This week, we realized that Lionel Richie filed to trademark the sound of his voice, becoming a member of Taylor Swift in a rising superstar push to protect towards AI deepfakes.
In the meantime, the US Senate Judiciary Committee superior the NO FAKES Act, a invoice that might price 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 turned the highest-grossing music biopic in historical past, overtaking Bohemian Rhapsody with greater than $911 million on the international field workplace.
Listed below 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 purposes on Thursday (June 11) on the US Patent and Trademark Workplace (USPTO). Every utility covers audio of Richie saying a phrase drawn from one in every of his songs, together with Hiya, is it me you’re in search of? in addition to: Say You, Say Me, Simple Like Sunday Morning, and All Night time 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 may 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), in accordance with Deadline, which famous that “three Republican senators — Mike Lee, Ted Cruz, and Eric Schmitt — raised First Modification considerations”.
Clearing the committee sends the invoice towards a vote by the total Senate, after which it will nonetheless must 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 permitted 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 in accordance with Midia Analysis, whose newest Music Subscriber Market Shares report estimates that the worldwide subscriber depend grew 10.1% YoY in 2025.
Spotify remained the biggest music subscription service worldwide, holding a 31.4% share of world subscribers, in accordance with 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 international 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 embrace the movie’s most up-to-date weekend, which means the report continues to be climbing… (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
