This week, the civil trial between Chance the Rapper and his former manager Patrick Corcoran continued in Illinois. MBW reported on seven revelations from the courtroom so far.
Meanwhile, Concord acquired prominent London-based independent label Ninja Tune, expanding its presence in the UK and Europe.
Elsewhere, there was big news from Universal Music Nordics, a division of Universal Music Central Europe, which unveiled a new structure, unifying its operations across Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and the Baltics under a new ‘One Nordic’ model.
Also this week, Live Nation confirmed details of its settlement with the US Department of Justice – around a week into the antitrust trial that had threatened to break up the company.
And a group of independent musicians and songwriters sued Google, accusing the company of training its new Lyria 3 music-generation model on copyrighted recordings pulled from YouTube without permission or payment.
Here are some of the biggest headlines from the past few days…
1. CHANCE THE RAPPER VS. PAT THE MANAGER TRIAL: SEVEN REVELATIONS FROM THE COURTROOM SO FAR
The civil trial between Chancelor Bennett (Chance the Rapper) and his former manager Patrick Corcoran is now well underway in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois — a case MBW has been covering since 2020.
At the heart of the dispute is an oral agreement that Corcoran says he struck with Bennett in 2013, entitling him to 15% of net profits across all income streams and including a three-year post-termination sunset clause.
Corcoran is seeking $3.8 million in unpaid commissions. Bennett does not dispute the 15% arrangement but denies ever agreeing to a sunset clause, and has countersued, alleging that Corcoran breached his fiduciary duties and leveraged the Chance brand for personal enrichment.
MBW has obtained transcripts of the testimony. Here are seven key moments from the first week… (MBW)
2. CONCORD ACQUIRES UK-BASED INDIE LABEL NINJA TUNE RECORDS
Concord has acquired prominent London-based independent label Ninja Tune, expanding its presence in the UK and Europe.
The companies disclosed the transaction on Thursday (March 12).
The deal brings Ninja Tune’s recorded music operations and its publishing arm, Just Isn’t Music, under Concord’s umbrella. The catalog includes songs released by the label and works from artists including The Prodigy, Soulwax and Nova Twins… (MBW)
3. UNIVERSAL MUSIC NORDICS RESTRUCTURES, UNIFYING UNITS IN DENMARK, NORWAY, SWEDEN, FINLAND, AND BALTICS UNDER ‘ONE NORDIC’ MODEL
Universal Music Nordics, a division of Universal Music Central Europe, has unveiled a new operational structure.
The company’s units in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and the Baltics will unify under what Universal has dubbed the ‘One Nordic‘ model. The new structure sees Universal replace its traditional country-based leadership model in the Nordics with what it describes as “one unified, cross-Nordic setup”.
Joakim Johansson, President Universal Music Nordic Region, will continue to lead the unified region, reporting to Frank Briegmann, Chairman & CEO Universal Music Central Europe and Deutsche Grammophon… (MBW)
4. LIVE NATION CONFIRMS SETTLEMENT WITH THE US DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE; SETS ASIDE $280M FOR DAMAGES CLAIMS FROM STATES
Live Nation Entertainment has confirmed details of its settlement with the US Department of Justice in the antitrust lawsuit that had threatened to break up the company. The deal allows Live Nation to retain ownership of its ticketing subsidiary Ticketmaster.
The settlement, first reported by Politico, comes around a week into a trial that had been expected to last five to six weeks.
The company said in a press release on Monday (March 9) that the settlement “resolves all remaining matters with the DOJ, without any admission of wrongdoing”, and will be reflected in a final proposed judgment submitted to the court for approval. Live Nation noted that a portion of the original claims were dismissed by the court before trial began… (MBW)
5. INDIE ARTISTS SUE GOOGLE, CLAIMING IT MINED MUSIC FROM YOUTUBE TO TRAIN LYRIA 3 AI MUSIC TOOL
A group of independent musicians and songwriters sued Google last Friday (March 6), accusing the company of training its new Lyria 3 music-generation model on copyrighted recordings pulled from YouTube without permission or payment.
The lawsuit came over two weeks after Google announced the launch of Lyria 3 on February 18, describing it as the ‘most advanced’ generative AI music model yet. The model operates within Google’s Gemini chatbot app, allowing users to create 30-second tracks from text prompts or images.
Lyria 3 was developed by Google DeepMind, the tech giant’s AI research division, and is the latest iteration of its generative music technology… (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
In this week’s edition of Music Business Worldwide’s Weekly Round-up, we highlight five major stories that have made headlines in the music industry over the past seven days. This summary is supported by BMI, a leading organization in performing rights management that advocates for songwriters, composers, and publishers.
### 1. Chance the Rapper vs. Patrick Corcoran Trial
The civil trial between Chance the Rapper (real name Chancelor Bennett) and his former manager Patrick Corcoran is currently ongoing in Illinois. This legal battle, which has been in the works since 2020, centers around an alleged oral agreement made in 2013, which Corcoran claims entitles him to 15% of Bennett’s net profits across various income streams, along with a three-year post-termination sunset clause. Corcoran is seeking $3.8 million in unpaid commissions. While Bennett acknowledges the 15% agreement, he disputes the existence of the sunset clause and has countersued Corcoran for breaching fiduciary duties, alleging that Corcoran used Bennett’s brand for personal gain. Key testimonies from the trial have already revealed significant insights.
### 2. Concord Acquires Ninja Tune Records
In a significant move, Concord has acquired Ninja Tune, a prominent independent label based in London. This acquisition is part of Concord’s strategy to expand its reach within the UK and European markets. The deal, disclosed recently, includes Ninja Tune’s recorded music operations and its publishing arm, Just Isn’t Music. Notable artists associated with Ninja Tune include The Prodigy, Soulwax, and Nova Twins, enhancing Concord’s catalog and influence in the music industry.
### 3. Universal Music Nordics Unifies Under ‘One Nordic’ Model
Universal Music Nordics has announced a restructuring initiative aimed at unifying its operations across Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and the Baltic states under a new ‘One Nordic’ model. This new structure replaces the traditional country-based leadership approach with a more cohesive, cross-Nordic setup. Joakim Johansson will continue to lead the unified region, reporting directly to Frank Briegmann, the Chairman and CEO of Universal Music Central Europe and Deutsche Grammophon. This strategic move reflects a shift towards increased collaboration and efficiency in the Nordic music market.
### 4. Live Nation Settles with the US Department of Justice
Live Nation Entertainment has confirmed a settlement with the US Department of Justice regarding an antitrust lawsuit that posed a threat to the company’s operations, particularly its ownership of Ticketmaster. The settlement allows Live Nation to retain its ticketing subsidiary while setting aside $280 million for damages claims from various states. This development comes after the trial had commenced, and Live Nation stated that the settlement resolves all remaining issues with the DOJ without admitting any wrongdoing. Some claims were dismissed prior to the trial, indicating a favorable outcome for Live Nation amidst ongoing scrutiny of its business practices.
### 5. Indie Artists Sue Google Over AI Music Model
A group of independent musicians and songwriters has filed a lawsuit against Google, claiming that the tech giant improperly used copyrighted recordings from YouTube to train its newly launched Lyria 3 music-generation model. This lawsuit was filed shortly after the model’s announcement on February 18, where it was hailed as the most advanced generative AI music tool available. Lyria 3 allows users to create 30-second musical tracks based on text prompts or images, operating within Google’s Gemini chatbot app. The lawsuit raises concerns about intellectual property rights and the ethical use of artists’ work in developing AI technologies.
### Conclusion
These five stories reflect significant developments in the music industry, from major legal battles and acquisitions to innovative restructuring and technological advancements. The ongoing trial between Chance the Rapper and his former manager highlights the complexities of artist-manager relationships, while Concord’s acquisition of Ninja Tune signals a growing consolidation in the independent label sector. Universal Music Nordics’ restructuring aims to streamline operations in a competitive market, and Live Nation’s settlement illustrates the ongoing challenges of regulatory scrutiny in the entertainment sector. Meanwhile, the lawsuit against Google indicates a rising tension between traditional music creators and emerging AI technologies. As the industry evolves, these stories highlight the dynamic interplay between creativity, business, and technology in the music world.
