Apple blames Spotify for €1.8 billion fine

On this week's show we discuss the bidding war compounding the latest in a long line of dramas at Hipgnosis, the faltering start for Manchester’s new Co-op Live arena and more.  SECTION TIMES 01: Hipgnosis (00:04:59) 02: News in brief (00:18:48) 03: Co-op Live (00:12:15) (Timings may be slightly different due to adverts) THIS WEEK'S MAIN STORIES • Hipgnosis debacle might be over as Concord offers to acquire entire share capital of SONG - but there’s a catch… • Blackstone tops Concord offer for SONG, hints at invoking call option • The state of Hipgnosis • To the moon! Concord reaches for the high notes as it ups its SONG bid to $1.25 • Co-op Live GM says grassroots venues are “poorly run”, before cancelling thousands of tickets to test event at the very last minute • Manchester’s new Co-op Live arena cancels launch shows as power issues delay opening NEWS IN BRIEF • The clock is now TikTokking as US Senate votes through sell-or-be-banned law • Amazon AI employee claims she was told to breach copyright rules because “everyone else is doing it” • Moving BBC radio to an ad-funded model would be a disaster, says Radiocentre • Drake threatened with legal action over AI Tupac in Kendrick diss track ALSO MENTIONED • AI and music one year later: What happened? And where are we at? (Spot Festival, 3 May, 1pm) • Dissecting The Digital Dollar: What’s changed? (Spot Festival, 4 May, 11.45am) • The new pay-out models: What are the consequences for you as an artist and as a songwriter? (Spot Festival, 4 May, 1.15pm) • The great streaming swindle: That’s how much money is swindled every year in the music industry (Spot Festival, 4 May, 2.15pm)

On this week's show we discuss the warning from UK politicians that there need to be “tangible steps to improve musicians’ remuneration and performer rights” by this time next year, and Blur drummer Dave Rowntree’s class action lawsuit against PRS For Music over songwriter royalties, and more. SECTION TIMES 01: Performer remuneration report (00:05:39) 02: News in brief (00:14:53) 03: Dave Rowntree v PRS (00:19:23) (Timings may be slightly different due to adverts) THIS WEEK'S MAIN STORIES • “Fundamental reform of music streaming” must come soon, say MPs • Blur’s Dave Rowntree leads class action lawsuit against PRS For Music seeking “hundreds of millions of pounds” for songwriters NEWS IN BRIEF • WIN renews shared values of the independent music community • GEMA says German song right income is booming, but digital growth is lacking • Timeline for TikTok law in Senate still to be confirmed, though Minority Leader says its deserves "urgent attention" • Universal relaxes TikTok boycott - but only if your name is Taylor Swift • Have a playlist idea but don’t know what songs to put on it? Spotify’s AI bot can help with that • Spotify planning tools to allow users to remix tracks ALSO MENTIONED • Westway Lab

On this week's show we discuss UK Parliament's Culture, Media & Sport Select Committee's hearing on the grassroots live music crisis, and the Nirvana logo legal battle's return to court. SECTION TIMES 01: Grassroots live music crisis (00:08:13) 02: News in brief (00:17:09) 03: Nirvana logo (00:21:43) (Timings may be slightly different due to adverts) THIS WEEK'S MAIN STORIES • MPs hear about the crisis in grassroots live music - a ticket levy might help, but how would that work? • Nirvana ‘smiley face’ copyright dispute back in court NEWS IN BRIEF • Rapper ordered to pay $800,000 to Sony over TikTok hit with unlicensed sample • Sean Combs properties raided in federal sex trafficking investigation • Discrimination, lower pay and shorter careers are the norm for female musicians in the UK, study shows • RIAA 2023 Year-End Music Industry Revenue Report ALSO MENTIONED • As BMG’s 2023 numbers show continued growth, could a merger with Warner Music or Believe be on the cards?

On this week's show we discuss the ruling in the long-running noise dispute involving Manchester's Night & Day that allows the venue to continue running club nights but potentially puts other nearby venues at risk, plus the BPI’s legal threats against a service that uses AI to create cover versions of songs in seconds. SECTION TIMES 01: Night & Day (00:08:13) 02: News in brief (00:15:15) 03: Voicify (00:19:57) (Timings may be slightly different due to adverts) THIS WEEK'S MAIN STORIES • Night & Day ruling makes it “open season” on Manchester’s night-time economy says Music Venue Trust boss • BPI threatens to sue voice cloning site Voicify NEWS IN BRIEF • More performers seeking specialist health support, says BAPAM • Music and visual arts organisations back new climate change charity Murmur • Black Eyed Peas sued for licensing interpolation but not sample of Scatman • IFPI report shows 10.2% growth in global recorded music market • MIDiA shows $35.1 billion in global recorded music revenues - but what does that number actually mean? ALSO MENTIONED • Spotify publishes new Loud & Clear, says the focus now is artists “dependent on streaming as part of their livelihood” • Thom Yorke calls Spotify 'the last desperate fart of a dying corpse' (The Guardian)

On this week's show we discuss proposals voted through the US House of Representatives this week to force TikTok owner ByteDance to sell the video-sharing app or face a ban in country, and the UK Labour Party's pledge to introduce a cap on ticket resale prices if it wins the next election. SECTION TIMES 01: TikTok ban (00:03:20) 02: News in brief (00:14:21) 03: Ticket resale (00:17:00) (Timings may be slightly different due to adverts) THIS WEEK'S MAIN STORIES • Selling TikTok would be last resort for ByteDance, sources say as House votes through sell-or-be-banned law • TikTok insists it isn't forcing Americans to phone politicians as ban proposal gets fast-tracked in Congress • Labour commits to UK ticket touting price cap, as Ed Sheeran's team welcomes guilty verdict in ticket tout court case NEWS IN BRIEF • EU AI Act “world-first” say music trade bodies as European Parliament votes it into law • Texas governor tells SXSW boycotters “don’t come back” • Joe Rogan is back on Apple and Amazon - so Neil Young is back on Spotify • Bad Bunny sues fan over unofficial concert recordings on YouTube • Glastonbury announces headliners, as UK festival cancellations pass 20 ALSO MENTIONED • Believe x WMG takeover dance warms up as financial regulator is called in

On this week's show we discuss the €1.8 billion fine Apple has been ordered to pay by the EU following an investigation into claims of anti-competitive behaviour made by Spotify, and Live Nation's explanation of why everyone else in the music industry is to blame for rising ticket prices. SECTION TIMES 01: Apple v Spotify (00:06:26) 02: News in brief (00:20:48) 03: Live Nation (00:25:33) (Timings may be slightly different due to adverts) THIS WEEK'S MAIN STORIES • EU fines €1.8 billion at end of Spotify initiated competition law investigation • Apple hits out at EU competition ruling that “ignores the realities of a market” • Live Nation says rising ticket prices definitely not its fault NEWS IN BRIEF • WMG is toying with an offer for Believe that would wipe out Warner’s cash reserves - but is it serious, would Believe shareholders sell and can WMG afford to bet the farm? • Hipgnosis Songs Fund takes a haircut - and might have bigger problems to come • New US-wide TikTok ban proposed in Congress • Mean Millennials scrap streaming subscriptions, mail order music is booming - and Apple Music might be making £500 million or more in the UK • Raye wins record-breaking six BRIT Awards ALSO MENTIONED • Tidal phases out HiFi Plus tier, makes higher quality audio part of its standard subscription product • The Truth About Ticket Pries (Live Nation)

On this week's show we discuss the news that UK music retail revenues are back to where they were at the peak of the CD era in 2001. So long as you imagine that no time has passed in between. Plus, the brewing legal battle of Kanye West’s “shameless” interpolation of a Donna Summer track. SECTION TIMES 01: UK music revenues (00:06:47) 02: News in brief (00:15:20) 03: Kanye West (00:20:38) (Timings may be slightly different due to adverts) THIS WEEK'S MAIN STORIES • UK music retail revenues reach record high, according to ERA stats • Donna Summer estate sues Kanye West over “shameless” uncleared sample NEWS IN BRIEF • €111 million in TikTok revenue is nothing when you’re Lucian Grainge - but, he says, “my phone is always open” if Shou Zi Chew wants to be friends again • Warner boss teases superfan app that will be "a cross-platform solution" • Spotify vs Apple name-calling kicks off again after EU mega-fine rumours • UK Music again calls for VAT cut on tickets ahead of budget statement • And Finally! Ed Sheeran has let British music down, and now everyone only likes K-pop • Miley Cyrus tops IFPI singles list • Seventeen top IFPI albums list ALSO MENTIONED • Trademark dispute over Earth, Wind & Fire tribute shows back in court

In this special edition of Setlist, Andy Malt and Chris Cooke dive into topics covered in CMU's latest series of masterclasses, which look at the music business in 2024. We talk through key trends in streaming, copyright, AI and more. SECTION TIMES 01: The music business in 2024 (00:04:58) 02: Music streaming in 2024 (00:12:51) 03: News in brief (00:19:55) 04: Music copyright in 2024 (00:22:51) 05: Music and AI in 2024 (00:33:01) (Timings may be slightly different due to adverts) CMU'S 2024 MASTERCLASS SESSIONS Get an expert overview of the topics that will define the music business in 2024, including copyright, streaming and AI, as well as economics of streaming developments. The four sessions discussed on this edition of Setlist are available to watch on demand, with four more still to come. Find out more and book all eight sessions for just £299 including VAT here NEWS IN BRIEF • Apple faces €500 million fine after Spotify-prompted EU competition investigation • EU to investigate TikTok over online safety concerns • Universal splurges almost quarter of a billion dollars to buy KKR out of Chord Music • Music industry’s billion dollar damages win in Cox case overturned • Sam Mendes’ Beatles biopics

On this week's show we discuss questions and potential legal action over the politicisation of arts funding, as Kneecap are denied money by the British government and Arts Council England issues new guidance for anyone thinking of being controversial, plus the legal battle over royalties currently brewing between MLC and Pandora, and more. SECTION TIMES 01: Arts funding (00:04:23) 02: News in brief (00:14:54) 03: MLC v Pandora (00:16:46) (Timings may be slightly different due to adverts) THIS WEEK'S MAIN STORIES • UK Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch’s decision to block MEGS funding for Kneecap “unlawful” says band as it prepares legal action • Arts Council says free speech and controversy is fine, but please follow a detailed risk assessment first • MLC sues Pandora over unpaid royalties NEWS IN BRIEF • Tributes pour in as BBC radio presenter Steve Wright dies • Musicians' Union reluctantly reaches deal with English National Opera over orchestra cutbacks • NTIA says nightlife faces cultural crisis after 400 club closures since 2020 • As another grassroots venue closes, MVT renews calls for a ticket levy ALSO MENTIONED • Music industry welcomes German ruling holding TikTok liable for unlicensed content

On this week's show we discuss new developments on AI in the EU and UK that have given the music industry cause for both celebration and concern, and the commercial radio industry's anger as BBC Radio looks to give music fans more choice. SECTION TIMES 01: AI regulation (00:05:24) 02: News in brief (00:15:52) 03: BBC Radio (00:19:11) (Timings may be slightly different due to adverts) THIS WEEK'S MAIN STORIES • Music industry welcomes EU member states agreeing AI Act • Planned UK code of practice on copyright and AI shelved • Government needs to "urgently reconsider" approach to copyright and AI, says culture committee Chair • Commercial radio sector calls on OfCom to block BBC's plans for four new radio stations NEWS IN BRIEF • Spotify CEO slams Apple in earnings calls and hints at more job cuts • Warner Music’s Kyncl goes big on importance of major labels and data, says he is confident UMG TikTok dispute will be resolved • Michelle Jubelirer stands down as Capitol CEO as Universal Music restructure goes into effect • Indie labels say Apple's new payment model will take money from their artists to benefit the majors • Megan Thee Stallion marks “beginning of a new chapter” with Warner deal ALSO MENTIONED • Music mogul Irving Azoff and Apple exec Eddy Cue build their ultimate golf course (Golf Digest) • And Finally! Irving Azoff and Eddy Cue’s new golf course is open for business. And no, you can’t join