News From Pershing Square’s $64 billion bid for UMG to Wireless Festival’s Kanye West cancellation… it’s MBW’s weekly round-up The biggest headlines from the past seven days...
News AWAL and lemontank launch ‘Creator Fund’ to find the next generation of British music-focused content creators Program offers funding, training and direct access to AWAL artists and campaigns, while allowing creators to retain full IP ownership.
News Peermusic signs songwriter Eyelar, forms writer development joint venture with 2-Tone Entertainment Deal includes future works, select back-catalog administration, and a JV with 2-Tone to sign and develop new songwriting talent.
News TuneCore partners with RoyFi to offer royalty advances to indie artists Artists can secure direct cash advances without giving up equity or transferring ownership of copyrights.
News Major labels and ISP Altice seek more time to weigh Supreme Court ruling in latest Cox fallout The case has been put on hold since August 2025, pending the Supreme Court’s decision on Cox Communications v. Sony Music Entertainment.
News Sony Music and UMG form NINE BY NINE music festivals joint venture in Japan NINE BY NINE will engage in planning and production of music festivals in Asia, and supporting Japanese artists seeking to expand internationally.
News Suno’s licensing talks with major labels in limbo with ‘no path forward’ (Report) Talks with UMG and Warner Music have seen little progress, while Suno hasn't been able to reach a deal with Sony Music, according to the Financial Times.
News After Universal, Warner, and Merlin deals, now Udio inks licensing agreement with Kobalt The deal marks Kobalt’s second AI music platform partnership, following its 2025 licensing agreement with ElevenLabs.
News Secretly Distribution acquires music data and analytics firms Entertainment Intelligence and Babel Ops Babel Ops was founded in 2020 by Erik Gilbert and Greg Delaney, who previously co-founded Entertainment Intelligence in 2014.
News Bill Ackman thinks he’ll convince UMG shareholders to take his deal. JP Morgan isn’t so sure. The music giant said it will review the proposal and analyze its implications for shareholders, employees, artists and songwriters.
News After Cox ruling, Supreme Court wipes out Grande Communications’ $47M music piracy verdict The Supreme Court vacated the 2022 judgment and remanded the case to the Fifth Circuit for reconsideration in light of Cox v. Sony Music.
News Miles Gersh promoted to EVP, A&R at Warner Records Gersh, who joined the company in 2019, is best known for working with country artist Zach Bryan
News Sony Music Publishing UK and Second Songs sign Olivia Dean co-writer Bastian Langebaek to global deal Agreement follows Langebaek’s contributions to Olivia Dean’s UK No.1 album and an Ivor Novello nomination for The Art of Loving.
News Bill Ackman confident he’ll win over UMG shareholders to $64 billion bid, says Bolloré response was ‘music to my ears’ The transaction requires the support of UMG's board and a two-thirds vote of shareholders who attend a meeting called for the purpose
News Virgin Music Group announces global distribution partnership with Ari Elkins and Joey McCarthy’s new label, Suede Records VMG to provide global distribution and marketing as Suede focuses on long-term artist development.