This week, we realized that Lionel Richie filed to trademark the sound of his voice, becoming a member of Taylor Swift in a rising movie star push to protect in opposition to AI deepfakes.
In the meantime, the US Senate Judiciary Committee superior the NO FAKES Act, a invoice that would value on-line platforms as much as $750,000 per AI-generated deepfake.
Elsewhere, Reuters reported that Bertelsmann says the BMG/Harmony deal has been cleared within the US.
Additionally this week, Midia Analysis reported that the worldwide music streaming subscriber base reached 921.6 million on the finish of 2025, with Spotify nonetheless out in entrance.
Plus, the Michael Jackson biopic Michael grew to become the highest-grossing music biopic in historical past, overtaking Bohemian Rhapsody with greater than $911 million on the world field workplace.
Listed here are a few of the largest headlines from the previous few days…
1. LIONEL RICHIE FILES TO TRADEMARK THE SOUND OF HIS VOICE, FOLLOWING TAYLOR SWIFT AMID AI DEEPFAKE CRACKDOWN
Lionel Richie has utilized to trademark the sound of his voice. The four-time Grammy winner filed 4 functions on Thursday (June 11) on the US Patent and Trademark Workplace (USPTO). Every software covers audio of Richie saying a phrase drawn from one among his songs, together with Howdy, is it me you’re on the lookout for? in addition to: Say You, Say Me, Straightforward Like Sunday Morning, and All Evening Lengthy… (MBW)
2. NO FAKES: SENATE PANEL BACKS BILL THAT COULD COST PLATFORMS $750K PER AI DEEPFAKE
The US Senate Judiciary Committee has superior the NO FAKES Act, the bipartisan invoice that might create a federal proper defending Individuals’ voice and visible likeness from AI-generated deepfakes.
The committee handed the invoice unanimously by voice vote on Thursday (June 18), based on Deadline, which famous that “three Republican senators — Mike Lee, Ted Cruz, and Eric Schmitt — raised First Modification issues”.
Clearing the committee sends the invoice towards a vote by the complete Senate, after which it will nonetheless have to cross the Home of Representatives and be signed by the President earlier than turning into regulation… (MBW)
3. BMG/CONCORD MERGER APPROVED BY COMPETITION AUTHORITIES IN UNITED STATES AND GERMANY (REPORT)
The proposed merger of BMG and Harmony has been cleared by competitors regulators within the United States and Germany. Germany’s competitors regulatory company, the Bundeskartellamt, formally cleared the deal on Friday (June 12).
Reuters reviews that Bertelsmann mentioned on Wednesday (June 17) that US competitors authorities had additionally authorised the merger… (MBW)
4. THE MUSIC INDUSTRY IS CLOSING IN ON A BILLION GLOBAL SUBSCRIBERS – WITH SPOTIFY OUT IN FRONT
The variety of music streaming subscribers globally reached 921.6 million on the finish of 2025, nearing the 1 billion mark. That’s based on Midia Analysis, whose newest Music Subscriber Market Shares report estimates that the worldwide subscriber rely grew 10.1% YoY in 2025.
Spotify remained the biggest music subscription service worldwide, holding a 31.4% share of worldwide subscribers, based on Midia… (MBW)
5. MICHAEL BECOMES HIGHEST-GROSSING MUSIC BIOPIC IN HISTORY – OVERTAKING BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY WITH $911M+ AT GLOBAL BOX OFFICE
Michael, the Michael Jackson biopic, is now the highest-grossing music biopic in historical past, having grossed $911.9 million on the world field workplace to overhaul Bohemian Rhapsody. Lionsgate confirmed the determine to Rolling Stone.
That whole contains $358.6 million domestically and $553.3 million from worldwide markets and, because the studio famous, it doesn’t but embody the movie’s most up-to-date weekend, that means the report remains to be climbing… (MBW)
Accomplice message: MBW’s Weekly Spherical-up is supported by BMI, the world chief in performing rights administration, devoted to supporting songwriters, composers and publishers and championing the worth of music. Discover out extra about BMI right here. Music Enterprise Worldwide
