Welcome to Music Enterprise Worldwide’s weekly round-up – the place we be certain you caught the 5 greatest tales to hit our headlines over the previous seven days. MBW’s round-up is supported by Centtrip, which helps over 500 of the world’s best-selling artists maximize their revenue and scale back their touring prices.
This week, we discovered that Warner Music Group (WMG) has signed a brand new cope with Spotify that overrides the “bundling” cost construction Spotify enacted final yr, following the same deal final month between Spotify and Common Music Group.
Talking of WMG, the corporate confirmed this week that it has acquired a majority stake in Tempo Music, which MBW understands valued Tempo at north of $450 million.
Warner additionally reported its calendar This fall (fiscal Q1) outcomes this week, posting company-wide revenues of USD $1.67 billion. WMG CEO Robert Kyncl additionally confirmed on the corporate’s earnings name that Warner has a brand new cope with Amazon Music.
Additionally this week, the Nationwide Music Publishers Affiliation (NMPA) introduced it had launched an “intensive” takedown motion in opposition to Spotify, alleging it has detected 2,500 violations of copyright on the platform’s podcasts. The information got here as Spotify reported its first-ever full yr of revenue, driving its inventory value to all-time highs.
In the meantime, MBW obtained Sir Lucian Grainge‘s new-year memo to Common Music Group employees, through which UMG’s Chairman and CEO laid out his imaginative and prescient for 2025, together with the business’s shift to what UMG has termed ‘Streaming 2.0‘.
Elsewhere at UMG this week, the corporate promoted Julie Adam to President and CEO of Common Music Canada (UMC), whereas Jeffrey Remedios, who has led UMC as Chairman and CEO for a decade, was appointed President, Strategic Growth, for UMG’s REPUBLIC Collective.
We additionally bought phrase this week that Cindy Mabe has exited her position as CEO of UMG Nashville. Mike Harris has been appointed as UMGN’s new CEO, and Grammy-winning producer Dave Cobb named Chief Artistic Officer.
Right here’s what occurred this week…
1) WARNER MUSIC GROUP AND SPOTIFY INK NEW DEAL – OVERRIDING CONTROVERSIAL CRB ‘BUNDLING’ PAYMENT STRUCTURE IN THE US
Warner Music Group and Spotify have signed a brand new multi-year licensing deal.
And earlier than you ask… sure, sources have confirmed that it supersedes the ‘bundling’ cost construction that final yr noticed Spotify dramatically minimize the speed of mechanical royalties being paid to publishers and songwriters within the US.
Warner’s new settlement with SPOT follows an announcement from Common Music Group final month, which additionally included a brand new royalty settlement that overrode the prior mechanical royalties scenario within the States.
On the corporate’s newest earnings name, CEO Robert Kyncl confirmed the corporate additionally has a brand new cope with Amazon…
2) NMPA HITS SPOTIFY WITH ‘EXTENSIVE’ TAKEDOWN ACTION OVER ALLEGED UNLICENSED SONGS IN PODCASTS
The Nationwide Music Publishers Affiliation (NMPA) has launched what it says is an “intensive” takedown motion in opposition to Spotify.
The NMPA accuses the music streaming service of ignoring widespread violations of music copyrights on the podcasts it hosts.
The business group for music publishers within the US mentioned on Tuesday (February 4) that its first wave of takedown requests entails greater than 2,500 “detected” infringements.
Information of the NMPA‘s motion got here as Spotify reported its 2024 earnings, displaying the corporate swinging to its first-ever full-year revenue, information that despatched the corporate’s inventory to report highs…
3) CONFIRMED: WARNER BUYS MAJORITY STAKE IN TEMPO (JUST AS MBW TOLD YOU IT WOULD)
Warner Music Group confirmed on Thursday (February 6) that it has acquired a controlling stake in Tempo Music Investments aka Tempo Music.
Tempo’s earlier proprietor, Windfall Fairness Companions, holds on to a minority stake in Tempo as a part of the deal. MBW first reported on the Warner acquisition final month.
The ultimate deal is known to have valued Tempo at north of $450 million.
Tempo’s catalog of rights and revenue streams consists of pursuits in songs recorded by the likes of Twenty One Pilots’ Tyler Joseph, multi-platinum-selling recording artist Wiz Khalifa, and nation duo Florida Georgia Line, amongst others…
Extra huge information about Common Music Group‘s management groups in North America:
UMG has promoted Julie Adam to President and CEO of Common Music Canada (UMC).
Jeffrey Remedios, who has led Common Music Canada as Chairman and CEO for a decade, has been appointed to the position of President, Strategic Growth, for UMG’s REPUBLIC Collective (which incorporates Island Data, Def Jam Recordings, Mercury Data, and Republic Data).
Each appointments are efficient instantly… (MBW)
5) READ SIR LUCIAN GRAINGE’S 2025 MEMO TO UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP STAFF: ‘STREAMING 2.0 WILL REPRESENT A NEW AGE OF INNOVATION, CONSUMER SEGMENTATION, GEOGRAPHIC EXPANSION, GREATER CONSUMER VALUE AND ARPU GROWTH.’
Common Music Group Chairman and CEO Sir Lucian Grainge has issued his annual New 12 months observe to UMG employees.
The wide-ranging letter, despatched on Monday (February 3) and obtained by MBW, covers UMG’s successes in 2024 and finally week’s Grammys, the corporate’s advocacy for the accountable use of AI, UMG’s varied charitable, environmental, well being, and training efforts; and the progress made on the corporate’s artist-centric technique.
Grainge additionally confirms the arrival of what he calls “the Streaming 2.0 period” – a phrase launched at UMG’s Capital Markets Day in September…
MBW’s Weekly Spherical-Up is supported by Centtrip, which helps over 500 of the world’s best-selling artists maximise their revenue and scale back their touring prices.Music Enterprise Worldwide