Streaming Wars

Concerns about the commercial data that comes through all these distribution, royalty and other essential services are also growing. Not only does it allow you to snaffle up a rising star, it would be one of the most sophisticated and complete webs of price tracking your rivals imaginable in the music market. And no regulator wants to rely on... See more

Lawsuits from major publishers against Suno and Udio are not, as libertarian boosters, VCs and Tech Bros would say, an attack on innovation. They are a warning shot against a business model that turns creative labor into raw machine fuel under the pretense of fair use.

The major labels are finally facing a crucial reality: Independent music's market share keeps climbing, and controlling the infrastructure behind it is becoming as vital as owning rights.

Universal Music Group's Virgin Music Group led this charge in 2024 — snapping up Downtown Music Holdings in a $775M power move (pending regulatory approval), as... See more