This week, BMG and Harmony accomplished their long-awaited merger, making a mixed music firm with Bob Valentine confirmed as CEO.
In the meantime, the Trump administration sided with OpenAI in a key honest use case, arguing that AI corporations can use copyrighted works to coach their fashions — a place with doubtlessly important implications for the music trade’s authorized battles with AI corporations.
Elsewhere, Sony Music Publishing and Warner Chappell Music sued Anthropic in a multi-billion-dollar copyright lawsuit, accusing the AI firm of illegally utilizing copyrighted songs to coach its Claude fashions.
Additionally this week, Jason Isbell, David Lowery and different musicians filed a class-action lawsuit towards Suno, alleging the AI music firm is unlawfully exploiting artists’ identities and likenesses.
Plus: Canada’s SOCAN sued AI music firm Suno for copyright infringement, alleging that the platform has generated outputs which can be equivalent or considerably much like songs in its repertoire, together with Joni Mitchell’s “Each Sides Now” and Avril Lavigne’s “Sk8er Boi.”
Listed here are among the greatest headlines from the previous few days…
1. The BMG and Harmony merger is full; Bob Valentine begins function as CEO of latest firm
BMG and Harmony have on Tuesday (September 1) confirmed the profitable completion of their merger.
The mixed corporations say the deal will “create a brand new international music firm with the size, experience, and capabilities to unlock better alternatives for creators.”
The transaction, first introduced on April 28, 2026, has acquired “all required regulatory approvals”, in accordance with a press launch. The corporate’s international headquarters might be positioned in Nashville, with Berlin serving as its European headquarters. (MBW)
2. Donald Trump’s administration simply sided with OpenAI in a key ‘honest use’ case. Right here’s what it means for music’s combat with Anthropic and Suno.
The US Authorities has advised a courtroom that AI corporations don’t break copyright legislation after they prepare their fashions on written work with no license.
The Division of Justice set out that place on Tuesday (September 1), in a submitting within the copyright lawsuit introduced towards OpenAI by The New York Instances.
It seems to be the primary time Washington has intervened in any of the copyright instances now stacked up towards AI corporations. (MBW)
3. Now Sony Music Publishing and Warner Chappell sue Anthropic in multi-billion greenback lawsuit: ‘One of many largest and most blatant ongoing thefts of mental property in historical past.’
Sony Music Publishing and Warner Chappell Music have joined forces to sue Anthropic, dwelling of Claude, over what the publishers name “one of many largest and most blatant ongoing thefts of mental property in historical past.”
The criticism – obtained by MBW, and which you’ll learn in full right here – additionally names Anthropic Co-Founder and Chief Government Officer Dario Amodei and Co-Founder Benjamin Mann as particular person defendants.
It was filed on Friday (August 28) within the US District Courtroom for the Northern District of California. (MBW)
4. Jason Isbell and David Lowery are suing Suno in a category motion swimsuit. Importantly, they’re hitting Mikey Shulman’s firm with id claims – not copyright.
Jason Isbell is suing AI music firm Suno over the alleged industrial use of his id.
The six-time Grammy winner filed a proposed class motion on Monday (August 31) in Boston federal courtroom, alongside Cracker and Camper Van Beethoven frontman David Lowery, Texas blues musician Man Forsyth, and Florida saxophonist Eduardo Calle.
Curiously, the 84-page lawsuit incorporates no copyright declare. (MBW)
5. Now Canada’s SOCAN sues Suno, claiming it illegally copied hits like ‘Each Sides Now’ and ‘Sk8er Boi’
Canada’s SOCAN has sued Suno for copyright infringement.
The accumulating society filed its assertion of declare within the Federal Courtroom of Canada on Wednesday (September 2).
SOCAN is the third accumulating society to take Suno to courtroom, and the primary to file since one among them received. (MBW)
Associate 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
