This week, Bolloré CEO Cyrille Bolloré publicly urged Universal Music Group‘s management to reject Bill Ackman‘s $64 billion takeover bid, declaring “the price is not there at all.”
Meanwhile, Larry Jackson‘s Gamma filed a lawsuit in New York seeking to unmask the anonymous creators behind two “SCAMMA” smear websites.
Elsewhere, UMG and Sony Music moved to add more than 61,000 copyrighted recordings to their lawsuit against AI music generator Suno after discovery revealed it trained on “millions” of their tracks.
Also this week, YouTube announced it will now automatically detect and label realistic AI-generated videos even when creators don’t disclose the use of AI.
Plus, longtime Spotify executive Sulinna Ong exited the streamer to join U2‘s management team alongside Irving and Jeffrey Azoff.
Here are some of the biggest headlines from the past few days…
1. BOLLORÉ URGES UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP TO REJECT BILL ACKMAN’S $64B TAKEOVER BID
Cyrille Bolloré, Chairman and CEO of the Bolloré Group, UMG’s largest single shareholder, has encouraged Universal Music Group’s management to reject Bill Ackman’s $64 billion takeover proposal.
Speaking at the Bolloré Group’s annual shareholders meeting on Wednesday (May 27), Bolloré took aim at the bid’s valuation, its funding structure, and also questioned Ackman’s management style. “I encourage the management of Universal Music to reject it,” Bolloré said, as quoted by Reuters… (MBW)
2. LARRY JACKSON’S GAMMA FILES LAWSUIT TO UNMASK CREATORS OF SMEAR WEBSITES
Gamma has filed a lawsuit in New York State Supreme Court seeking to identify the anonymous creators of an online smear campaign. The lawsuit seeks to unmask the makers of two websites that accuse the company and its Co-Founder and CEO, Larry Jackson, of streaming fraud, embezzlement, and financial mismanagement – sites that Gamma says operate “without even a semblance of truth or accountability.”
The 12-page complaint, filed on Tuesday (May 26) and reviewed by MBW, brings three causes of action: defamation, trade libel, and unfair competition under New York common law… (MBW)
3. UMG AND SONY SEEK TO ADD OVER 61K RECORDINGS TO SUNO LAWSUIT AFTER DISCOVERY REVEALS AI TRAINED ON ‘MILLIONS’ OF THEIR COPYRIGHTED TRACKS
Universal Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment have asked a federal court for permission to add more than 61,000 copyrighted sound recordings to their copyright infringement lawsuit against AI music generator Suno.
The motion, filed on Thursday (May 21) in the US District Court for the District of Massachusetts, comes after the record companies used audio fingerprinting technology to identify their recordings within Suno’s training data. The original complaint, filed in June 2024, asserted 560 copyrighted works… (MBW)
4. YOUTUBE WILL NOW AUTOMATICALLY DETECT AND LABEL AI VIDEOS – EVEN WHEN CREATORS DON’T DISCLOSE IT
YouTube will now automatically apply AI content labels to realistic AI-generated videos on its platform – even when creators have not disclosed the use of AI themselves.
For music, the implications are pointed: the prominent label will apply to photorealistic AI music videos but not to stylized or animated ones, creating an implicit incentive for artists experimenting with AI visuals to favor the latter.
The platform said it is rolling out “new internal signals” to identify AI-generated content, starting in May 2026… (MBW)
5. SULINNA ONG EXITS SPOTIFY TO JOIN U2 MANAGEMENT TEAM ALONGSIDE IRVING AND JEFFREY AZOFF
U2 have appointed Sulinna Ong as a Management Partner, a newly created role that sees her join Irving and Jeffrey Azoff in leading the band’s management.
Ong will work across the full breadth of the superstar Irish rock band’s career, with a focus on “creative and innovation”, reporting directly to the four band members, according to a statement issued on Tuesday (May 26).
She joins after more than seven years at Spotify, where she most recently served as Global Head of Editorial & Curation, Music… (MBW)
Partner message: MBW’s Weekly Round-up is supported by BMI, the global leader in performing rights management, dedicated to supporting songwriters, composers and publishers and championing the value of music. Find out more about BMI here. Music Business Worldwide
Music Business Worldwide Weekly Round-up Summary
In this week’s edition of Music Business Worldwide’s Weekly Round-up, we highlight the top five stories that have made waves in the music industry over the past seven days. This round-up is brought to you by BMI, a leading organization in performing rights management, committed to supporting songwriters, composers, and publishers while advocating for the value of music.
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Bolloré Calls for Rejection of Ackman’s $64 Billion Takeover Bid for UMG
Cyrille Bolloré, CEO of Bolloré Group and the largest single shareholder of Universal Music Group (UMG), publicly advised UMG’s management to reject a $64 billion takeover bid from investor Bill Ackman. At the Bolloré Group’s annual shareholders meeting, he criticized the valuation and funding of the proposal, questioning Ackman’s management style. Bolloré’s remarks have raised significant attention, suggesting a divide among major stakeholders regarding the future of UMG. -
Gamma Files Lawsuit Against Anonymous Smear Campaign
Larry Jackson’s company Gamma has initiated a legal battle in New York State Supreme Court to identify the anonymous creators behind two websites that have accused the company and Jackson of serious allegations, including streaming fraud and financial misconduct. The lawsuit, which cites defamation, trade libel, and unfair competition, seeks to unmask those behind the smear campaign, asserting that the claims made are unfounded and lack accountability. -
UMG and Sony Music Expand Lawsuit Against AI Music Generator Suno
Universal Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment are seeking to expand their ongoing copyright infringement lawsuit against the AI music generator Suno by adding over 61,000 copyrighted recordings to their claims. This request follows the discovery that Suno had trained its AI model on « millions » of copyrighted tracks from the two major labels. The original lawsuit, filed in June 2024, initially claimed infringement based on 560 works, but the new findings have prompted the music giants to strengthen their case further. -
YouTube to Automatically Label AI-Generated Videos
YouTube announced a significant policy change, stating it will automatically label realistic AI-generated videos on its platform, regardless of whether creators disclose the use of AI. This new feature, set to launch in May 2026, aims to provide transparency around AI content. Notably, the labels will apply to photorealistic music videos but not to stylized or animated content, which could lead artists to prefer the latter for creative experimentation without the accompanying label. -
Sulinna Ong Joins U2’s Management Team
In a notable personnel shift, Sulinna Ong has left her position at Spotify, where she served as Global Head of Editorial & Curation, to become a Management Partner for the iconic rock band U2. In her new role, she will collaborate closely with U2’s existing management team, focusing on the band’s creative direction and innovations. Her appointment reflects U2’s commitment to evolving their management structure to adapt to the changing music landscape.Publicités
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These headlines encapsulate some of the most crucial developments in the music business this week, showcasing the dynamic nature of the industry as it navigates challenges and opportunities presented by technological advancements and market negotiations.
Partner Message
MBW’s Weekly Round-up is supported by BMI, the global leader in performing rights management, dedicated to advocating for songwriters, composers, and publishers while highlighting the importance of music in our lives. For more information about BMI, visit their website.
This summary encapsulates the primary news items from the original text, maintaining the key details while adhering to your request for a concise overview.
