky Nelson (00:26:50)
05: Spotify festival playlists (00:31:05)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• RIAA stats show record industry mainly COVID immune thanks to streaming
• UK government’s Operation Moonshot could get full-capacity gigs back up and running – but experts question how realistic the plans really are
• Everyone is playing guitar now
• Sony Music settles dispute over deductions on foreign streaming royalties
AL…
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Sep 7, 2020
Ford v Freeplay: When free doesn't mean free
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including the Ford motor company's accusation that production music library Freeplay Music intentionally chose a name to make it seem like its music was free to use in order to sue it (and others) for copyright infringement, plus the crackdown on the boom in illegal raves during the pandemic.
SECTION TIMES
01: Ford v Freeplay Music (00:04:59)
02: Crackdown on illegal raves (00:22:29)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Ford accuses music library Freeplay of "bait-and-switch", because its free music isn't always free
• UK police have a go at cracking down on some COVID-rule-busting illegal raves
ALSO MENTIONED
• BBC backtracks on wordless Rule, Britannia plan
MORE FROM CMU
• Book your place on CMU's Autumn Webinars
• Buy the new Dissecting The Digital Dollar on Amazon
• Sign up to receive the CMU Daily news bulletin
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Aug 31, 2020
Nicki Minaj and the case of the sorry sample
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including Tracy Chapman's accusation that Nicki Minaj is ignoring both the facts and the law in their sampling legal battle, plus the row over the inclusion of 'Rule, Britannia' and 'Land Of Hope And Glory' in this year's BBC Proms.
SECTION TIMES
01: Tracy Chapman v Nick Minaj (00:03:13)
02: Rule, Britannia (or don’t) (00:20:35)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Nicki Minaj’s Sorry claims ignore both the facts and the law, reckons Tracy Chapman
• Wordless performances of Rule, Britannia and Land Of Hope And Glory to be included in Last Night Of The Proms
ALSO MENTIONED
• Apple hits back in Epic Games dispute, as Microsoft takes sides
• Judge unlikely to force Fortnite back into App Store while Epic v Apple battle continues
• Judge confirms Apple can ban Fortnite but not cut off the Unreal Engine in Epic dispute
• Bytedance expected to sue over US TikTok ban…
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Aug 24, 2020
Fortnite goes to battle with Apple
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including the escalation of ‘Fortnite’ video game maker Epic Games’ legal battle against Apple over its App Store rules, plus two copyright cases that weren’t copyright cases which failed because they were copyright cases.
SECTION TIMES
01: Epic v Apple (00:04:18)
02: 50 Cent v Rick Ross and Genius v Google (00:17:46)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Fortnite maker ramps up anti-Apple rhetoric in new legal filing
• 50 Cent can’t sue over uncleared sample on publicity right grounds
ALSO MENTIONED
• Beats 1 rebrands as Apple Music 1
• Setlist: Genius accuses Google of stealing lyrics from its website (June 2019)
MORE FROM CMU
• Buy the new Dissecting The Digital Dollar on Amazon
• Sign up to receive the CMU Daily news bulletin
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Aug 17, 2020
Top ten legal battles - Procul Harum take it to the Lords
It’s the eighth in our series of special editions of Setlist looking at some of our favourite music industry legal battles of all time. This time, CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke look back at the copyright battle over authorship of Procul Harum's 1967 single, 'A Whiter Shade Of Pale', which was fought all the way up to the appellate committee of the UK's House Of Lords. Organist Matthew Fisher argued that he should have been given 50% stake in the song, but by taking 38 years to go legal, had he left it too long?
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KEEP LISTENING
• Check out all Setlist specials
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Aug 10, 2020
What Donald Trump's TikTok ban means for the music industry
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including what Donald Trump's pending ban on TikTok and messaging app WeChat means for the music industry, and Live Nation's optimism for the future despite seeing revenues fall by 98%.
SECTION TIMES
01: Donald Trump's TikTok ban (00:04:39)
02: Live Nation's optimism, despite everything (00:19:50)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Donald Trump begins the process that could effectively ban TikTok in the US
• Live Nation stresses optimism about 2021 as it reports 98% revenue slump during COVID-19 shutdown
ALSO MENTIONED
• Neil Young sues Donald Trump
MORE FROM CMU
• Buy the new Dissecting The Digital Dollar on Amazon
• Sign up to receive the CMU Daily news bulletin
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Aug 3, 2020
Wiley, Twitter and the online censorship debate
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including Wiley’s antisemitic social media posts and what responsibilities the social media platforms have when their users offend, plus the call from various big name musicians for politicians to stop using their music (or any music) without permission.
SECTION TIMES
01: Wiley antisemitic social media posts (00:07:39)
02: Musicians’ letter to politicians (00:25:11)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Wiley condemned over antisemitic social media outburst
• Wiley insists he’s not racist despite his antisemitic Twitter tirade
• Musicians call on politicians to stop using their music without permission
ALSO MENTIONED
• Socially-distanced gig pilot didn’t provide a commercially viable model
• Return of indoor shows delayed (BBC News)
• Setlist 6 Jul 2020: Rolling Stones threaten to sue Donald Trump if he plays their music at another campaign rally
MORE F…
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Jul 27, 2020
Taylor Swift's secret folklore and shaken off lawsuits
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including Taylor Swift’s surprise new album and latest legal win, plus Spotify’s new deal with Universal and TikTok’s litigation-avoiding agreement with the US National Music Publishers Association.
SECTION TIMES
01: Taylor Swift new album (00:03:44)
02: Taylor Swift lawsuit (00:10:34)
03: Spotify’s Universal deal (00:17:33)
04: TikTok’s NMPA deal (00:22:31)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Taylor’s swift new album
• Californian court dismisses one of the Shake It Off plagiarism lawsuits, again
• Universal signs new licensing deal with Spotify
• US publishers agree licensing deal framework with TikTok
ALSO MENTIONED
• Q magazine to close
• Setlist w/c 6 Jul 2020: Music magazines stay off the shelves
• Ryan Adams on His Full-Album Taylor Swift Cover: ‘You Just Have to Mean It’ (Rolling Stone)
• Mercury Prize shortlist announced – what…
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Jul 20, 2020
Migos say they were “robbed” and “cheated” out of millions
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including Migos suing their former layer over claims that he “robbed” and “cheated them out of millions of dollars, and Billboard’s amazing ability to make some seemingly simple updates to its chart rules incredibly complicated.
SECTION TIMES
01: Migos sue their lawyer (00:04:31)
02: Billboard updates its chart rules (00:14:36)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Migos accuse their longtime lawyer of betrayal and incompetence, sue for millions
• Quality Control Music boss responds to Migos lawsuit
• Billboard updates album bundle rules (again), and cuts off CD single chart boost ruse
ALSO MENTIONED
• MMF launches Third Edition of Dissecting The Digital Dollar
• Watch Chris’ short presentation from the ‘Digital Dollar’ launch
• Read Chris’ short presentation from the ‘Digital Dollar’ launch
• Switched On Pop – Rosie: Investigating a Crime…
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Jul 13, 2020
Lady A sue Lady A over who is the real Lady A
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including Lady A suing Lady A over who really owns the name Lady A, and the UK government's latest concessions to the live music industry as the COVID-19 shutdown begins to lift.
SECTION TIMES
01: Lady A sue Lady A (00:04:18)
02: UK government's support for live music (00:18:35)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Lady A sue Lady A over the name Lady A
• UK government announces £1.57 billion support package for creative industries
• Music industry calls for clarity on government’s £1.57 billion COVID support scheme for the creative sector
• Government gives the go ahead for open-air live shows to resume in England this weekend
• COVID-19 VAT break will apply to live music, culture minister confirms
ALSO MENTIONED
• Dissecting The Digital Dollar third edition book launch
• Get the new Dissecting The Digital Dollar book
MORE FROM CMU
• Sign up to rece…
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Jul 6, 2020
Music magazines stay off the shelves
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including the announcements that Mixmag and Kerrang! will keep their print editions on hiatus for the foreseeable future, and the Rolling Stones' threat to sue Donald Trump if he plays their music at another campaign rally.
SECTION TIMES
01: Music magazines stay off the shelves (00:03:45)
02: Rolling Stones threaten to sue Donald Trump (00:21:19)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Mixmag’s print edition will remain paused until 2021, publisher confirms
• Kerrang! remains on indefinite hiatus in print
• Planet Rock magazine to close, Q could survive under new ownership
• Loud And Quiet announces subscriptions to help weather COVID-19 crisis
• The Rolling Stones team up with BMI to stop Trump’s use of their songs
ALSO MENTIONED
• More than 1500 artists call on UK government to step up and ensure the live music industry can survive COVID-19
• Fraggle Rock t…
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Jun 29, 2020
The COVID crisis pushes the live industry to the brink
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including fears that with lockdown lifting and the economy getting started again that live music industry will be left to collapse without much needed government support, and the two house music pioneers suing the Trax record label.
SECTION TIMES
01: The COVID crisis pushes the live industry to the brink (00:01:43)
02: House music pioneers sue Trax Records (00:23:18)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• With relaxed social distancing rules not helping live music, UK live industry again calls for extra government support
• Government needs to make a £50 million cash injection to save the UK’s grassroots venue network, says MVT
• Hundreds of grassroots music venues back call for £50 million cash injection from government
• NTIA says revisions to UK lockdown rules unworkable even for businesses who qualify
• Glastonbury “would seriously go bankrupt” if forced to c…
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Jun 22, 2020
Post-COVID pay cuts and Jay-Z's love chat
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including Live Nation's planned changes to artist agreements post-COVID that will mean performers receiving lower fees and taking on more risk, plus Jay-Z and Beyonce being sued for allegedly using a spoken word recording on their track 'Black Effect' without permission.
SECTION TIMES
01: Artists face lower pay, higher risks for live shows post-COVID (00:02:59)
02: Jay-Z and Beyonce sued of ‘Black Effect’ spoken word section (00:18:31)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Live Nation memo confirms promoters want artists to share the risk when the live industry swings back into action
• Beyonce and Jay-Z sued over Black Effect monologue
ALSO MENTIONED
• EMI Records is “reborn”
• The 40 year old Virgin announces birthday plans (2013 report)
MORE FROM CMU
• Get notified with the new ‘Dissecting The Digital Dollar’ book is out
• Sign up to receive the…
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Jun 15, 2020
The 'urban' music debate and takedowns on Twitch
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including the debate about the use of the word ‘urban’ to categorise music that has seen Republic Records and the Grammys drop or cut back the use of the term, and Twitch’s latest run-in with the music industry. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
SECTION TIMES
01: The ‘urban’ music debate (00:02:20)
02: Twitch takedowns (00:17:05)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Republic stops using the word ‘urban’ to describe music
• Grammys update award names and nomination rules in a bid to address racism and corruption accusations
• Twitch reports sudden “influx” of takedown requests as prolific users hit out a copyright claims and channel ban threats
ALSO MENTIONED
• CMA demands “clear-cut solution” from Viagogo for its concerns over StubHub deal
• Black Music Coalition sets out five priorities to tackle discrimination in the UK music industry
• One…
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Jun 8, 2020
Black Out Tuesday, Eight Mile Style
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including the music industry's Black Out Tuesday shutdown in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement, and the latest twist in the legal battle between Spotify and Eminem's publishing company Eight Mile Style. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
SECTION TIMES
01: Black Out Tuesday (00:02:22)
02: Eight Mile Style (00:20:23)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Music community rallies around Black Out Tuesday initiative amid global Black Lives Matter protests
• Black Out Tuesday was just Act One, campaigners insist
• Universal Music sets out the agenda of its Taskforce For Meaningful Change
• Spotify pulls Kobalt into its legal spat with Eminem’s publisher
ALSO MENTIONED
• Share price surges after Warner Music’s $1.9 billion IPO
MORE FROM CMU
• Get notified with the new ‘Dissecting The Digital Dollar’ book is out
• CMU’s Lockdown Webinars
•…
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Jun 1, 2020
StubHub and blanket licences for the whole internet
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including the latest lawsuit against StubHub over its COVID-19 refund policy and the departure of its president, and the proposal by the Electronic Frontier Foundation for a compulsory licence covering all uses of music online. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
SECTION TIMES
01: StubHub lawsuit and deaprture of its president (00:04:37)
02: Blanket licence for the internet (00:16:57)
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• StubHub faces class action in Canada too over its COVID-19 refunds policy
• StubHub President stands down
• A Plan to Pay Artists, Encourage Competition, and Promote Free Expression (EFF.org)
ALSO MENTIONED
• Warner Music officially launches its IPO
• Worst. Deal. Ever. (Forbes)
• Dissecting The Digital Dollar
MORE FROM CMU
• Get notified with the new ‘Dissecting The Digital Dollar’ book is out
• CMU’s Lockdown Webinars
• Sign up t…
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May 25, 2020
Safe harbours and 6ix9ine's chart battle battle
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including the publication (finally) of the US Copyright Office's report based on its review of the safe harbour that sits in America’s Digital Millennium Copyright Act, and 6ix9ine’s beef with Ariana Grande over her US chart position. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
SECTION TIMES
01: US Copyright Office safe harbour report (00:03:38)
02: 6ix9ine v Ariana Grande (00:24:00)
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STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• US Copyright Office finally publishes its safe harbour report, music industry sets out its copyright gripes
• Billboard denies 6ix9ine’s claims that Ariana Grande fraudulently beat him to number one…
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May 18, 2020
The ten things people get wrong about streaming - part 2
In the second part of this special edition of the show, this week CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke again examine the debate around the fairness of streaming royalties for artists and songwriters, which has been growing during the COVID-19 shutdown. We discuss the second half of our ten point list of things people often misunderstand or don't know about streaming, and what they need to know in order to win the argument. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
SECTION TIMES
00:12:24 There has already been a re-slicing of the pie – the song share on a stream is often double that on a CD. The fact many songwriters aren’t seeing the benefit is a major concern
00:19:19 With the artist share, we probably need to consider new artists, heritage artists and session musicians separately
00:24:40 Applying ER to streams sounds good but would be complicated
00:28:40 User-centric royalty distribution probably wouldn’t have as big an impact as everyone thinks – though it’s still attractive…
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May 11, 2020
The ten things people get wrong about streaming - part 1
In a deviation from the normal format, this CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke examine the debate around the fairness of streaming royalties for artists and songwriters, which has been growing during the COVID-19 shutdown. Over the next two episodes, we'll be discussing the ten things people often get wrong about streaming, and what they need to know in order to win the argument. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
SECTION TIMES
00:09:37 There are no per-stream rates
00:18:06 A million streams isn't as much as it sounds
00:21:09 It is almost certainly time to review subscription prices - though probably not in the middle of a global pandemic
00:33:37 Re-slicing the pie so songwriters get more is complicated
00:37:17 The US is different, because it's always different
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• IFPI confirms recorded music market grew 8.2% in 2019
ALSO MENTIONED
• Tom Gray, Gomez (Twitter thread)
• Tim Burgess, The Charlatans (Twitter thread)
• Spotify should pay…
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May 4, 2020
The future of live music, charity chart battles
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including new research into what the future music look like for live music after lockdown, plus the ressurgence of charity singles as the Live Lounge Allstars knock Captain Tom off number one in the UK singles chart. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
00:03:56 Live music research
00:18:57 Charity singles
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Only 40% of American sport and music fans say they’ll rush back to live events once COVID-19 restrictions are lifted
• New interest in livestreamed gigs looks likely to outlive COVID-19 shutdown, says UTA
• Captain Tom goes to number one following Weeknd intervention – Stay Home Live Lounge on course for top spot this week
• Chris Martin, Dua Lipa and more contribute to BBC’s Stay Home Live Lounge
• Foo Fighters donate Stay Home Live Lounge royalties to charity, while BBC’s drumming weatherman forms a virtual band
• Dave Gro…
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Apr 27, 2020
Ticketmaster refunds, Mixcloud livestreaming
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including the class action lawsuit against Ticketmaster over allegations it changed its terms on refunds after the COVID-19 shutdown began, and Mixcloud’s new livestreaming option and the complicated copyright questions all these online performances raise. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
00:07:21 Ticketmaster
00:22:24 Mixcloud
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Ticketmaster sued over COVID-19 refunds policies
• Mixcloud unveils new live streaming functionality
ALSO MENTIONED
• Reed Smith’s guide to live streaming
• CMU’s Lockdown Webinars
• Sign up to receive the CMU Daily news bulletin
• Buy the Dissecting The Digital Dollar book
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Apr 20, 2020
Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, lockdown radio listening
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band vow to close what they see as a loophole in UK trademark law that can result in bands losing control of their brands, and the positive and negative effects of COVID-19 on the commercial radio industry. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band want change in the law after winning “emotionally charged” trademark dispute
• Commercial radio listening enjoys huge ‘working from home’ boost during coronavirus lockdown (Radiocentre)
• Commercial radio stations could close without extra government support
ALSO MENTIONED
• Weather presenter goes viral drumming to BBC News theme
• Bonzo Dog Band full court judgement
• CMU’s Lockdown Webinars
• Sign up to receive the CMU Daily news bulletin
• Buy the Dissecting The Digital Dollar book
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Apr 13, 2020
StubHub Refunds, You Raise Me Up
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including StubHub being sued over changes to its refund policy as the COVID-19 crisis wreaks havoc on the live industry, and the dismissal of a song-theft lawsuit over ‘You Raise Me Up’. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• StubHub sued over COVID-19 change to its FanProtect guarantee scheme
• US court dismisses You Raise Me Up song-theft case, criticises musicologist report
ALSO MENTIONED
• CMU's Lockdown Webinars
• Sign up to receive the CMU Daily news bulletin
• Buy the Dissecting The Digital Dollar book
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Apr 6, 2020
COVID-19, Paradigm, Public Enemy
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including former Paradigm agent Debbee Klein suing her now ex-employer over redundancies – specifically her redundancy – made in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, plus Public Enemy’s big hoax or non-hoax. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Ousted Paradigm agent files explosive lawsuit against her former employer
• Public Enemy reveal Flavor Flav dispute was just a very confusing hoax
• Flavor Flav says Public Enemy hoax is a hoax
ALSO MENTIONED
• Universal Music announces COVID-19 support initiatives
• Sony Corp's $100 million COVID-19 relief fund
• Live Nation launches COVID-19 relief fund for live industry practitioners
• Crew Nation website
• Night-time businesses team up with landlords to call for additional government measures to save venues, clubs, bars and restaurants
• Music Venue Trust says a million in emer…
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Mar 30, 2020
COVID-19, lockdown, Lizzo
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including how the COVID-19 outbreak is affecting the music business and the financial support available to musicians and others who work in the industry, and the latest filing in the dispute over who owns a stake in Lizzo's 'Truth Hurts'. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Self-employed who make up 72% of the music industry being let down by government as COVID-19 crisis grows, say trade bodies
• Ivors Academy proposes using unallocated streaming royalties to support music-makers hit by COVID-19 crisis
• Spotify, PRS and Help Musicians launch financial support initiatives for music-makers struggling amid COVID-19 outbreak
• Music industry welcomes UK government’s COVID-19 support for self-employed
ALSO MENTIONED
• Coronamusicians.info
• Musicians' Union Hardship Fund
• Spotify COVID-19 Music Relief
• PRS Emergency Relief Fun…
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Mar 23, 2020
COVID-19, Led Zepplin, Katy Perry
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including how the COVID-19 outbreak is affecting the music industry and the many freelancers who work in it, and the latest rulings in the song-theft cases against Led Zeppelin and Katy Perry. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Mar 16, 2020
Top ten legal battles - The Jay-Z moral rights case
It’s the seventh in our series of special editions of Setlist looking at some of our favourite music industry legal battles of all time. CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke discuss the case filed against Jay-Z by the family of Baligh Hamdy, who argued that the rapper had infringed the the late Egyptian film composer's moral rights - an element of copyright law that we rarely have the opportunity to talk about but opens up some interesting debates. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Mar 9, 2020
Lizzo, Coronavirus, Journey
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including the latest twist in the dispute over who wrote Lizzo's hit 'Truth Hurts', how the coronoavirus is affecting the live music industry, and the bust up between the current members of Journey resulting in a $10 million lawsuit. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
Please note: This episode was recorded shortly before this year's SXSW was cancelled.
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Lizzo collaborators hit back in Truth Hurts copyright dispute
• Miami’s Ultra Music Festival postponed over coronavirus concerns
• Journey bust up results in $10 million lawsuit
ALSO MENTIONED
• Buy the Dissecting The Digital Dollar book
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Mar 2, 2020
Touts, US record stats, Brexit
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including the two British ticket touts jailed for fraud, how the continued rise in record industry income in the US, and how the UK government’s post-Brexit immigration policy could affect the music industry. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Fraudulent ticket touts jailed for more than six years
• Streaming now 80% of the $11.1 billion US recorded music market
• Music industry criticises UK government’s new immigration plans
• UK Music responds to government’s Brexit talks ‘negotiating mandate’
ALSO MENTIONED
• Speakers and topics announced for this year’s CMU+TGE conferences
• Buy the Dissecting The Digital Dollar book
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Feb 24, 2020
Top ten legal battles - Suing the filesharers
It’s the sixth in our series of special editions of Setlist looking at some of our favourite music industry legal battles of all time. CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke discuss the period in music history where the major labels attempted to curb illegal file-sharing by suing individual music fans. We look in particular at the cases of Jammie Thomas and Joel Tenenbaum who carried on fighting back long after anti-piracy tactics had moved on. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Feb 17, 2020
Top ten legal battles - Morrissey v the NME
It’s the fifth in our series of special editions of Setlist looking at some of our favourite music industry legal battles of all time. CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke discuss the libel proceedings Morrissey launched against the NME in 2011, four years after the magazine published an article he claimed called him racist. But with an album and plenty of tour dates under his belt in the interim, could he claim that his reputation had been damaged? Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Feb 10, 2020
Top ten legal battles – The Kraftwerk sampling case
It’s the fourth in our series of special editions of Setlist looking at the top ten music industry legal battles of all time. CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke discuss a lengthy battle launched by Kraftwerk, which asked the important question, “can a two second sample possibly constitute copyright infringement?” Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
Listen to more Setlist specials here
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Feb 3, 2020
European Copyright Directive, German digital pie, tax cuts for music venues
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• UK government confirms it won’t implement the European Copyright Directive
• German managers call for “urgent” meeting with the labels over the slicing of the digital pie
• Music Venue Trust welcomes 50% business rates cut for small music venues
ALSO MENTIONED
• Back and forth continues between the US Recording Academy and its ousted CEO as the Grammy Weekend goes through the motions
• Buy the Dissecting The Digital Dollar book
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Jan 27, 2020
Grammy Awards special
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Boss of US Recording Academy put on “administrative leave” after allegations of misconduct
• Ousted boss promises to expose what happens when you “step up” at the Recording Academy
• Recording Academy says CEO demanded millions to go quietly
• Ousted Recording Academy CEO goes nuclear in legal filing alleging sexual harassment, rape claims, corruption, misogyny and vote fixing
• Former Grammy Awards boss Neil Portnow and others respond to allegations made by Deborah Dugan
• Aerosmith drummer sues his bandmates ahead of Grammy Weekend appearances
ALSO MENTIONED
• Grammys boss says women need to “step up”, following criticism of awards gender balance
• Neil Portnow backtracks on claim that women in the music industry need to “step up”
• Buy the Dissecting The Digital Dollar book
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Dec 23, 2019
TV music, Tencent, Soundgarden
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Discovery, Netflix and Epidemic Sound in the spotlight as the debate around audio-visual royalties gains momentum
• Tencent’s Universal Music stake could go up to 30%
• Dispute between Soundgarden and Chris Cornell’s widow goes legal
ALSO MENTIONED
• 20 Years Of CMU series
• Top Ten Music Industry Legal Battles series
• Buy the Dissecting The Digital Dollar book
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Dec 16, 2019
Top ten legal battles – Prince v Warner
It’s the third in our series of special editions of Setlist looking at the top ten music industry legal battles of all time. CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke discuss Prince’s long-running battle with Warner Bros Records. Not strictly a legal battle, because no legal papers were filed (at least during the musician’s lifetime), but over the years numerous legal questions were raised and Prince’s actions shaped the way future record contracts were written. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Dec 9, 2019
Massive Attack, banned songs, doughnuts
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Massive Attack taking climate scientists on tour to study carbon footprint of live music
• Massive Attack to stage “super-low carbon emissions show” in Liverpool
• Blue Mink’s Melting Pot causes another radio station reprimand from OfCom
• BBC presenter kicks off Christmas tradition of banning Fairytale Of New York
• Robin Richards to release new EP in doughnut form
• JME releases new album on physical formats only
ALSO MENTIONED
• Genius goes legal in lyrics dispute with Google and LyricFind
• Buy the Dissecting The Digital Dollar book
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Dec 2, 2019
Viagogo, Billboard, Jay-Z
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Viagogo buys StubHub for $4 billion
• Viagogo has Google Ads ban lifted
• Billboard updates album chart bundling rules following criticism
• Jay-Z sues over hip hop themed AB(Jay)Z kids book
ALSO MENTIONED
• New American collecting society announces initial partners, including HFA
• Nicki Minaj wanted to punch Travis Scott “in his fucking face” over chart result
• DJ Khaled could sue Billboard over chart position
• AB To Jay-Z (Amazon)
• Buy the Dissecting The Digital Dollar book
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Nov 25, 2019
Apple Music, Coldplay, Taylor Swift
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• Apple unveils its B2B streaming product
• Coldplay will not tour until they can make it environmentally “beneficial”
• Taylor Swift says her Borchetta/Braun beef is stopping award shows and Netflix projects
• Artists and politicians intervene in Taylor Swift v Big Machine beef
• Taylor Swift’s AMA medley is all cleared insists Big Machine
• Scooter Braun comments on Taylor Swift beef, insists disputes should be settled behind closed doors
ALSO MENTIONED
• Value of UK music industry tops £5.2 billion, says UK Music
• Ninja Tune boss uses AIM AGM speech to call on music community to do more to tackle climate change
• Artists and music companies come together to demand action on the climate emergency
• Buy the Dissecting The Digital Dollar book
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Nov 18, 2019
Distribution Revolution, Lizzo, X Factor
00:05:23 - Distibution Revolution
00:23:41 - Lizzo
00:39:12 - X Factor
STORIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK
• AIM launches new report on the revolution in music distribution
• Lizzo goes legal as debate continues over who the “truth” should hurt
• Simon Cowell declares war on Little Mix (apparently)
• Sinitta says she invented pop group TV show format, not Simon Cowell or Little Mix
ALSO MENTIONED
• Get the Distribution Revolution report here
• Artists “unlikely” to receive any money from PledgeMusic liquidation, says official receiver
• Owner of Kurt Cobain’s MTV Unplugged cardigan says he’s selling it because it’s too powerful
• Kurt Cobain’s cardigan sells for over $330,000
• Buy the Dissecting The Digital Dollar book
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Oct 28, 2019
US radio royalties, Lil Peep, Apple
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from recent weeks, including new calls to make FM and AM radio in the US pay performance royalties, the lawsuit accusing Lil Peep's management team of being liable for his death, and Apple's plans to bundle music and TV subscriptions together. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Oct 12, 2019
Robert Fripp, Notorious Markets, Tegan & Sara
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from recent weeks, including Robert Fripp of King Crimson's dispute with the David Bowie estate and collecting society PPL about how his contributions to Bowie’s ‘Heroes’ and ‘Scary Monsters’ albums have been classified, the US record industry’s latest piracy gripe list, and Tegan & Sara’s new way to fight back against touts. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Sep 22, 2019
Deezer, consent decrees, YouTube
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last seven days, including Deezer’s big push to get support for user-centric royalty distribution, all 877 submissions to the Department Of Justice’s new review of the consent decrees that regulate BMI and ASCAP, and US Congress’s questions about YouTube’s Content ID. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Sep 9, 2019
Top ten legal battles - Prince and the dancing baby
It's the second in a series of special editions of Setlist looking at the top ten music industry legal battles of all time. CMU's Andy Malt and Chris Cooke discuss Prince v The Dancing Baby – or Lenz v Universal Music Corp, to give it it’s official if less fun sounding name. This long running case tested the obligations of takedown issuers to consider whether unlicensed use of their copyright material is in fact ‘fair use’. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Sep 4, 2019
Tencent, Tents, Baby Shark
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last seven days, including China’s competition regulator investigating Tencent’s exclusivity deals with the major labels, a proposed tax on tents at festivals and a lawsuit claiming that Baby Shark is a rip-off. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Aug 27, 2019
Eminem, Tidal, the Universal fire
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last seven days, including Eminem’s publishing company Eight Mile Style suing Spotify and claiming that the recently passed Music Modernization Act is unconstitutional, Tidal threatening to sue Norway and a Universal fire update. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Aug 19, 2019
Top ten legal battles – the Blurred Lines song-theft case
The first in a new series of special editions of Setlist – looking at the top ten music industry legal battles – this week we tell the story of the Blurred Lines song-theft case. CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke discuss how pre-emptive litigation by Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams against the Marvin Gaye Estate back-fired, kick-starting a high profile and entertaining court battle that centred on some tricky copyright technicalities. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Aug 12, 2019
Tencent, TikTok, Katy Perry
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last few weeks, including Chinese web giant Tencent taking a 10% stake in Universal Music Group, TikTok taking ICE to the copyright tribunal and the big Katy Perry song theft case. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Jul 21, 2019
Live Nation, Woodstock, Ja Rule
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last seven days, including UK competition regulator concerns about the takeover of Irish concert promoter MCD Productions by Live Nation, the latest roadblock in the story of the surely doomed Woodstock 50 festival, and how Ja Rule wormed his way out of an ongoing Fyre Festival lawsuit. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Jul 14, 2019
Taylor Swift, Spotify, Sam Fender
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last seven days, including the sale of US indie label Big Machine to Scooter Braun (aka Taylor Swift's "worst case scenario"), Spotify cancelling plans to allow artists to upload music directly, and how autoplaying promo videos on social media are affecting people with epilepsy. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Jul 5, 2019
Universal, stream scamming, Apple
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last seven days, including the inevitable lawsuits over the Universal archive fire and the New York Times' response to the major label's criticism of its reporting, efforts to stop record labels artificially boosting their streaming figures, and Apple’s claim that Spotify is barely paying any App Store fees. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Jun 29, 2019
Lyrics, Krept & Konan, Vivendi
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last seven days, including Genius accusing Google of stealing lyrics from its website, publishing company Wixen accusing Pandora of displaying lyrics from its catalogue without permission, Krept & Konan appearing in Parliament to discuss drill, and when the hell Vivendi is going to sell half of its Universal shares. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Jun 22, 2019
FTC, Universal, DJ Khaled
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last seven days, including the FTC's all-day session on the American ticketing market and the new proposals in US Congress that followed, allegations about how many Universal masters were actually lost in a big fire a decade ago, and DJ Khaled's beef with the Billboard charts. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Jun 10, 2019
20 years of CMU – The Pirate Bay, the piracy site that refuses to sink
This week’s episode of Setlist is the last in our series of episodes marking CMU’s 20th birthday, in which we have been looking back at the 20 biggest stories CMU has covered over the last two decades. This time we look at what was once the biggest piracy site on the internet, and how it has survived where so many others have sunk. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Jun 3, 2019
SGAE, RIAA, Richard Ashcroft
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last seven days, including CISAC's expulsion of Spanish collecting society SGAE, the RIAA’s latest moves against piracy sites, and how Richard Ashcroft reclaimed his most famous song from the Rolling Stones. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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May 30, 2019
20 years of CMU – The rise and rise and rise of Live Nation
This week’s episode of Setlist is another marking CMU’s 20th birthday, the penultimate in a series of special editions reviewing the 20 biggest stories CMU has covered over the last two decades. This time we turn to the live industry. Not the whole sector, but one company that makes up an increasingly large chunk of it - the ever expansive Live Nation. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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May 23, 2019
PledgeMusic, song royalties, Woodstock
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last seven days, including the collapse of PledgeMusic, how songwriters’ royalties are being lost in the system, and Woodstock 50’s rapid descent into becoming 2019’s Fyre Festival. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital
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May 14, 2019
20 years of CMU – The saga of MegaUpload and Kim Dotcom
This week’s episode of Setlist is another marking CMU’s 20th birthday, the sixteenth in a series of special editions reviewing the 20 biggest stories CMU has covered over the last two decades. This time we go all the way back to the dramatic takedown of MegaUpload in 2012 and run through everything that has happened in the subsequent seven years. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Apr 29, 2019
20 years of CMU - How web-blocking became the anti-piracy tool of choice
This week’s episode of Setlist is another marking CMU’s 20th birthday, the fifteenth in a series of special editions reviewing the 20 biggest stories CMU has covered over the last two decades. This time we look at the various strategies the music industry has employed to combat online piracy during that time, and how it ultimately settled on web-blocking as a preferred method. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Apr 20, 2019
Ticketmaster, online harms, Donald Trump
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last seven days, including the £5 million lawsuit over Ticketmaster’s data breach, the UK government’s new proposals for tackling online harms and what it means for music piracy (spoiler: nothing), and Donald Trump’s clash with Batman. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Apr 8, 2019
IFPI stats, iHeart, The Weeknd
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last seven days, including the latest IFPI stats which confirmed that the record industry had a fourth year of growth in 2018, iHeart's plan to come out of bankruptcy and straight into an IPO, and the new song-theft lawsuit against The Weeknd. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Apr 1, 2019
20 years of CMU – The record industry's love affair with DRM
This week’s episode of Setlist is another marking CMU’s 20th birthday, the fourteenth in a series of special editions reviewing the 20 biggest stories CMU has covered over the last two decades. This time we look at the record industry's love affair with digital rights management technology in the early years of the digital music revolution and how DRM hindered the growth of legit download stores, but ultimately made the streaming proposition more attractive. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Mar 25, 2019
Live Music Report, Apple, Stats
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last seven days, including Parliament's live music report and its blunt warning about Viagogo, the ongoing Apple v Spotify spat, and the BPI's latest stats on UK record industry revenue streams. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Mar 18, 2019
CRB Appeal, Closing Venues, Kanye West
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last seven days, including Spotify's appeal of the US Copyright Royalty Board's new mechanical royalties rate, ongoing challenges for grass roots music venues in the UK and EMI's counter-suit in its contract battle with Kanye West. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Mar 15, 2019
Spotify, Michael Jackson, Universal Music
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last seven days, including Spotify’s big legal spat with Warner in India, the reaction to the new Michael Jackson documentary ‘Leaving Neverland’ and the favourite bidders to buy half of Universal Music. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Mar 8, 2019
20 years of CMU - The business of talking about artists
This week’s episode of Setlist is another marking CMU’s 20th birthday, the thirteenth in a series of special editions reviewing the 20 biggest stories CMU has covered over the last two decades. This time we discuss how CMU has always covered the big artist news stories as well as reporting on the business side of things. We then review three artists stories we followed particularly closely, including the Phil Spector murder trial, the tragically short career of Amy Winehouse and the many exploits of Justin Bieber.
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Feb 28, 2019
20 years of CMU – The battle against secondary ticketing
This week’s episode of Setlist is another marking CMU’s 20th birthday, the twelfth in a series of special editions reviewing the 20 biggest stories CMU has covered over the last two decades. In this edition we look at the rise of and debate over online ticket touting and the various efforts over the years to regulate the secondary ticketing market. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Feb 13, 2019
HMV, Spotify, Terminators
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last seven days, including the deal to rescue HMV in the UK, Spotify becoming briefly profitable and then buying a couple of podcast companies, and new moves to make labels give back old artists their recording rights in the US. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Feb 10, 2019
20 years of CMU – Spotify and streaming revolution
This week’s episode of Setlist is another marking CMU’s 20th birthday, the eleventh in a series of special editions reviewing the 20 biggest stories CMU has covered over the last two decades. In this edition we look at the history of Spotify, from plucky young upstart to the thing propping up the entire recorded music industry. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Jan 29, 2019
Pitchfork, Viagogo, Spotify
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last seven days, including the paywall about to go up around Pitchfork, the Competition And Markets Authority’s “serious concerns” over Viagogo’s lack of compliance with UK law and Spotify’s new artist blocking feature. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Jan 21, 2019
R Kelly, HMV, Rihanna
CMU's Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last couple of weeks, including reactions to the latest documentary on abuse allegations against R Kelly and the pressure on Sony to drop him (which they subsequently did), plus HMV going into administration for a second time and Rihanna suing her dad for fraudulently exploiting her brand. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Jan 14, 2019
20 years of CMU – The music industry v YouTube
This week's episode of Setlist is another marking CMU’s 20th birthday, the tenth in a series of special editions reviewing the 20 biggest stories CMU has covered over the last two decades. In this edition we look back at the rapid rise and subsequent evolution of YouTube and the music industry's love hate love hate relationship with it. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Dec 23, 2018
Tencent, Kraftwerk, Neil Young
CMU's Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last couple of weeks, including Tencent Music's IPO and legal woes, what the EU Advocate General has to say about the copyright implications of uncleared sampling and Neil Young's bid to stop Barclaycard sponsoring his London show. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Dec 11, 2018
Ticketmaster, WINTEL, Spice Girls
CMU's Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last seven days, including Ticketmaster's plan to kill a class action lawsuit by employing a ts+cs technicality, the World Independent Network's latest report on indie label market share, and the very slight possibility of the Spice Girls headlining Glastonbury. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Dec 1, 2018
20 years of CMU - iTunes and the download boom
This week's episode of Setlist is another marking CMU's 20th birthday, the ninth in a series of special editions reviewing the 20 biggest stories CMU has covered over the last two decades. Here we tell the story of the iTunes Store and how it kickstarted the digital music revolution, dominating the market for a number of years and posing all sorts of questions about how the industry sold, marketed and charted its recordings. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Nov 21, 2018
Ed Sheeran, NetEase, Spotify
CMU's Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last seven days, including Kilimanjaro Live chief Stuart Galbraith's claim that the touts have got the message and aren't hoovering up tickets for Ed Sheeran's next tour, Tencent rival NetEase raising $600 million of funding to boost its streaming music service, and Spotify's new analytics for publishers. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Nov 16, 2018
Anti-piracy, indie festivals, social prescribing
CMU's Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last seven days, including Google's latest anti-piracy bragging, new figures about the independent festival market and the argument that NHS doctors should be prescribing gig tickets instead of drugs. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Nov 9, 2018
UK Music, Sony, SoundCloud
CMU's Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last seven days, including recent growth of the UK music industry and how the government could ruin it all, Sony's EMI Music Publishing deal getting waved through in Europe, and SoundCloud taking some heat for the wording of its agreement with DIY artists looking to monetise their music. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Nov 2, 2018
YouTube, Wireless, BBC
CMU's Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last seven days, including YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki's latest intervention on the article thirteen debate, new licensing restrictions on the Wireless festival and high profile departures from BBC Radio. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Oct 26, 2018
Business streaming, Distrokid, Fender
CMU's Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last seven days, including new research on how much money the music industry is losing to businesses illegally using personal streaming services, Spotify buddying up with digital distribution set-up Distrokid, and new research that shows that half of new guitar players are women. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Oct 19, 2018
20 years of CMU - A brief history of Napster
This week's episode of Setlist is another marking CMU's 20th birthday, the eighth in a series of special editions reviewing the 20 biggest stories CMU has covered over the last two decades. Here we discuss how Napster turned the music industry upside down, and how both the service and the legal battle it sparked set the agenda for the next decade as the music industry struggled to adapt to the digital era. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Oct 9, 2018
NAFTA, BASCA, Live music industry stress
CMU's Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last seven days, including why the RIAA is not happy about Donald Trump's replacement for NAFTA, BASCA's opposition to Sony's proposed acquisition of EMI Music Publishing, and the worrying levels of stress in the live music industry. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Oct 1, 2018
Ticketmaster, Bestival, Spotify
CMU's Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last seven days, including Ticketmaster's push back against an exposé surrounding secondary ticketing in the US, Bestival’s financial troubles, and Spotify’s new option for artists to upload their music direct. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Sep 28, 2018
20 years of CMU - The rise and fall of MySpace
This week's episode of Setlist is another marking CMU’s 20th birthday, the seventh in a series of special editions reviewing the 20 biggest stories CMU has covered over the last two decades. Here we discuss the rapid rise and protracted fall of MySpace, from king of social media to Justin Timberlake-fronted flop and (amazingly) on to the present day. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Sep 18, 2018
20 years of CMU - The impact of the death of Michael Jackson
This week's episode of Setlist is another marking CMU’s 20th birthday, the fifth in a series of special editions reviewing the 20 biggest stories CMU has covered over the last two decades. Here we discuss the events that preceded and immediately followed the death of Michael Jackson and the resulting criminal and civil action, leading to the big legal battle between the Jackson family and AEG Live. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Sep 10, 2018
Viagogo, BPI, Chris Evans
CMU's Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last seven days, including the very many things that Viagogo did (or didn't) do, the BPI’s latest stats on UK music exports, and Chris Evans’ departure from BBC Radio 2 for Virgin Radio. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Sep 3, 2018
20 years of CMU - The digital royalty lawsuits
This week's episode of Setlist is another marking CMU’s 20th birthday, the fifth in a series of special editions reviewing the 20 biggest stories CMU has covered over the last two decades. Here we discuss the debate around how digital royalties should be shared out and legal action by pre-internet artists who reckoned they were due a bigger cut of the pie. In particular the landmark litigation pursued by FBT Productions – aka the Bass Brothers – against Universal Music in relation to their work on the early Eminem releases. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Aug 29, 2018
Grande, Apple, The Eagles
CMU's Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last seven days, including Grande Communications accusing the record industry of trying to make internet service providers their "de facto copyright enforcement agents", how Spotify has given up on using Apple to sell subscriptions, and why Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' is no longer the biggest-selling album of all time in the US. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Aug 21, 2018
Ticketmaster, Frank Sinatra, Cliff Richard
CMU's Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last seven days, including Live Nation's Ticketmaster shutting down its ticket resale sites in Europe, Warner/Chappell going legal in a dispute over some Frank Sinatra songs, and the BBC’s decision not to appeal the court ruling over its coverage of a police raid on Cliff Richard’s home. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Aug 14, 2018
YouTube, Viagogo, Guvera
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last seven days, including the latest YouTube backlash from brands who’ve had their adverts placed next to controversial content, the doubt suddenly appearing over Ireland’s new anti-touting laws, and the private equity firm ordered to hand millions of dollars back to a Guvera investor. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Aug 6, 2018
Universal, Brexit, The Beatles
CMU's Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last seven days, including Vivendi's plan to sell off up to 50% of Universal Music, fears for UK artists touring Europe after Brexit, and researchers’ claims that Paul McCartney is wrong about which Beatles songs he wrote. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Jul 30, 2018
Mercury Prize, MMA, Taylor Swift
CMU's Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last seven days, including the Mercury Prize and National Album Day announcements, fears that last minute lobbying on the Music Modernization Act might kill it, and claims that noted protector of her own trademarks Taylor Swift might have infringed someone else’s. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Jul 23, 2018
Cliff Richard, ICE, Ed Sheeran
CMU's Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last seven days, including Cliff Richard's legal win against the BBC over its coverage of a police raid at his Berkshire home in 2014, more indie publishers direct licensing streaming services, and Ed Sheeran’s record breaking tour. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Jul 16, 2018
Copyright Directive, Childish Gambino, Rage Against The Machine
CMU's Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business in recent weeks, including the European Parliament voting down the latest draft of the new copyright directive, Glassnote’s legal battle with Childish Gambino, and Rage Against The Machine against Nigel Farage. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Jul 9, 2018
20 years of CMU – The evolution of NME
To celebrate CMU’s 20th birthday, over the next year we will present 20 special editions of Setlist, between them reviewing the 20 biggest stories CMU has covered over the last two decades. This week, the evolution of the NME from a traditional newsstand publication to a freebie mag to an online-only media brand. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Jul 2, 2018
20 years of CMU - The collapse of HMV
To celebrate CMU’s 20th birthday, over the next year we will present 20 special editions of Setlist, between them reviewing the 20 biggest stories CMU has covered over the last two decades. This week, the collapse of HMV in 2013 after several years of financial trouble on the high street and attempts to diversify into other areas of music and entertainment. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Jun 25, 2018
Copyright, Touts, Prince
CMU's Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last seven days, including the European Parliament's JURI Committee passing article thirteen of the new copyright directive, FanFair calling on Google to stop taking Viagogo's pound, and the latest squabbling among Prince's heirs. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Jun 18, 2018
Spotify, SGAE, Ryan Adams
CMU's Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last seven days, including Spotify's rumoured offer of direct deals and cash advances to artists, the music publishers' ultimatum to Spain's song rights collecting society, and Ryan Adams presenting the weather. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Jun 11, 2018
20 years of CMU - The rise and fall of Grooveshark
To celebrate CMU’s 20th birthday, over the next year we will present 20 special editions of Setlist, between them reviewing the 20 biggest stories CMU has covered over the last two decades. This week, the rise and fall of Grooveshark, which had big plans to take on the streaming market by becoming "the YouTube of audio", but ended up being sued into oblivion by the major labels. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Jun 6, 2018
Viagogo, Apple Music, Michael Jackson
CMU's Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last seven days, including Viagogo's failure to meet a deadline to respond to demands set by the Advertising Standards Agency, Apple’s non-move into music publishing, and the Michael Jackson estate’s lawsuit against Disney. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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May 30, 2018
EMI, Spotify, Nine Inch Nails
CMU's Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last seven days, including Sony's plans to become the majority shareholder in EMI Music Publishing, the official settlement of one of the big mechanical royalty lawsuits against Spotify, and how streaming is changing the definition of an album. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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May 21, 2018
20 years of CMU - The end of EMI
To celebrate CMU’s 20th birthday, over the next year we will present 20 special editions of Setlist, between them reviewing the 20 biggest stories CMU has covered over the last two decades. This week, the end of EMI, which began with Terra Firma’s acquisition of the British major music company in 2007\. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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May 15, 2018
Tidal, RIAA, Dr Dre
CMU's Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last seven days, including Tidal's denial that it fiddled the listening figures for its exclusive albums from Kanye West and Beyonce, the RIAA’s latest moves against US ISP Grande Communications, and the legal ruling that no one thinks of Dr Dre when they think of sexual health. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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May 7, 2018
Spotify, Canada, Kanye
CMU's Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last seven days, including Wall Street's panic at Spotify's first financial report as a publicly listed company, the USA’s copyright beef with Canada, and Kanye West’s attempts to alienate all of his fans. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Apr 30, 2018
Viagogo, IFPI, royal vinyl
CMU's Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last seven days, including indication that the UK Competition & Markets Authority intends to take Viagogo to court, yet more exciting and/or depressing growth for the record industry, and the royal twelve-inch. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Apr 23, 2018
Festival plastic, Hits Radio, Mariah Carey
CMU's Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last seven days, including over 60 independent festivals' commitment to ban single-use plastic, Bauer's brand new national/local radio station Hits Radio, and Mariah Carey’s ex-manager's threat to launch a “blockbuster expose lawsuit”. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Apr 16, 2018
MMA, Spotify, BPI
CMU's Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last seven days, including the return of the Music Modernization Act, new double figure growth for the UK record business, and what it’s like being a shareholder in Spotify. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Mar 31, 2018
Blurred Lines, The Loop, Guvera
CMU's Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last seven days, including the appeal ruling in the 'Blurred Lines' song-theft case, The Loop's Night Lives report, and new revelations about the collapse of defunct streaming service Guvera. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Mar 19, 2018
Lyor Cohen, iHeartMedia, Miley Cyrus
CMU's Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last seven days, including Lyor Cohen's SXSW keynote, iHeartMedia’s long-awaited bankruptcy filing, and the $300 million lyric-theft lawsuit against Miley Cyrus. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Mar 15, 2018
NME, Spotify, Viagogo
CMU's Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last seven days, including the closure of the NME magazine, Spotify's impending stock market listing, and the latest Viagogo dissing. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Feb 26, 2018
BRITs, Amazon, Toni Basil
CMU's Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last seven days, including whether efforts by the BRIT Awards to avoid the same criticisms as The Grammys were successful, Amazon's decision to get out of ticketing (at least for now), and new hurdles for 'Mickey' singer Toni Basil’s legal battle with Disney. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Feb 19, 2018
Ticketing, SGAE, Prince
CMU's Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last seven days, including the UK government's clarification of rules for secondary ticketing sites and what data they must display when reselling tickets, calls for sanctions against Spain’s performing rights collecting society, and your chance to own a bit of a Prince song. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Feb 12, 2018
Best Buy, Apple, Spice Girls
CMU's Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last seven days, including the news that US retailer Best Buy plans to stop selling CDs and reports that Apple Music will have more American subscribers than Spotify by the summer, plus the possible Spice Girls reunion and how holograms might be a more practical solution. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Feb 7, 2018
Education, Grammys, Biggest Weekend
CMU's Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last seven days, including calls for the government to review its education policies after schools admit cuts to creative subjects, the poor representation of women at this year's Grammy Awards, and the BBC's plans to screw over the festival sector this summer. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Jan 29, 2018
Enrique Iglesias, Little Mix, The Smiths
CMU's Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last seven days, including the latest sales v licence litigation launched by Enrique Iglesias against Universal Music, an interesting legal case testing the responsibilities of concert promoters under the Equalities Act, and the very short lived almost Smiths reunion. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Jan 22, 2018
Songkick, Notorious markets, Nando’s
CMU's Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last seven days, including the disappointing end to Songkick's long-running legal battle with Live Nation, the US government's latest Notorious Markets report on online piracy, and how you can find musical inspiration by watching some people eat chicken. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Jan 16, 2018
Lana Del Rey, American Idol, Jimmy Iovine
CMU's Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last seven days, including Radiohead's lawsuit (or not) against Lana Del Rey, Sony's settlement with some American Idols, and Jimmy Iovine's long term plans at Apple Music. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Jan 8, 2018
Spotify, Universal, UK music consumption stats
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from over the Christmas break, including Wixen Music Publishing's $1.6 billion lawsuit against Spotify, Universal's new deals with YouTube and Facebook, plus stats on what UK music consumers were streaming and buying in 2017\. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Jan 1, 2018
Review Of The Music Business Year 2017: Part Two
CMU's Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last twelve months in the second of two Review Of The Year editions of Setlist. In this New Year's Day edition, the music industry's ongoing feud with YouTube is dissected, we revisit two festivals that spectacularly failed, and we countdown the Top Five And Finally Stories Of 2017. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Dec 25, 2017
Review Of The Music Business Year 2017: Part One
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last twelve months in the first of two Review Of The Year editions of Setlist. In this Christmas Day edition, all the key developments in the secondary ticketing debate and SoundCloud’s drama-filled year, plus we begin the countdown of the Top Ten And Finally Stories Of 2017. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Dec 18, 2017
Shazam, Spotify, Touts
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including Apple’s acquisition of Shazam, Spotify and Deezer calling on the EU to restrict tech giant “gatekeepers”, and the latest crackdown on illegal secondary ticketing. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Dec 13, 2017
YouTube, YouTube, and YouTube
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including YouTube’s plans for (another) subscription-based music streaming service, why YouTube is disappearing from Amazon Fire TV devices, and the booming popularity of music on YouTube in 2017, despite everything. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Dec 4, 2017
Rainbow Venues, Steely Dan, Slush Music
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including Birmingham City Council’s decision to revoke Rainbow Venues’ licence over drug-related deaths, the legal battle over who should own the late Walter Becker’s half of Steely Dan, plus a round up of interesting things Chris learned at this year’s Slush Music conference in Finland. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Nov 27, 2017
Universal, Google, Wu-Tang Clan
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including Universal Music Group's shiny new (kind of out of nowhere) $40 billion valuation, Google's new rules for ticket touts, and the Wu-Tang Clan's trademark beef with a New York dog walking business. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Nov 20, 2017
CISAC stats, Ryanair, UnitedMasters
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including new stats on the billions in royalties the songwriting industry is bringing in around the world, Ryanair and YouTube's new dalliances with ticketing, and new saviour of the record business UnitedMasters. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Nov 13, 2017
Taylor Swift, Thekla, Tidal
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including Taylor Swift's cease-and-desist to a blog that published an article discussing the alt-right’s love of her music, why Bristol's floating venue Thekla is under threat of closure, and how Tidal is leading the way in telling you who played bassoon on your favourite tracks. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Nov 6, 2017
Apple HomePod, YouTube, Sainsbury's
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including why Apple's new attempt to control your home won't stretch to your music (unless you're an Apple Music customer), YouTube's denial that it wants to block anti-YouTube adverts, and supermarket chain Sainsbury's announcement that it is launching a vinyl-only record label.
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Oct 30, 2017
Eminem, WINTEL, Kid Rock
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including Eminem's legal win against New Zealand's ruling political party, the World Independent Network's latest stats on indie label market share and why they matter, plus Kid Rock's departure from the political arena (which he was never in). Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
Section times:
Intro - 00:00
Eminem - 08:02
WINTEL - 18:18
In brief - 27:59
Kid Rock - 31:53
Outro - 36:25
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Oct 23, 2017
Songkick, Ticket Touts, The Pirate Bay
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including the latest sparring between Songkick and Live Nation as they get closer to their anti-trust trial, New South Wales in Australia's tough new laws on ticket touting, plus the end of an era for The Pirate Bay. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
Section times:
Intro: 00:00
Songkick: 07:34
New South Wales: 19:40
In Brief: 26:28
The Pirate Bay: 30:38
Outro: 37:52
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Oct 16, 2017
Cloudflare, Grime, Radiohead
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including the upcoming deposition of Cloudflare CEO Matthew Prince on the company's piracy policies, Ticketmaster's new report on the grime industry, and the legacy of Radiohead's 'In Rainbows' - and it's pay-what-you-want release - ten years on. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Oct 9, 2017
Takedown-stay-down, Spotify, pop politics
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including new European Commission guidelines supporting web services that offer takedown-stay-down copyright protection systems, Spotify's ongoing mechanical royalties woes, and a turbulent week in pop politics. Setlist is sponsored by 7digital.
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Oct 3, 2017
Enemies Of Music, Stats, Zappa
In the first edition of our new podcast Setlist, CMU's Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including Dweezil Zappa's legal battle with his siblings over the use of his own name, plus his views on plans for his father Frank Zappa to return to the stage as a hologram. They also look through key music industry stats published over the podcast's summer break, and decide the music industry's Public Enemy Number One. The CMU Podcast is sponsored by 7digital.
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Jul 31, 2017
Music sales, mental health in music, and the Mercury Prize
CMU's Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including figures showing that UK music retail sales were up 11.2% in the first half of 2017 (all thanks to streaming), Help Musicians' latest initiative to improve mental health in the music industry and this year's Mercury Prize shortlist. The CMU Podcast is sponsored by 7digital.
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Jul 24, 2017
Spotify mechanicals, BBC pay, BBC music show
CMU's Chris Cooke and guest presenter Becky Brook review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including the latest mechanical right lawsuits against Spotify in the US and what they reveal about the complexities of digital licensing, plus the BBC's big pay reveal and its plan for a new prime-time music show. The CMU Podcast is sponsored by 7digital.
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Jul 17, 2017
Fake artists! Fake t-shirts! Fake radio!
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including Spotify's 'fake' artist 'scandal', Kylie and Kendall Jenner's legal battle over what constitutes copyright infringement when printing t-shirts, and the Mansfield radio station battling repeated unwanted intrusions by a wanker. The CMU Podcast is sponsored by 7digital.
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Jul 10, 2017
Kanye v Tidal, AEG v MSG, Everyone Else v Ed Sheeran
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including Kanye West falling out with Tidal just as Jay-Z releases his new album, AEG’s very public spat with MSG and Live Nation, and Ed Sheeran quitting Twitter while planning an 8 Mile-style biopic. The CMU Podcast is sponsored by 7digital.
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Jul 2, 2017
Google, Prince, Charts
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including the music industry's joy at a landmark ruling in Canada ordering Google to delist an entire website from its search results worldwide, Universal's renewed bid to cancel its Prince recordings deal, and new rules in the UK singles chart designed to stop Ed Sheeran hogging it all. The CMU Podcast is sponsored by 7digital.
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Jun 25, 2017
Apple Music, The Slants, Morrissey
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including Apple Music reportedly looking to reduce the royalties it pays the labels, US band The Slants getting American trademark law rewritten, and Morrissey's silly spat with HMV. The CMU Podcast is sponsored by 7digital
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Jun 19, 2017
Pandora, Merlin, Bob Dylan
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including Pandora selling Ticketfly to Eventrbite and nearly a fifth of itself to Sirius XM, the latest indie label streaming stats from Merlin, and Bob Dylan borrowing from a school book in his Nobel lecture. The CMU Podcast is sponsored by 7digital.
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Jun 5, 2017
Spotify, Safe Harbours, Theresa May
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including Spotify settling the big mechanical royalties class action lawsuit that has been hanging over its plans to list on the stock market, arguments from both sides of the safe harbours debate in Europe hotting up, and Theresa May’s assault on the charts. The CMU Podcast is sponsored by 7digital.
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May 28, 2017
The General Election, Prince, Festival Republic
CMU's Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including the upcoming General Election in the UK and what it might mean for music, a round-up of all the latest Prince legal news, and plans for Festival Republic to introduce facilities for ticketholders to test the safety of drugs at its events. The CMU Podcast is sponsored by 7digital.
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May 17, 2017
Pre-Event Mini-Seminar
Ahead of this year’s CMU@TGE conference, CMU MD and Business Editor Chris Cooke talks through the key developments in the music business since last year’s Great Escape, and explains where some of those trends will be considered in this year’s programme.
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May 14, 2017
YouTube, Amazon, Fyre Festival
CMU's Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including Warner Music's new licensing deal with YouTube and the ongoing safe harbours debate, Amazon's latest moves in live music and its all new Echo device, plus an astonishing amount of Fyre Festival legal news. The CMU Podcast is sponsored by 7digital.
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May 9, 2017
Fyre Festival, Eminem, The Great Escape
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including the spectacular collapse of Ja Rule’s Fyre Festival and the many-layered fallout from it, Eminem’s song-theft lawsuit against New Zealand’s ruling National Party getting to court, and the launch of the CMU Insights @ The Great Escape programme. The CMU Podcast is sponsored by 7digital.
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May 1, 2017
Record industry growth, Digital Economy Act
CMU's Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including the latest stats from the IFPI that reveal that global record industry revenues grew 5.9% in 2016 (despite flippin YouTube), and how new legislation to combat ticket touting just skated into UK law before Parliament broke up for a pointless election. The CMU Podcast is sponsored by 7digital.
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Apr 14, 2017
BPI stats, Dailymotion, Kate Bush
CMU's Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including the latest stats from the BPI that reveal that UK record industry revenues grew 5.1% in 2016, the upcoming revamp of Dailymotion that will see it move away from UGC, and why Coachella didn't book Kate Bush in 2015, even though booking her was never actually an option. The CMU Podcast is sponsored by 7digital.
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Apr 9, 2017
Spotify, US Radio, Google
CMU's Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including what we know and what we think is in Spotify's new licensing deal with Universal Music, the latest attempts in Washington to try and get American radio stations to pay royalties to labels and artists for airplay, and Google’s cool funding of extremism. The CMU Podcast is sponsored by 7digital.
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Mar 27, 2017
Viagogo, Spinrilla, Talking To The Media
CMU's Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including Viagogo's no-show at the latest parliamentary select committee hearing on secondary ticketing, Spinrilla’s irritable response to the major record labels’ lawsuit against the mixtape sharing platform, and how new acts should approach journalists. The CMU Podcast is sponsored by 7digital.
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Mar 18, 2017
SXSW, Pandora, Deadmau5
CMU's Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including US customs officials' refusal to allow a number of international acts into the country to perform at SXSW, the launch of Pandora's premium on-demand streaming service and what (apparently) makes it different, plus Deadmau5 being sued over the name of his cat. The CMU Podcast is sponsored by 7digital.
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Mar 12, 2017
The Great Escape, Access v Ownership, Ed Sheeran
CMU's Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including the latest announcements about the CMU Insights @ The Great Escape conferences, ERA's new stats showing access overtook ownership in terms of revenue in 2016, and how Ed Sheeran is ruining the charts for everyone. The CMU Podcast is sponsored by 7digital.
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Mar 5, 2017
SoundCloud, Transparency, Spinal Tap
CMU's Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including SoundCloud's new mid-price streaming option, the music industry's failure to agree on transparency and Parliament's views on the matter, plus Vivendi's stern response to Spinal Tap's $400 million lawsuit. The CMU Podcast is sponsored by 7digital.
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Feb 10, 2017
Transparency, Spinrilla, PRS
CMU's Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including the parliamentary debate over Liberal Democrat lord Tim Clement-Jones' proposal for more transparency in the digital music domain and the RIAA's legal action against mixtape service Spinrilla, plus we answer the age-old question, does PRS need a PRS licence? The CMU Podcast is sponsored by 7digital.
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Feb 3, 2017
HMV, Enemies Of Music, Facebook
CMU's Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including the collapse of HMV Canada and what it might mean for music retail worldwide, the top five contenders for the music industry's enemy number one in 2017, and the quirks of Facebook's music video takedown system. The CMU Podcast is sponsored by 7digital.
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Jan 27, 2017
Tidal, Piracy, Madonna
CMU's Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including Tidal's bid to boost subscriber numbers by selling out to US tel co Sprint, a bid to answer all of your questions about piracy, and why Madonna's thoughts about the White House could (definitely won't) land her in prison. The CMU Podcast is sponsored by 7digital.
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Jan 20, 2017
Paul McCartney, Donald Trump, videos on Facebook
CMU's Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including Paul McCartney suing Sony/ATV over his rights to the Lennon/McCartney catalogue and a round-up of the many music-related Donald Trump stories. We also answer a listener question about the value of putting music videos on Facebook - should artists being focussing on this or not? The CMU Podcast is sponsored by 7digital.
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Jan 13, 2017
Prince, Team Rock, rebooting copyrights
CMU's Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including all the many Prince-related news stories from deals to no deals, how Metal Hammer and Classic Rock magazines have been saved by the company that sold them off four years ago, and why a load of rare Motown tracks from 1966 have suddenly appeared on music services. The CMU Podcast is sponsored by 7digital.
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Dec 23, 2016
Review Of The Music Business Year 2016
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last year in this bumper double edition of the CMU Podcast. We discuss the continued growth of the streaming market, the increasingly proactive campaign against secondary ticketing, the safe harbours debate, and our five favourite ‘and finally’ stories of 2016. The CMU Podcast is sponsored by 7digital.
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Dec 18, 2016
SoundCloud, Sony Music, Gig licensing
CMU's Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including what the future may hold for SoundCloud now that talks for Spotify to buy it are off, the latests revamps and possible revamps at Sony Music, and the government's opposition to adding the consideration of "cultural benefits" to live music licensing rules. The CMU Podcast is sponsored by 7digital.
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Dec 12, 2016
YouTube, SFX, Irving Azoff
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including YouTube and the IFPI’s disagreement over whether $1 billion is ‘a lot’ or ‘not nearly enough’, SFX Entertainment’s big post-bankruptcy rebrand as LiveStyle, and Irving Azoff’s Global Music Rights accusing the US radio industry of being anti-competitive. The CMU Podcast is sponsored by 7digital.
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Dec 2, 2016
Sound Of 2017, AI in music, Kate Bush
CMU's Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including the BBC's Sound Of 2017 list, the future of artificial intelligence in music, and the distressing news that Kate Bush is a massive Tory. The CMU Podcast is sponsored by 7digital.
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Nov 25, 2016
Fabric, Amazon Tickets, OK Go
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including Fabric getting its licence back, Amazon's plans to ramp up its ticketing business, and the new OK Go video. The CMU Podcast is sponsored by 7digital.
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Nov 18, 2016
Ticket touts, Duran Duran, Prince
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including the Culture Select Committee session on ticket touting in Parliament, Duran Duran testing the reach of America's copyright reversion rule, and Prince's label suing Tidal. The CMU Podcast is sponsored by 7digital.
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Nov 13, 2016
KickassTorrents, US Copyright Office, BRITs
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including the latest developments in the legal case against the alleged owner of KickassTorrents, responses to a change in management at the US Copyright Office, and efforts to make the BRITs more diverse. The CMU Podcast is sponsored by 7digital.
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Nov 7, 2016
YouTube, Avenged Sevenfold, The Smiths
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including GEMA’s licensing deal YouTube in Germany after a seven year stand off, Avenged Sevenfold’s potential legal problems if their new album is a success, and the narrowly averted Smiths reunion now being blocked by Nigel Farage. The CMU Podcast is sponsored by 7digital.
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Oct 30, 2016
Music Venue Trust, virtual reality, Justin Bieber
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including the Music Venue Trust’s open letter calling for an end to PRS For Music’s minimum fee for live shows, the latest developments in virtual reality for music, and Justin Bieber’s campaign against screaming. The CMU Podcast is sponsored by 7digital.
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Oct 23, 2016
Ticket touts, cheap streams, Spinal Tap
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including moves by MP Nigel Adams to get ticket-buying bots banned, how the cost of streaming is putting off mainstream consumers, and Harry Shearer’s $125 million lawsuit over royalties from ‘This Is Spinal Tap’. The CMU Podcast is sponsored by 7digital.
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Oct 13, 2016
Amazon, Isle Of Wight Festival, Insane Clown Posse
CMU’s Andy Malt and Chris Cooke review key events in music and the music business from the last week, including Amazon's new on-demand streaming music service, warnings that the Isle Of Wight Festival may be cancelled in 2017, and Inane Clown Posse's take on the sinister clown craze taking over the US and now the world. The CMU Podcast is sponsored by 7digital.
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Oct 12, 2016
Dissecting The Digital Dollar, FanFair Alliance
On the CMU Podcast this week, Andy Malt and Chris Cooke are joined by Music Managers Forum CEO Annabella Coldrick to discuss part two of the ‘Dissecting The Digital Dollar’ report. She also tells us more about the Fanfair Alliance campaign, and we run through