All articles tagged with #universal music group
Pershing Square is set to liquidate its remaining stake in Universal Music Group by selling about 80.6 million UMG shares in an overnight placing, weeks after UMG’s board rejected Pershing Square’s $64 billion takeover proposal as undervalued; the sale could raise roughly €1.5 billion and follows Ackman’s previous reductions in the stake and his resignation from UMG’s board.
Universal Music Group rejected Pershing Square’s $64.3 billion takeover bid as undervalued and not in the best interests of shareholders, artists, fans and other stakeholders; the deal would have created a U.S.-listed company, while concerns over Bolloré Group’s 18% stake and a delayed NYSE listing helped block the bid.
Spotify and Universal Music Group announce licensing agreements to launch a paid AI-powered tool that lets fans create licensed covers and remixes of participating songs, with direct revenue sharing for artists and songwriters. The tool emphasizes consent, credit, and compensation, and will roll out as a Premium add-on to expand creator opportunities and drive discovery.
Spotify and Universal Music Group unveiled a licensing deal to allow fans to create AI-powered covers and remixes of songs from participating artists, offered as a paid Premium add-on. The arrangement covers both recorded music and music publishing, with opt-in participation and credit/compensation for artists and songwriters; all Spotify users will be able to play the AI-generated tracks. Pricing and launch date were not disclosed. The move strengthens UMG’s AI licensing strategy and expands monetization opportunities around fan-generated derivatives.
Spotify and Universal Music Group announced licensing deals to let fans create AI-generated covers and remixes of participating songs via a new Premium add-on, with artists/songwriters earning revenue and a framework focused on consent, credit, and compensation; the move accompanies a Live Nation-backed ‘Spotify Reserved’ ticketing pilot for dedicated fans.
Spotify and Universal Music Group have licensed an AI remix tool that Premium subscribers can pay to use to generate AI-made remixes and covers; artists can opt out and receive royalties, and royalties go back to the original artist. The program is part of Spotify’s responsible AI initiative and emphasizes consent, credit, and compensation, but launch timing and pricing beyond Premium are not yet disclosed.
Drake’s midnight drop Iceman unleashes a feud-heavy set, calling out Kendrick Lamar over their Not Like Us fallout and a 2025 UMG lawsuit, while also targeting A$AP Rocky, LeBron James, DJ Khaled, Pusha T, and UMG chief Lucian Grainge, with references to his Atlanta ties and past clashes.
D4VD was quietly dropped by Interscope last year after his murder arrest, and Universal Music Group has helped collaborators remove their tracks from streaming platforms. Artists like Kali Uchis, Holly Humberstone, Laufey, and Damiano David have pulled joint songs, while YouTube has demonetized D4VD’s account. Streaming services are under pressure to remove his catalog, though Spotify and Apple have not commented.
Pershing Square’s Bill Ackman is bidding about $63.5–$64 billion to buy Universal Music Group, naming Michael Ovitz as chairman and keeping Lucian Grainge as CEO; the plan envisions a Berkshire Hathaway‑style entertainment conglomerate with an NYSE listing possibility, while the board reviews the proposal and Bolloré’s stake adds a wildcard to the deal.
The European Commission approved Universal Music Group's $775 million acquisition of Downtown Music Holdings, but only after UMG agreed to divest Curve Royalty Systems to an independent buyer to address data-access and competition concerns; the deal will expand Virgin Music Group with Downtown assets like FUGA, CD Baby and Songtrust after a lengthy review that faced indie opposition.
After the Grammys, a parade of A-list stars gathered at a string of high-profile post-show parties—from Bar Marmont to NYA West—capturing a night of standout appearances and social snaps with Bieber, Hilton, Eilish, Rodrigo, Twain, Lauryn Hill and more across W Magazine, Saint Laurent, Universal Music Group and Sony Music events.
A federal judge ruled that Salt-N-Pepa cannot reclaim the copyrights to their early master recordings, including 'Push It,' because they never owned those rights, as the recordings were considered works made for hire under Universal Music Group.
The settlement between Universal Music Group and Udio marks a significant victory for musicians and the music industry, as it restricts AI-generated music to a controlled platform, ensures artists' permission and compensation, and challenges the notion that AI training on copyrighted music can be free of cost. This outcome signals a potential shift in how AI and copyright law intersect in the music industry, emphasizing the importance of paying for training data and protecting human creativity.
Universal Music Group and Stability AI have announced a strategic partnership to develop professional AI music creation tools that prioritize artist feedback and responsible training, aiming to support creative processes while ensuring licensing and copyright safety.
Universal Music Group has settled its copyright infringement lawsuit against AI music platform Udio, and they will collaborate on a new licensed AI music platform launching in 2026, aiming to create a protected environment for music creation and streaming while expanding revenue opportunities for artists and songwriters.