This week, Spotify and Common Music Group unveiled a licensing deal that may let followers create AI-powered covers and remixes of UMG songs, offered as a paid add-on to Spotify Premium.
In the meantime, Shamrock Capital, the agency that offered Taylor Swift again her masters final yr, closed a brand new $813 million content material rights fund.
Elsewhere, UMG and TikTok struck a recent multi-year licensing renewal, with expanded AI protections for artists and songwriters.
Additionally this week, Chord Music Companions’ John Chapman informed an invite-only viewers at an trade breakfast co-hosted by MBW and The Raine Group in London {that a} wall of insurance-sector capital is heading for music rights.
Plus, Spotify scrapped its Premium Lite tier in India, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and the UAE – slicing normal Premium costs to what Lite beforehand value.
Listed below are a few of the greatest headlines from the previous few days…
1. SPOTIFY AND UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP STRIKE LANDMARK DEAL TO LET FANS CREATE AI COVERS AND REMIXES – AS A PAID PREMIUM ADD-ON
Spotify and Common Music Group introduced licensing agreements on Thursday (Could 21) that may let followers create AI-powered covers and remixes of songs from taking part artists and songwriters.
The brand new device will launch as a paid add-on for Spotify Premium subscribers, creating what the businesses described as an extra income stream on prime of present royalties.
The agreements span each recorded music and music publishing. All Spotify customers will be capable to play the created tracks… (MBW)
2. AFTER SELLING TAYLOR SWIFT HER MASTERS, SHAMROCK CLOSES NEW $813M FUND – TARGETING RIGHTS INCLUDING MUSIC
Lower than a yr after promoting Taylor Swift again the grasp rights to her first six studio albums, Shamrock Capital has closed a brand new content material acquisition fund with whole capital commitments of USD $813 million.
The car – Shamrock Capital Content material Fund IV – will goal leisure rights together with music, movie, tv, sports activities, video video games, and creator financial system alternatives. Content material IV was oversubscribed at first shut and accomplished its fundraise in simply over three months, exceeding its $700 million goal… (MBW)
3. UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP AND TIKTOK STRIKE NEW MULTI-YEAR LICENSING DEAL — WITH EXPANDED AI PROTECTIONS FOR ARTISTS AND SONGWRITERS
Common Music Group and TikTok have struck a brand new multi-year international licensing deal. The settlement retains UMG‘s recorded music and publishing catalogs obtainable to TikTok‘s international group, whereas increasing industrial and artistic alternatives for Common’s artists and songwriters.
It builds on the “multi-dimensional partnership” struck between the 2 corporations in Could 2024 – a deal that ended a months-long licensing standoff between UMG and TikTok….. (MBW)
4. CHORD MUSIC PARTNERS’ JOHN CHAPMAN ON THE NEXT WAVE OF CAPITAL HEADING FOR MUSIC RIGHTS
John Chapman, who manages the household workplace behind Chord Music Companions, has voiced sturdy optimism for the longer term worth of premium music catalogs – pointing to a seismic shift pushed by a brand new supply of capital: the insurance coverage sector.
“No one understands how a lot insurance coverage cash is coming this manner,” Chapman mentioned on Tuesday (Could 19) at an invite-only trade breakfast co-hosted by MBW and The Raine Group at London’s Charlotte Avenue Resort. Chord has not often spoken publicly since rising as one of many world’s largest unbiased music rights platforms, making Chapman‘s remarks among the many most detailed the agency has provided on its technique… (MBW)
5. SPOTIFY SCRAPS NEW ‘PREMIUM LITE’ TIER IN INDIA, INDONESIA, SAUDI ARABIA, UAE, AND SOUTH AFRICA – WHILE SLASHING STANDARD PREMIUM PRICES
Spotify has discontinued its Premium Lite subscription tier throughout all 5 markets the place it launched the product in November 2025. The transfer impacts not simply India – the place the change was flagged earlier – but additionally Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and the UAE.
In every market, Spotify has reduce its Premium Normal value to the extent beforehand charged for Premium Lite, successfully giving subscribers the total Normal characteristic set on the outdated Lite value… (MBW)
Companion message: MBW’s Weekly Spherical-up is supported by BMI, the international 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
