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In both music and law, foundations and central tenets tend to stay the same—"blue notes" in rock and pop, "consideration" in contract law—but specifics of execution are regularly refined and redefined. This malleability requires constant scrutiny, yet gives practitioners room for innovation and growth.

The Discography Database covers back-story and legal precedent—the framework. This section, provided by Celebrity Access Eventwire, offers current events while still current. It might be the difference between the music business today and the day before. It might be coked-out rockers or bossy divas. That's not up to us.

(News is updated near the end of each week.)



AmazonMP3 Pulls All TuneCore Tracks In EU & UK
"TuneCore informed its clients today that AmazonMP3 had pulled all of their recordings from sale in the UK and European Union. …"
02/02/2012



IAVM Reorganizes
"The International Association of Venue Managers has restructured its staff in an effort to better service its membership.…"
02/02/2012



Neil Young: Piracy Is The New Radio
"Legendary rocker Neil Young took his campaign for higher-fidelity digital sound to the stage of a technology conference Tuesday, saying a giant of the industry was on his side: the late Steve Jobs.…"
02/01/2012



Amy Winehouse Coroner Resigns, Family Seeks Advice
"The coroner who oversaw the inquest into the death of singer Amy Winehouse has resigned after her qualifications were questioned, her boss said Wednesday -- raising the possibility the investigation may have to be held again.…"
02/01/2012



Bronfman: EMI Sale 'Dangerous'
"Outgoing Warner Music chairman Edgar Bronfman Jr. says the proposed purchase of British recording company EMI by recording rivals Universal Music Group and Sony/ATV is "dangerous" and must be stopped by regulators.…"
02/01/2012



Police: Elephant Man Charged With Rape
"Police say they have arrested a Jamaican dancehall star accused of raping a 31-year-old woman at his home on the island.…"
01/31/2012



Senegalese Pop Star Ndour In Altercation With Police
"An Associated Press reporter saw police tussle with international pop star Youssou Ndour, who was pushed back by police when he tried to enter a police station where a leading opposition figure is being detained.…"
01/31/2012



MuscTank To Take Up The Streaming Debate
"As the streaming debate continues, MusicTank will hold their first think tank of 2012, dubbed ‘The Big Question: Can Streaming Go Mainstream?’ with panellists from EMI Music, The FAC and Spotify.…"
01/26/2012



Okla. Hospital Must Pay $1M To Garth Brooks
"An Oklahoma hospital that failed to build a women's health center in honor of Garth Brooks' late mother must pay the country singer $1 million, a jury has ruled.…"
01/25/2012



Jay-Z's 40/40 Club Briefly Shuttered For Numerous Health Code Violations
"The 40/40 club ran into a little snag just one day after their much-ballyhooed grand re-opening when inspectors shut the club down by the Department of Health.…"
01/24/2012



Megaupload Lawyers Up
"When Megaupload executives arrive in court to answer charges that they orchestrated a massive online piracy scheme, they’ll be backed by a prominent lawyer who has defended Bill Clinton against sexual harassment charges and Enron against allegations of corporate fraud.…"
01/24/2012



Supreme Court OK's Recopyrighting Of Public Domain Material
"The Supreme Court upheld a law Wednesday giving U.S. copyright protection to paintings by Pablo Picasso, films of Alfred Hitchcock, music from Igor Stravinsky and millions of other works by foreign artists that had been freely available.…"
01/24/2012



Jim Reeves' Music Royalties At Issue In Trial
"A trial over how music royalties of the late country singer "Gentleman" Jim Reeves should be split is set to begin this week.…"
01/23/2012



Web Music Revenue Growth Stuck In Single Figures
"A report by the global music industry lobbying group says the growth in digital revenues remains stuck in the single figures.…"
01/23/2012



Florida Man Sentenced For Promoting Fake Concert
"A Florida man involved in schemes to promote and sell tickets to non-existent concerts in Iowa and other states has been sentenced to six years in federal prison.…"
01/23/2012



Following Protests, Congress Shelves SOPA & PIPA
"Caving to a massive campaign by Internet services and their millions of users, Congress indefinitely postponed legislation Friday to stop online piracy of movies and music costing U.S. companies billions of dollars every year.…"
01/20/2012



Feds Shutter Major File Sharing Website
"One of the world's largest file-sharing sites was shut down Thursday, and its founder and several company executives were charged with violating piracy laws, federal prosecutors said.…"
01/19/2012



Officials Allow Queensland Neo-Nazi Music Fest To Proceed
"City officials say that there is nothing they can do to block Hammered Music, a neo-Nazi music festival set to be held in Brisbane in April, according to the Courier-Mail.…"
01/19/2012



NYC City Opera Reaches Tentative Deal With Union
"The New York City Opera and the union representing its orchestra have reached a tentative contract agreement.…"
01/18/2012



Major Sites Blacked Out In SOPA Protest
"January 18 is a date that will live in ignorance, as Wikipedia started a 24-hour blackout of its English-language articles, joining other sites in a protest of pending U.S. legislation aimed at shutting down sites that share pirated movies and other content.…"
01/18/2012



Police Disperse Large, Unruly Crowd At Knitting Factory
"Spokane Police responding to early morning calls of shots fired in downtown Spokane claim they were forced to use pepper spray to disperse a large crowd unruly people outside of the Knitting Factory on Jan 16th.…"
01/18/2012



Lookout! Records To Shutter
"Lookout! Records, the former label home of pop-punk band Green Day has announced they will be ceasing operation over the next few months.…"
01/18/2012



Spider Man Producers Hit Taymor With Countersuit
"Producers of Broadway’s "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark" have fired back in their legal fight with one-time director Julie Taymor, claiming the woman who they once called a visionary later failed to fulfill her legal obligations, wrote a "disjointed" and "hallucinogenic" musical, and refused to collaborate on changes when the $75 million show was in trouble.…"
01/18/2012



Hospital Says Brooks' Gift Came With No Obligation
"The lawyer for an Oklahoma hospital that accepted a half-million-dollar gift from Garth Brooks in 2005 says the country singer knew when he made the donation that it came with no strings attached.…"
01/18/2012



Bruno Mars Clear Of Vegas Cocaine Possession Case
"Pop star Bruno Mars was cleared of a felony cocaine possession case in Las Vegas on Wednesday, after his attorneys told a state court judge the Grammy-winning pop star stayed out of trouble, performed community service and met other conditions of a plea deal reached almost a year ago.…"
01/18/2012



Jackson Doc Won't Be Asked To Pay Restitution
"Prosecutors will not seek restitution against the doctor convicted of killing Michael Jackson after conferring with the singer's parents and attorneys for his estate and children.…"
01/18/2012



Google Tackles Online Privacy In Unusual Ad Blitz
"Google is focusing on the importance of protecting personal information in an unusual marketing campaign for a company that has been blasted for its own online privacy lapses and practices.…"
01/17/2012



Indiana Stage Inspection Bill Moves Forward
"All outdoor stages in Indiana would have to pass inspections before any performances under a bill approved by a state Senate committee. …"
01/17/2012



Jeezy Concert Suit Dismissed
"A judge has moved to dismiss a lawsuit brought against a university alleging breach of contract over a scrapped concert by hip-hop artist Jeezy in August 2010. …"
01/17/2012



Meet Clear Channel Media
"Clear Channel Radio has changed the name of their division to Clear Channel Media to better reflect the evolution of its business.…"
01/16/2012



Apple Discloses Suppliers For The First Time
"Apple has disclosed a list of its suppliers for the iPhone, iPad and other popular gadgets for the first time amid growing criticism over labor and environmental practices, especially in China.…"
01/13/2012



Lil Wayne Writing Prison Memoir
"Lil Wayne is offering a literary tour of his prison days.…"
01/12/2012



Howard Stringer To Step Down At Sony
"Howard Stringer, the Welsh-born American head of Japanese games, music and electronics giant Sony, is to step down as the firm's president, reports said Saturday, while remaining CEO and chairman.…"
01/12/2012



NY Health Officials Probe Complaints Againt Beyonce
"New York health officials are investigating complaints patients in a hospital neonatal unit were mistreated while Beyonce and Jay-Z were there giving birth to their daughter.…"
01/11/2012



Dutch Court Orders Companies To Block Pirate Bay
"A Dutch court on Wednesday ordered two major Internet service providers in the Netherlands to block their customers from accessing The Pirate Bay website or face large fines.…"
01/11/2012



Snoop Dog Hit With Minor Drug Charge In Texas
"Rapper Snoop Dogg is facing a minor drug charge in Texas after border agents say they found several joints on his tour bus.…"
01/10/2012



New York City Opera Announces Musician Lockout
"A bitter contract dispute has led to a lockout of musicians at the New York City Opera, a possible "death knell" for a company that's nurtured such singers as Renee Fleming, Placido Domingo and Beverly Sills.…"
01/09/2012



Spotify U.S. Users: Say Goodbye To Free Music
"Just six months a ago Spotiify launched with great fanfare in the U.S. Hundreds of thousands signed up to enjoy unlimited free music. An integration with Facebook brought even higher numbers. …"
01/09/2012



Stampede Kills 3 At Lahore Concert
"A stampede at a concert by Pakistani pop star Atif Aslam at the Alhamra Cultural Complex in Lahore, left three girls dead and dozens injured.…"
01/09/2012



Man Stabbed At Gregg Allman Concert In Tennessee
"A man was stabbed during a Gregg Allman performance at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville and a concertgoer has been charged in the assault.…"
01/06/2012



Free-Speech Group Backs County's Jesus Fest
"A free-expression advocacy group is defending Harrison County's sponsorship of a Christian music festival.…"
01/06/2012



US Album Sales Rise For First Time Since 2004
"U.S. album sales rose more than 3 percent last year for the first gain since 2004 -- a sign that rising digital sales are finally stemming the decade-long decline of compact discs.…"
01/05/2012



Pa. Man Sues Wiz Khalifa For $2.3M Over Hit Song
"A Pittsburgh rapper is suing hip hop star Wiz Khalifa for $2.3 million over allegations that he stole the hit song "Black and Yellow."…"
01/05/2012



Death Of CSU Student During Concert Ruled Accidental
"Coroner's officials say the death of a 20-year-old Highlands Ranch man who fell while climbing down closed bleachers after a concert in Broomfield was accidental.…"
01/04/2012



Lil Danger Pleads Not 'Dangerous'
"Extra officers helped maintain security Tuesday in Spokane County Superior Court at the arraignment for a rapper charged with murder in the shooting of another rapper at a hotel after a Spokane concert.…"
01/04/2012



Senegal Music Star Ndour Makes Bid For Presidency
"World music icon Youssou Ndour says he plans to run in Senegal's presidential election next month, challenging an 85-year-old incumbent whose plans to seek a third term have sparked violent protests.…"
01/03/2012



Palestinians Block Show By Israeli-Arab Singer
"A popular Israeli-Arab singer had to cancel a show on New Year's Eve in the West Bank because of threats from Palestinian activists opposed to coexistence with Israel, the performer and police said.…"
01/03/2012



Digital Music Startup Beyond Oblivion Burns Through $87M, Crashes Before Launch
"Beyond Oblivian has sung its last song before launching its first product, a music service dubbed "bionic". Funded by News Corp, The Wellcome Foundation and media investment bank Allen & Co, the company burned through $87 million since opening in 2008…"
01/01/2012



LMFAO Stop Honduras Concert Due To Fire, Criminal Hand Suspected
"The 'Sexy and I Know It' duo were forced to stop their Wednesday night show after a fire broke out in the venue, causing a reported 15 injuries from smoke inhalation.…"
12/30/2011



Peter Frampton & The Knack Sue Universal Music Over Digital Payments
"Singer and guitarist Peter Frampton has sued Universal Music Group's A&M Records over digital download royalties.…"
12/29/2011



Indianapolis Women Faked Injury Claims For Stage Collapse
"Prosecutors have charged two Indianapolis women with making false claims to try to collect money from funds intended for victims of the Indiana State Fair stage collapse.…"
12/29/2011



Rapper C-Murder's Conviction, Sentence Upheld
"A Louisiana appeals court has upheld the murder conviction and life sentence for rapper C-Murder.…"
12/29/2011



Cleveland Library Patrons Enjoy Free Music Downloads
"A program that allows patrons of Cleveland-area libraries to download three free music files a week is growing in popularity.…"
12/27/2011



Pandora Launches Web Hub
"Pandora has announced an online extension of the free, live concert series that the company debuted earlier in the month. The Pandora live concert series hub is currently sponsored by Budweiser.…"
12/27/2011



Live Nation's Alleged ‘Strong Arm' Leads To Lawsuit From NJ Promoters
"Live Nation is facing a lawsuit from two local New Jersey concert promoters after they claimed Live Nation used threats and coercion to prevent the promoters from booking acts for the State Fair Meadowlands last summer.…"
12/26/2011



Young Buck Could Lose Name In Bankruptcy Case
"Rapper Young Buck could lose his name and other assets in a bankruptcy case that the rapper says is frustrating his attempts to sign with a new record label.…"
12/26/2011



Serbia Folk Diva Back In Court
"Serbia's folk diva Svetlana Raznatovic on Monday denied charges of violent behavior she and another defendant are facing for allegedly insulting and beating up the manager of a football club.…"
12/26/2011



Rapper ‘Tyler, The Creator’ Arrested For Felony Vandalism
"The rapper known as "Tyler, the Creator," was arrested after authorities say he got rowdy following a show at The Roxy Theatre in West Hollywood.…"
12/25/2011



Finnish Police Detain Lambert After Bar Brawl
"Finnish police say they detained Adam Lambert after he assaulted people who tried to break up a fight between the former "American Idol" star and his boyfriend in downtown Helsinki.…"
12/25/2011



Three Essential Music Sites You Need To Use In 2012
"Hot on the agenda for 2012 will be how Spotify performs and is utilized by artists, both established and fledgling. However, the most important sites are likely to be the ones that have already built a strong and dedicated user base.…"
12/20/2011



MySpace Reboots With Focus On Music, Facebook Integration
"Months after it was purchased by online ad firm Specific Media at a fire sale price, MySpace is finally getting a makeover. The focus, as the new owners promised, is on music and includes full Facebook integration, a final admission that MySpace is no longer the social network it was created to be. …"
12/19/2011



New Music Seminar Returns To NYC June 17-19, 2012
"This year’s New Music Seminar (NMS) has been announced for June 17-19, 2012 in New York City. The conference will open with keynote speaker Bob Pittman, CEO of Clear Channel. Pittman has been a key player in Clear Channel Radio's Pandora-like digital radio platform, iHeartRadio. …"
12/19/2011



Judge Shifts Expenses From Jackson Executors
"The executors of Michael Jackson's estate will no longer have to pay some legal expenses and other costs out of their own pockets after a judge approved changes Monday to the estate that has earned hundreds of millions of dollars since the pop star's death.…"
12/19/2011



Michael Jackson House Contents Sell For Nearly $1M
"The contents of the home where Michael Jackson lived with his three children just before his death have sold for nearly $1 million at auction.…"
12/19/2011



Indiana State Fair Stage Collapse Nearly Settled
"Nearly all of the claimants have accepted Indiana's settlement offers over the State Fair stage collapse.…"
12/19/2011



Buju Banton To Appeal Drug Conviction
"Grammy-winning reggae star Buju Banton claims in an appeal of his federal drug conviction there was not enough evidence to prove he was involved in a cocaine conspiracy.…"
12/16/2011



Warner Music And Sony To Join Universal In Lawsuit Against Grooveshark
"Sony Music Entertainment and the Warner Music Group are reportedly joining Universal Music Group in their lawsuit against Grooveshark. The suit, already filed in United States District Court in Manhattan, alleges that Grooveshark engaged in large scale and long term copyright infringement encouraged by company executives.…"
12/16/2011



Live Nation Acquires BigChampagne Media Measurement
"Live Nation Entertainment has acquired BigChampagne Media Measurement, a leading developer of technologies for collecting, analyzing and distributing media metrics.…"
12/15/2011



Madonna Signs With Interscope
"Madonna has signed with Interscope, a source close to the situation confirmed to Billboard.biz on Dec. 14.…"
12/15/2011



Rodney Atkins Denies Assault Charges
"Rodney Atkins has filed for divorce and his attorney denied Thursday the country singer assaulted his wife last month.…"
12/15/2011



Stage Collapse Kills 1 Worker, Injures 8
"An under-construction stage being prepped for a show by Italian rocker Jovanotti collapsed, leaving one worker dead and eight injured.…"
12/15/2011



Man Charged In Attack On Simmons Site
"A Connecticut man affiliated with a hacking group was arrested Tuesday on federal charges for an attack on a website belonging to Kiss bassist Gene Simmons, authorities said.…"
12/14/2011



Indonesian Punk Fans Detained For Attending Concert
"Indonesian authorities in the conservative Aceh region raided a punk concert and detained attendees, forcing them to shave their mohawks, take a group bath and brush their teeth.…"
12/14/2011



Rara Streaming Music Service Launches With Support From Majors
"A new streaming music service has launched in 16 countries (with more on the way) boasting international licensing agreements with Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, EMI Music and Warner Music Group.…"
12/13/2011



Apple Launches iTunes Stores In Latin America
"Apple has launched its iTunes store in Brazil and 15 other Latin American countries, the company said Tuesday, making available for sale more than 20 million songs in a region where music piracy is rampant.…"
12/13/2011



Stolen Guitar Found, But Pearl Jam Autographs Gone
"Police in Vermont say a stolen 1972 Fender Telecaster electric guitar autographed by members of Pearl Jam for a teenager with a brain tumor has been recovered - but the signatures are gone.…"
12/12/2011



RIAA Says Without Them, Music Would Not Be 'A Flourishing Legal Marketplace'
"In a Nashville's Tennessean op-ed, Liz Kennedy, Director of Communications for the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) set out to defend their history of lawsuits and lobbying.…"
12/09/2011



Roots Forced To Clear Songs Due To Bachmann Debacle
"NBC is now checking the songs the Roots play on "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" after the band performed an off-color song during Michele Bachmann's show appearance last month.…"
12/09/2011



Indiana Offers $300K To Stage Collapse Victims
"The state is offering at least $300,000 to families of each of the seven people who died after a stage collapsed at the Indiana State Fair, with more available for those whose loved ones spent days hospitalized before their deaths, Attorney General Greg Zoeller said Tuesday.…"
12/07/2011



Edgar Bronfman Jr. To Step Down As WMG Chairman
"Warner Music Group Chairman Edgar Bronfman Jr., who stepped down as CEO earlier this year, announced to the company's staff that he's relinquishing the chairman role as well.…"
12/06/2011



Police Investigating Missing Bayfront Blues Fest Cash
"Duluth police are investigating the alleged theft of thousands of dollars from the Bayfront Blues Fest in August.…"
12/06/2011



NY Prosecutor Alleges Scammers Bilked Musician Out Of $20M
"A wealthy musician lost $20 million over six years to scammers who persuaded him - after finding a virus on his computer - of threats against him coming out of Central America, Opus Dei and the CIA, a prosecutor said Tuesday.…"
12/06/2011



Live Nation Signs Extensive Sponsorship Deal With Hertz
"The Hertz car rental company has signed a multi-year sponsorship and marketing deal with Live Nation, dubbed "Movin' With Music."…"
12/05/2011



Strikes, Call For Boycott Threatened At NYC Opera
"New York City Opera declared an impasse Thursday in contract negotiations with unions for its singers and musicians, threatening to present its abbreviated season without them and unilaterally imposing new work rules.…"
12/02/2011



Bought A Ticketmaster Ticket In The Last 12 Years? You're About To Get A Refund
"If you used Ticketmaster's website to buy tickets between October 21, 1999 and October 19, 2011, you're likely to be eligible for a refund. …"
12/02/2011



Bob Marley Heirs Sue Half Brother Over Name Use
"A feud has erupted within the first family of reggae, with the widow and nine children of Bob Marley suing his half brother to stop use of the Marley name to promote an annual Miami music festival and profit from other businesses in his native Jamaica.…"
12/02/2011



Tommy Lee Sued By Former Assistant
"A former assistant for Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee has filed a lawsuit against Lee and his company Mayhem Touring, alleging unreasonable working conditions and claiming that he is owed pay.…"
12/02/2011



Occupy The Music Industry
"The falling security of the US economy bears an uncanny resemblance to the relative microcosm that is the music Industry. The occupy movements 99% are angry at the 1% with all the wealth.…"
12/01/2011



Drake Reportedly Ditches His Management Team
"Canadian rapper Drake has fired his management team at Hip Hop Since 1978, including Cortez Bryant and Al Branch; as well as his agents at ICM, including Dana Sims and Robert Gibbs to sign on with William Morris Endeavor.…"
12/01/2011



Judge: McCready In Violation Of Custody Order
"A Florida judge says country singer Mindy McCready has violated a custody order and wants her 5-year-old son back in the state.…"
12/01/2011



Jackson Case Highlights Celebrity Medicine Culture
"Michael Jackson's personal doctor received the maximum punishment in the pop singer's death but not before a scolding from the judge for violating his Hippocratic oath and engaging in "money-for-medicine madness."…"
11/30/2011



Tim McGraw Wins Decision Against Curb
"Country music star Tim McGraw has won a court ruling in Nashville allowing him to keep recording while a lawsuit against him by Curb Records continues.…"
11/30/2011



Facebook Updates IPO Status
"Facebook might finally be laying down the groundwork for a highly anticipated initial public offering, long expected to take place sometime after April 2012. …"
11/29/2011



Jackson's Doctor Hit With Four Year Sentence
"The doctor convicted of killing Michael Jackson has been sentenced to the maximum term of four years behind bars.…"
11/29/2011



Shooting Amidst Rap Video Recording Injures Seven
"Police on Tuesday searched for multiple suspects who opened fire into a group of people recording a rap music video in a parking lot and wounded seven, including a toddler and two adults who were critically hurt.…"
11/29/2011



8 Years For Rapper Lil Boosie In Drug Smuggling Plot
"A Baton Rouge rapper known as "Lil Boosie" has been sentenced to eight years in prison following his guilty plea to drug charges.…"
11/29/2011



PRS Announce No Change In Royalty Rates
"PRS for Music has announced the end of its customer consultation on royalty rates for popular music events in the UK.…"
11/29/2011



Occupy Wall Street Plans Benefit Album For Itself
"Occupy Wall Street has a benefit album planned with Jackson Browne, Third Eye Blind, Crosby & Nash, Devo, Lucinda Williams and even some of those drummers who kept an incessant beat at Manhattan's Zuccotti Park.…"
11/23/2011



Sugarland Hit With Stage Collapse Lawsuit
"Country duo Sugarland was named in a lawsuit filed Tuesday by 44 survivors of the Indiana State Fair stage collapse and family members of four people who died, by far the largest claim yet stemming from the tragedy.…"
11/23/2011



Jackson Doc Seeking New Test On Key Evidence Vial
"Lawyers for the doctor convicted of causing Michael Jackson's death are returning to court to seek testing of a vial of the powerful anesthetic that killed the singer.…"
11/21/2011



More Than 30 Arrested At UNH Concert
"More than 30 people were arrested, mostly on drug- and alcohol-related charges, during a concert Saturday on the University of New Hampshire campus, a school official said Sunday. And an unrelated fire on campus, also Saturday night, remained under investigation.…"
11/21/2011



Bonnie Pointer Arrested For Cocaine Possession
"Los Angeles County authorities say singer Patricia "Bonnie" Pointer has been arrested for investigation of possessing rock cocaine.…"
11/18/2011



Stevie B.'s Day In Court For Child Support Charge
"The singer Stevie B is in a Massachusetts courtroom for a hearing on what the state says is more than $400,000 in unpaid child support.…"
11/18/2011



NMPA & HFA Offer Sync Revenue Stream To Indie Publishers
"The National Music Publishers’ Association is teaming up with the Harry Fox Agency to offer indie music publishers an opportunity to opt into a license agreement with with YouTube.…"
11/17/2011



Distributor Pulls 234 Labels From Spotify, Napster, Rdio After iTunes Payments Drop 24%
"Electronic music distributor STHoldings has pulled all its distributed labels from streaming music services Spotify, Simfy, Rdio and Napster.…"
11/16/2011



Bieber Paternity Case Withdrawn; DNA Test Still On
"An attorney for a woman who claims Justin Bieber is the father of her baby boy said Wednesday her lawsuit has been withdrawn as both camps await the singer to take a paternity test.…"
11/16/2011



Twain Stalker Released With Credit For Time Served
"A former doctor who admitted to stalking Canadian country star Shania Twain has been released from jail with credit for time served.…"
11/16/2011



January Trial Sought For Golden Globes Dispute
"The organizers of the Golden Globe Awards are asking a federal judge to begin a trial to decide who owns the show's broadcast rights in early January when final preparations for the glitzy gala will be under way.…"
11/15/2011



Lawsuit: LaBelle Threw Water At Tot In NYC Lobby
"R&B diva Patti LaBelle hurled curses -- and half a bottle of water -- at a woman and her 18-month-old daughter after a dust-up over parenting in an apartment building lobby, according to a lawsuit filed Monday and the family's lawyer.…"
11/15/2011



Google Music Expands Without Sony, WMG
"The invite I got last week from Google was only thinly disguised. Clearly a major music announcement is coming on Wednesday. But Google has disappointed me before with less than stellar music launches.…"
11/14/2011



Universal, Sony/ATV To Buy EMI For $4.1 Billion
"EMI Group Ltd., home of The Beatles, Coldplay and Katy Perry, is being sold in two parts for $4.1 billion.…"
11/11/2011



Faxon's Letter To EMI
"In an email circulated today, EMI CEO Roger Faxon informed his team that despite his best efforts, label and publishing would be split with the recorded music division sold to Universal.…"
11/11/2011



Jackson Family Sues AEG For Wrongful Death
"Following the conviction of Michael Jackson's doctor Conrad Murray in connection with the performer's death, Jackson's family are turning their attention to promoter Anschutz Entertainment Group, the company that was producing Jackson's 50-show 'This is it' concert series when the singer died.…"
11/10/2011



Hotfile Countersues Warner, Alleges DMCA Abuse
"Warner Bros. has admitted in federal court that they deleted files from a file-hosting website, despite not owning the copyrights to the material.…"
11/10/2011



UK Abolishes Controversial VAT Loophole
"The UK government has announced that they are closing a controversial loophole in the Value Added Tax (VAT) code that allowed mail order retailers on the Channel Islands to undercut independent retailers on everything from music to cosmetics.…"
11/10/2011



Cohen Reorganizes WMG, John Reid Out
"Warner Music has reorganized their international management structure, with several key execs moving up and several others moving out.…"
11/09/2011



Digital Music Sales On Track To Rise 7% In 2011
"Digital music revenues are on track to rise about 7% globally to $6.3 billion according to a new study be respected research firm Gartner. But revenues from declining CD sales are not expected to make up for the rise in digital revenue led by iTunes and the growing momentum of digital streaming services like Spotify and Pandora.…"
11/09/2011



IMPALA Asks European Commission To Block EMI Sale
"European indie label trade association IMPALA has called on the European Commission to block the sale of EMI to Universal or Sony Music.…"
11/09/2011



Former Director Julie Taymor Sues 'Spider-Man' Producers
"Director Julie Taymor has filed a lawsuit against the producers of "Spider-Man: Turn off the Dark," alleging they violated her creative rights and haven't compensated her for the work she put into the musical.…"
11/08/2011



German Promoters Form Own Copyright Collecting Society
"At their annual meeting, the members of the German Federal Association of the Concert and Promotion Industry (bdv) resolved to form a copyright collecting society, a project many years in the making.…"
11/08/2011



Jury Finds Dr. Conrad Murray Guilty Of Manslaughter
"A jury has convicted Michael Jackson's doctor of involuntary manslaughter in the singer's 2009 drug death.…"
11/07/2011



Vince Neil Pleads Guilty, Hit With Fine In Vegas Conduct Case
"A judge accepted a guilty plea Monday on behalf of rock `n' roller Vince Neil and his lawyer paid a $1,000 fine to close a misdemeanor case stemming from a confrontation between the Motley Crue singer and his ex-girlfriend at a Las Vegas casino lounge.…"
11/07/2011



Shawty Redd Cleared Of Murder Charge
"Music producer Shawty Redd has been found not guilty of a murder charge that stemmed from his 2010 New Year's Day arrest.…"
11/04/2011



Twitter Changes Business Of Celebrity Endorsements
"Rapper Snoop Dogg gave props on Twitter to an ad for the Toyota Sienna minivan. Actress Tori Spelling linked to a website for rental cars. And reality TV star Khloe Kardashian soliloquized about the brand of jeans that accentuates the famous Kardashian derriere.…"
11/03/2011



Live Nation Sees Concert Attendance Decline In Q3
"Live Nation announced their third-quarter results on November third, revealing a 1.4% rise in Q3 earnings, despite a decrease in revenue from lower concert attendance.…"
11/03/2011



Warner Drops Out Of Bidding For EMI
"The sale of EMI hangs in the balance after frontrunner Warner Music withdrew a bid for the British company's recorded music division understood to have come in at under $1.5bn, short of the price tag that owner Citigroup had been seeking.…"
11/02/2011



US Home Video Spending Up For 1st Time Since 2008
"Americans' spending on home videos has finally emerged from the recession -- helped by more purchases of higher-priced Blu-ray discs and greater outlays on cut-rate rentals from Netflix and Redbox.…"
11/02/2011



...And I Was Like, 'Baby, Baby, Baby, Noooooo'
"An allegation that Justin Bieber fathered a baby by a woman who has filed a paternity suit is "demonstrably false," a spokeswoman for the singer said Wednesday.…"
11/02/2011



Missouri AG Warns Of Fake StubHub Scam
"Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster is warning people to watch out for a scam email purporting to bill them for thousands of dollars of tickets to various events.…"
11/02/2011



Appeals Panel Sides With CBS Over Super Bowl Fine
"A federal appeals court on Wednesday upheld its finding that the Federal Communications Commissions acted improperly in fining CBS over the fleeting exposure of Janet Jackson's breast during the 2004 Super Bowl halftime show.…"
11/02/2011



Fundamentalist Christians Protest At Paris Theater
"The city of Paris is filing legal complaints against a group of fundamentalist Christians who have been protesting a play currently showing at the municipal theater, claiming it is blasphemous, the mayor said Friday.…"
10/31/2011



Judge Approves Philly Orchestra Contract
"A federal bankruptcy judge has approved a new collective bargaining agreement between the financially troubled Philadelphia Orchestra and its musicians union.…"
10/28/2011



James Brown (AP) James Brown's Former Manager Sentenced For Taking Money In Final Years
"James Brown's former manager has been sentenced to three years of home confinement on charges he took more money than he was allowed under contract from the late soul singer in his final years.…"
10/28/2011



Jamaican Music Star Vybz Kartel Faces Second Murder Charge This Month
"One of Jamaica's most popular deejays is facing a murder rap - again. On Monday, police charged 35-year-old dancehall star Vybz Kartel in the August slaying of a Jamaican man nicknamed "Lizard."…"
10/27/2011



Judge Blocks AEG Contract Testimony In Murray Trial
"The judge hearing the involuntary manslaughter trial of Michael Jackson's doctor blocked defense lawyers from asking about the singer's multimillion-dollar contract for his final concert series.…"
10/26/2011



Songwriters, Music Reps Meet With Blackburn To Discuss Intellectual Property Rights
"Songwriters and Music industry representatives are meeting in Washington, D.C., with U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn to discuss protection of intellectual property rights.…"
10/26/2011



AEG Live President Randy Phillips Testifies At Jackson Trial
"Michael Jackson agreed to do 50 comeback shows in London on two conditions, including that the final show be recognized by the Guinness Book of Records, his doctor's manslaughter trial heard.…"
10/26/2011



Google To Launch Music Service Without Sony And WMG?
"Google wants to launch its music download service as soon as possible, a source tells Hypebot.…"
10/25/2011



Michael Jackson's Ex-GM Sentenced On Tax Violation
"A judge on Tuesday spared Michael Jackson's former general manager prison time after she tearfully admitted failing to file her taxes and blamed the failure on being overwhelmed with the late singer's affairs.…"
10/25/2011



Police Admit Mix-Up With Winehouse Inquest Info
"British police say there has been a slight mix-up ahead of an inquest into the death of soul diva Amy Winehouse.…"
10/25/2011



Flo Rida Misses Gig, Faces Legal Snafu In Australia
"Miami rapper Flo Rida has had a tough weekend in Ausralia, after being bumped from a scheduled gig and seeing an assistant busted on drug and weapons charges.…"
10/24/2011



Is Occupy Wall Street Fair Game For Music Marketing?
"Occupy Wall Street (OWS), the Manhattan sector of a growing international protest movement-in-the-making, has already seen a few famous musicians drop by including Lupe Fiasco and Kanye West.…"
10/21/2011



Dohnanyi Cancels Hungary Appearances In Protest
"Hungary's State Opera says German conductor Cristoph von Dohnanyi has canceled a pair of appearances to protest the appointment of a theater director linked to far-right groups.…"
10/21/2011



With Deals, YouTube Expands As Music Destination
"YouTube has been very good to bedroom singers...and major labels.... But the middle tier — hundreds of independent labels and their deep rosters of bands — has sometimes been marginalized in YouTube's endlessly expansive video jukebox.…"
10/19/2011



T.I. Looks To Rebuild Career And Avoid Trouble
"Spending most of the last two years behind bars usually disqualifies someone from labeling themselves a role model.…"
10/19/2011



Soulja Boy A POW (In The War On Drugs)
"Authorities say hip-hop star Soulja Boy is facing a drug charge after police stopped his rental car in the west Georgia town of Temple on Interstate 20.…"
10/18/2011



Philly Stagehands Reach A Deal On New Contract
"A labor dispute that has disrupted performance schedules at some Philadelphia theaters appears to be over.…"
10/18/2011



Sonic Youth 'Aged?' Separation Threatens Band's Future
"Sonic Youth co-founders Thurston Moore and Kim Gordon have separated after 27 years of marriage, casting doubts over the future of the band.…"
10/18/2011



Freedom Fest - A Tale Of Failure
"Everyone from vendors and production staff to performers are looking for both answers and payment following the disasterous Freedom Festival held in Los Angeles on Sept. 4th. Festival organizers were forecasting attendance variously between 7,500 and 20,000 but the event only managed to draw a crowd of 100 attendees.…"
10/17/2011



IATSE Fights Warrants Over Indiana State Fair Stage Collapse
"A stagehands union is fighting a state safety agency's attempt to seize records about its members as the agency investigates the deadly Indiana State Fair stage collapse.…"
10/17/2011



UK Judge Nixes 'Lady Goo Goo' After Gaga Lawsuit
"Pop star Lady Gaga has won an injunction stopping the makers of an online children's game from promoting an animated character called Lady Goo Goo, the company involved said Friday. British co…"
10/14/2011



Scammers Sell $60,000 Fake Motley Crue Tickets
"Fake concert promoters apparently bilked Indonesian music fans out of an estimated $60,000 in ticket sales for a Motley Crue show that was never scheduled to happen, officials and news reports say.…"
10/14/2011



Philadelphia Orchestra Musicians Ratify New Contract
"The Philadelphia Orchestra says a new collective bargaining agreement has been reached between the orchestra association and its musicians union.…"
10/13/2011



McGraw V. Curb Round 1
"Tim McGraw will have his first day in court in his legal battle with his label, Curb Records with a November 29th hearing to determine if he can record new music before the case is settled.…"
10/13/2011



Pukkelpop Organizers Face Financial Challenges In Wake Of Tragedy
"Though Pukkelpop organizers have been official cleared of liability by the Hasselt Public Prosecutor, the festival may be on the hook for significant losses.…"
10/12/2011



Spotify Lost £26.5 Million In 2010
"Spotify's 2010 financial statements show a company with huge growth and far more expenses than profit.…"
10/12/2011



EMI Sale Hits Speed Bumps, WMG May Pull Offer
"Prior to last Wednesday's bid deadline, as many as 10 potential buyers were bidding for EMI, but now that number appears to be dwindling. The UK's Sunday Mail is blaming weak capital markets for causing several private equity groups to pull out. But new Warner Music Group owner Len Blavatnik, is also considering dropping his bid because, reportedly, he's frustrated with how long the process is taking.…"
10/11/2011



Kanye And Russell Simmons Put In An Occupy Wall Street Appearance
"The Occupy Wall Street protesters recieved a a little dose of celebrity on Monday with Kanye West and Russell Simmons stopped in.…"
10/11/2011



Lawsuits Filed After All Good Fest Deaths
"The father of a 20-year-old South Carolina woman crushed under a truck as she slept in a tent at the All Good Music Festival is suing the event producers, hosts, traffic directors and security providers for negligence.…"
10/11/2011



iTunes Great For Apple, But Was It For Music Biz?
"When Apple rolled out iTunes for the masses in the spring of 2003, the music industry was at a point of transition -- and chaos.…"
10/10/2011



RCA Closes 3 Labels
"As part of a major rebranding and consolidation RCA is closing three of its most successful labels “In an effort to refresh RCA Records, all label imprints - J Records, Arista Records and Jive - will now be under the iconic RCA Records label,” read a statement from RCA issued Friday. No word yet on more staff cuts, but most artists will shift to RCA.…"
10/07/2011



Brooklyn Concert Moves Due To Noise Complaints
"A popular concert series in Brooklyn will move to a city-owned lot after complaints of noise from residents.…"
10/07/2011



Rdio Extends Free Trial Period For Music Plan
"Music startup Rdio has joined several competitors in a crowded field of all-you-can-listening services by taking the time limit off its free trial.…"
10/07/2011



Source: Ovitz Out At IMG
"IMG Worldwide's board of directors has reportedly oustered Michael Ovitz after his failed bid to take over the agency last Friday. IMG is the world's largest sports and corporate agency, with a roster that includes Tiger Woods to Justin Timberlake as well as corporate clients.…"
10/06/2011



Cheap Trick Goes To Washington
"Classic rockers Cheap Trick have gone all the way to the U.S. Congress with their efforts to push for tougher legislation on outdoor stages.…"
10/06/2011



Feds: Gibson Wood Seizure Linked To Criminal Probe
"Federal prosecutors confirmed there's a criminal investigation under way related to the recent raid on Gibson Guitar in a filing that asked a judge to delay efforts by the company to reclaim wood that was seized.…"
10/06/2011



Rapper Jim Jones Guilty In NY Bentley Driving Case
"Rapper Jim Jones pleaded guilty Thursday to driving his Bentley with a suspended license.…"
10/06/2011



Paciolan Wins Patent Infringement Case
"Former Ticketmaster company Paciolan has won a victory in a patent infringement lawsuit brought against them by rival ticketing company Veritix.…"
10/04/2011



Theater Stagehands In Philadelphia On Strike
"Negotiations have resumed between striking theater stagehands in Philadelphia and officials from the Kimmel Center.…"
10/03/2011



Napster Throws In The Towel - To Be Acquired By Rhapsody
"Former file-sharing renegade Napster has a new owner. US online music service Rhapsody announced on Monday that it has purchased Napster from electronics retailer Best Buy.…"
10/03/2011



Claims In Indiana State Fair Collapse Continue To Accumulate
"Indiana's attorney general says 24 more tort claims have been filed alerting the state of possible lawsuits in the wake of last month's deadly State Fair stage collapse. …"
10/03/2011



Hawaii Entertainer Arrested In Los Angeles
"A longtime Hawaii entertainer has pleaded not guilty in California to sex crimes charges against two girls in the 1990s.…"
09/30/2011



AEG's Paul Gongaware Testifies At Jackson Trial
"Two days before he died, Michael Jackson appeared strong during one of the final rehearsals for his highly anticipated comeback concerts, a promoter told jurors Wednesday as the involuntary manslaughter trial of the pop superstar's physician entered its second day.…"
09/28/2011



Fan's Suit Over Fishbone Stage-Dive Injury Upheld
"A woman who broke her skull and collarbone when a member of the band Fishbone dived from a Philadelphia stage will soon have her day in court.…"
09/28/2011



Lady G Sues Company Over Trademark Bids
"Lady Gaga says a Nevada-based company is trying to horn in on her fame to market cosmetics and jewelry. She's suing in New York.…"
09/28/2011



Liberty Media Spins Off Liberty Capital & Liberty Starz
"The Delaware Surpreme Court has given Liberty Media the go-ahead for their planned spin-off of Liberty Media Corporation, which will take on the assets of Liberty Capital, and the Starz premium cable television network. Liberty Capital holds approximately a 20% stake in entertainment giant Live Nation as well as SiriusXM among other companies.…"
09/27/2011



Rapper Petey Pablo Sentenced To 3 Years For Gun
"Hip-hop artist Petey Pablo has been sentenced in North Carolina to almost three years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possessing a stolen firearm.…"
09/27/2011



Stage Collapse Distribution Plan Approved
"The families of the seven people killed in the Indiana State Fair stage collapse will be able to claim $35,000 each from a relief fund that received private donations for the victims, under a claims process approved Friday by fair officials.…"
09/26/2011



Sly Stone Reported To Be Living In A Van
"Former funk superstar Sly Stone is reported to be living in a van in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Crenshaw.…"
09/26/2011



Missouri AG Closes Joplin Benefit Investigation
"The Missouri Attorney General has closed his investigation into a $60,000 loan from a Joplin tornado recovery fund for a concert.…"
09/23/2011



Indie Labels Team Up To Launch Distributor
"Three indie record labels, Frontier Records, Beer City, and Tribunal Records have launched a new distribution operation for indie labels and bands: Independent Label Distribution (ILD).…"
09/21/2011



MySpace Delays Announcement As Traffic Tumbles
"When Specifc Media bought MySpace for $30 million, they promised a summer launch press conference with creative partner Justin Timberlake to unveil plans to turn around the struggling social network.…"
09/21/2011



Pandora Loosens Listening Limits
"Perhaps as a reaction to increased "free music" competition from iHeartRadio to Spotify or perhaps to offer advertisers the biggest possible audience, Pandora has eliminated it's 40 hour free listening cap. …"
09/21/2011



Fans Stand Ready To Defend Jackson
"Inside the compact, wood-paneled courtroom that will soon host the trial of Michael Jackson's personal physician, many of the tabloid-worthy elements of the singer's life will go unspoken.…"
09/21/2011



Conrad Defense Team: Jackson Unable To Perform 50 Shows
"Lawyers for the doctor charged in Michael Jackson's death have moved to show jurors at the upcoming trial footage of a news conference in which the singer spoke of performing in only 10 shows during his "This Is It" concert run. …"
09/21/2011



Guyana Bans Music Of No-Show Jamaican Singer
"The state-owned radio network in Guyana says a Jamaican dance-hall singer has been banned from the airwaves of the South American country because of obscene lyrics.…"
09/21/2011



Cash-Strapped Philly Orchestra, Philly Pops Split
"The Philadelphia Orchestra and Peter Nero and the Philly Pops have agreed to end their six-year business partnership, according to documents filed Monday in federal bankruptcy court.…"
09/20/2011



Man Allegedly Kills Mother Over Lavigne Tickets
"A 39-year-old Illinois Avril Lavigne fan has been arrested after allegedly killing his 61-year-old mother when she failed to purchase him skybox tickets to a concert by the pop-punk princess.…"
09/20/2011



Universal Music Joins Forces With Live Nation To Form World's Largest Management Co.
"Live Nation Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: LYV), and Universal Music Group (UMG), today, announced the formation of a broad-based strategic partnership.…"
09/19/2011



Live Nation Spent $55,000 To Lobby Gov't In 2Q
"Concert promoter and ticket seller Live Nation Entertainment Inc. spent $55,000 in the second quarter to lobby the federal government on issues related to the regulation of ticket sales, according to a disclosure report.…"
09/19/2011



Violator Management And Primary Wave To Merge
"Two major New York-based management companies, Larry Mestel's Primary Wave Music and Chris Lighty's Violator Management have announced they are merging to form a new company, Primary Violator.…"
09/16/2011



BMG Acquires Bug Music
"BMG Rights Management and Spectrum Equity Investors have signed a deal estimated at $300 million to acquire Bug Music, Inc.…"
09/15/2011



Jackson Estate Makes $30M Payment To Mother And Kids
"Michael Jackson's estate has generated more than $310 million in the two years since the pop singer died deeply in debt, enabling executors to distribute a preliminary payment of $30 million to Jackson's mother and children, and to unnamed charities, according to recently filed court documents.…"
09/14/2011



EU Extends Copyright Term To 70 Years
"In a victory for the financially troubled recording industry, the EU on Monday extended the term of copyright on sound recordings to 70 years from 50.…"
09/14/2011



Sugarland Among Defendents In Stage Collapse Lawsuit
"The state is facing more than 20 potential lawsuits one month after the deadly outdoor stage collapse during the Indiana State Fair, and for the first time, a family of one of the victims has named Sugarland in a lawsuit.…"
09/13/2011



Attorney General Reviewing Joplin Concert Planning
"A controversy that erupted after some Joplin residents sought to borrow money from a tornado recovery fund to cover initial costs of a concert has drawn the attention of the state attorney general.…"
09/13/2011



Court Order Shutters Oregon Electronic Music Fest
"After one night of music, what was supposed to be a three-day electronic dance music festival near Eugene fizzled out.…"
09/12/2011



Parents Of Girl Who Died At Electric Daisy Sue Organizers
"The parents of a 15-year-old girl who died of an overdose last year at a rave are suing the event's organizers and the venue, the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.…"
09/09/2011



Guy Hands Seeks EMI Citigroup Lawsuit And May Slow Sale
"Guy Hands and his investment firm Terra Firma have filed a new lawsuit against CitiGroup over the bank's seizure of music label and publishing group EMI.…"
09/08/2011



Report: T.I. Sent Back To Prison Over Travel Flap
"Grammy-winning rapper T.I. was sent back to federal prison after corrections officials discovered a manager and a TV producer were traveling with him on a luxury bus as he transferred to a halfway house in Georgia, according to documents obtained Thursday by The Associated Press.…"
09/08/2011



Ind. Officials Discuss Plan For Stage Collapse Claims
"Only those who were physically injured in last month's state fair stage collapse and the families of those who were killed will likely get a cut of the $5 million the state is legally liable to pay out, Indiana's attorney general said Wednesday, dampening the hopes of those who say they were emotionally traumatized by witnessing the event.…"
09/07/2011



Burning Man Crowd Exceeds Permit
"The annual Burning Man festival on the northern Nevada desert drew a record crowd of nearly 54,000 people—more than the 50,000 allowed under a permit with federal land managers.…"
09/06/2011



MCR Parts Ways With Drummer Over Alleged Theft
"Alt-rockers My Chemical Romance have fired their drummer after he was reportedly caught stealing from the band.…"
09/06/2011



Elvis Presley Estate Suing Arista
"Elvis Presley's estate is suing Arista Music in Germany for $9m in unpaid royalties dating back to 2002 for ringtones, downloads and apps.…"
09/06/2011



China Cracks Down On Copyright Theft
"China says it seized about 13 million illegal video, music and print products over the past year in a campaign to tackle fakes and copyright theft.…"
09/06/2011



Contract: Fair Would Have Owed Sugarland Thousands
"The Indiana State Fair would have owed country group Sugarland thousands of dollars even if the band's show was canceled because of weather under a contract officials have released. …"
09/02/2011



EMI Bidding, Round 2
"Second round bids for EMI are due after U.S. Labor Day on Tuesday, a person familiar with the situation told Dow Jones Newswires yesterday. A number of buyers are aggressively bidding for all or parts of the music group currently controlled by Citigroup.…"
09/02/2011



UMG Revenue Falls, Digital Sales Rise
"For the first half of 2011, Universal Music Group's revenue decreased 1.9% to $2.64 billion USD a 1.9% decrease compared to the first half of 2010 (-2.0% at constant currency). Digital music sales grew 13.5%, but failed to offset falling demand for physical product. Revenues in the second quarter increased by 0.6% at constant currency.…"
09/02/2011



Indiana Liability Cap In Stage Collapse Questioned
"The $5 million limit on the state's liability for the deadly Indiana State Fair stage collapse is unfair in the eyes of at least one state legislator, but a top state senator says he's skeptical of raising the cap. …"
09/02/2011



Facebook To Allow Further Music Integration
"Facebook is preparing to bolster the programming tools it offers to licensed music services like Rhapsody, Spotify, MOG and Rdio to make it easier for users of the social network to find out what songs their friends are digging.…"
09/01/2011



DOJ Moves To Block Sprint AT&T Merger
"The U.S. Department of Justice has moved to block the proposed $39 billion dollar merger between telecom giants AT&T and T-Mobile, citing antrtrust concerns.…"
08/31/2011



Arkansas Surpreme Court To Weigh In In Ticketmaster Fee Suit
"The Supreme Court of Arkansas will take up the subject of Ticketmaster's fees in a class action lawsuit brought against the company over their fee structure.…"
08/31/2011



Judge Blocks Effort To Get Spears' Med Records
"A judge won't give a company suing Britney Spears access to her medical information.…"
08/31/2011



SXSW Economic Impact Report Shows Power Of Music Festivals
"A recent report on the economic impact of the SXSW Conferences & Festivals on the city of Austin is a reminder that such gatherings are not just good for promoting a locale but also provide direct economic benefits. Yet many festivals are getting defunded or canceled due to financial concerns. Are such cuts short sighted or simply pragmatic?…"
08/30/2011



eMusic Partners With The Echo Nest
"eMusic has partnered to use the The Echo Nest’s music data platform to enhance its music discovery options. Their first project together, eMusic Radio, launched in beta today. Teaming man and machine, it includes several dozen curated programs based on emerging artists, local music scenes, and genres.…"
08/30/2011



Adding To The Indiana Stage Collapse Lawsuits
"The family of a Fort Wayne woman killed when a stage collapsed in strong wind at the Indiana State Fair filed a lawsuit Monday alleging gross negligence and recklessness by the promoters and producers of the concert.…"
08/30/2011



Lawyer Sues SXSW Over 'Serious Head Injury'
"An Austin attorney has filed a lawsuit claiming he's had to end his law practice because of an injury he suffered while attending a concert at the South by Southwest festival earlier this year.…"
08/26/2011



China Bans Pop Songs From Downloading Sites
"China's Ministry of Culture has ordered music download sites to delete songs by Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, the Backstreet Boys and other pop stars within two weeks or face punishment.…"
08/26/2011



New Blackberry Music Cloud-Based Music Service Debuts
"Blackberry mobile phone makers Research In Motion (RIM) have joined the growing throng of cloud-based music services with the launch of BBM Music.…"
08/25/2011



Feds Raid Gibson Guitars - Company Denies Allegations
"The head of Gibson Guitar Corp. said Thursday that the company is being unfairly targeted after a raid by federal authorities at factories in Memphis and Nashville.…"
08/25/2011



Village People Fight For Rights To YMCA
"A member of the 1970s disco group Village People who lives in south-east Wales is launching a legal fight for the rights to their classic hit YMCA.…"
08/25/2011



LA Officials Deny 30-Year Sunset Junction Fest
"Los Angeles officials have denied a permit to a 30-year-old street festival days before its scheduled weekend opening because organizers couldn't come up with cash.…"
08/24/2011



MP3 Tunes Founder Responds To EMI Ruling
"Yesterday, a U.S. District Judge ruled that digital locker Mp3tunes.com was protected by the DMCA's safe harbor provision when users stored illegally obtained songs there.…"
08/23/2011



Judge Orders Indiana State Fair Stage Wreckage Preserved
"An Indiana judge ordered the state on Tuesday to preserve the wreckage from a stage collapse at the State Fair that killed seven people, after an attorney for the estate of one victim said he didn't think the state could be trusted. …"
08/23/2011



Record Companies Plan Music Downloading Appeal
"Recording industry attorneys are appealing a recent ruling that reduced the amount of money a Minnesota woman must pay for willfully violating the copyrights of 24 songs.…"
08/22/2011



Machine Gun Kelly Charged In Connection With Flash Mob
"Authorities say rapper Machine Gun Kelly organized a flash mob at a suburban Cleveland mall and was charged with disorderly conduct.…"
08/22/2011



Officials Digging Into Belgian Fest Deaths Investigation
"Officials say prosecutors have launched an investigation into the deaths of five people during a violent thunderstorm at the annual Pukkelpop outdoor rock festival.…"
08/22/2011



ReverbNation Acquires GigMaven
"ReverbNation has acquired GigMaven as part of an ongoing effort to expand performance opportunities for the 1.7 million artists and 20,000 venues that have registered to use its online music marketing and sales platform.…"
08/19/2011



First Lawsuits Land In Indiana State Fair Tragedy
"An Indiana law firm has filed two lawsuits on behalf of people injured when a strong wind gust sent metal scaffolding tumbling into a crowd at the Indiana State Fair.…"
08/19/2011



Gallagher Sues Gallagher Over Hangover Accusations
"Oasis singer Liam Gallagher says he is suing his estranged brother and former bandmate, Noel, for saying his hangover forced the rumbustious Brit rockers to cancel a concert.…"
08/19/2011



Spotify Ups Paid Members Amid Free Membership Restrictions
"After Spotify introduced restrictions to its free service in May, it gained an impressive 520,000 subscribers.…"
08/19/2011



MetroPCS Starts Unlimited Music Plan With Rhapsody
"MetroPCS Communications Inc., the nation's fifth-largest wireless phone carrier, is jumping into the unlimited music business behind its smaller competitor, Cricket.…"
08/18/2011



CA Supreme Court Won't Hear Phil Spector Appeal
"The California Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to consider legendary rock music producer Phil Spector's appeal of his murder conviction.…"
08/18/2011



Polish Singer Cleared Of Bible Tearing Charges
"A Polish judge has found a death metal singer innocent of offending religious feeling, ruling that his ripping up of a Bible during a show was a form of artistic expression consistent with the style of his band.…"
08/18/2011



Apple To Be Hit With $25M Suit From South Korea
"Nearly 27,000 South Koreans are suing Apple for $US26 million ($24.9 million) for what they claim are privacy violations from the collection of iPhone user location information.…"
08/17/2011



Beatles Campaign For Music Matters
"The estate of iconic British band has pledged its support for the anti-piracy campaign Music Matters by sanctioning a special animated short film set to their recordings.…"
08/17/2011



Police Recover Portugal The Man's Gear
"Things looked rough for Portugal The Man after the band had their road gear stolen following their performance at this year's Lollapalooza. Fortunately, for all involved, Chicago PD appears to have located the lion's share of the misappropriated kit.…"
08/16/2011



Digital Music Royalties Battle In Full Swing
"The battle over digital music royalties has begun again. The U.S. Copyright Royalty Judges have opened a new proceeding to set the statutory rates for 2013-2017 with a decision expected by the end of 2012.…"
08/15/2011



The Game's 'Game' Compromises LA Public Safety?
"A rapper could face criminal charges after a tweet from his account incited a telephone flash mob that overwhelmed the emergency phone system at one of busiest stations of the Los Angeles County sheriff's department, the agency said Saturday.…"
08/15/2011



5 Dead After Indiana State Fair Stage Collapses - Governor: Wind Gust That Fell Ind. Stage A 'Fluke'
"Five people were killed and a dozen injured after a stage collapsed during a storm Saturday night at the Indiana State Fair, where the country group Sugarland was set to perform, the Indianapolis Star and WTHR reported. …"
08/13/2011



Ghostface Killah Sues UMG Over Royalties
"Ghostface Killah, AKA Dennis Coles, has filed a lawsuit seeking to collect full royalties for his work with the seminal hip hop group Wu Tang Clan.…"
08/12/2011



eMusic Debuts Streaming Radio Beta
"Somewhat forgotten in the hubhub surrounding the U.S. launch of Spotify, eMusic has launched their new Internet radio feature.…"
08/12/2011



Contestants Sue The X Factor
"Two contestants are suing the Fox talent show The X Factor, claiming that the show's producers put them through a physical ordeal, causing them to fail their audition.…"
08/12/2011



Tracy Lawrence Charged After Scuffle With Promoter
"Country performer Tracy Lawrence was hospitalized and charged following a brawl with a promoter after a August 6th gig at the Smokin' Country Concert festival.…"
08/09/2011



Judge Says Trial Needed To Resolve Globes Dispute
"A trial is needed to determine whether the longtime producer of the Golden Globe Awards had the rights to negotiate a deal keeping the glitzy awards show on NBC through 2018, a federal judge has ruled.…"
08/09/2011



Live Nation Swings To A Profit In Q2
"Improved ticket sales, more profitable concerts, and growth in advertising sales helped Live Nation into the black in the second quarter, beating analyst predictions.…"
08/08/2011



17 Arrests, 31 Medic Calls At LA Music Festival
"Police say they arrested 17 people and firefighters say they treated 31 at a weekend music festival at Los Angeles State Historic Park near Chinatown.…"
08/08/2011



Big Boi Arrested In Miami On Drug Charges
"Grammy-winning OutKast rapper Big Boi has been arrested in Miami on charges of illegally possessing drugs including ecstasy and Viagra pills.…"
08/08/2011



ABC Apologizes For Nicki Minaj Nip Slip
"ABC News is apologizing for a wardrobe malfunction that gave singer Nicki Minaj more exposure than she bargained for.…"
08/05/2011



Lil Wayne Sued For $15 Million Over 'Bedrock'
"Rapper Lil Wayne faces a $15 million legal battle over allegations he stole the hit song "Bedrock."…"
08/05/2011



NY Gov. Cracks Down On Piracy
"Gov. Andrew Cuomo has signed an amendment to the New York statute against music piracy to add hard drives, flash drives, memory cards or other storage devices to the list of potential bootleg recording vehicles.…"
08/05/2011



Big Sean Charged After NY Park Concert
"Rapper Big Sean faces charges in upstate New York after a woman complained she was sexually assaulted during a concert.…"
08/05/2011



Warner Music Narrows Loss, Revenue Up
"Warner Music Group Corp., which just went private, said its losses shrank in the third-quarter as revenue grew as sales of downloaded and streamed music compensated for steadily declining CD sales.…"
08/04/2011



U.K. Government Announces Sweeping Copyright Reform
"On August 3 the British government announced plans to modernize and reform U.K. copyright law following up on recommendations contained in the Hargreaves report commissioned by British Prime Minister David Cameron and a technical review by telecoms regulator Ofcom. The most significant decision is the scrapping of the government's plan to block copyright infringing websites.…"
08/04/2011



McCartney: I'm Going To Police Over Hacking Claim
"Former Beatle Paul McCartney said Thursday he would contact police over his ex-wife's claim that the couple had been spied upon by a British newspaper.…"
08/04/2011



Aretha 'Extremely Disappointed' Over Royalty Lawsuit
"Aretha Franklin says she's "extremely disappointed" over a lawsuit filed by her longtime songwriting partner over song royalties from her latest CD and copyright infringement.…"
08/03/2011



Long Island Voters Reject Islanders Arena Plan
"Voters in a suburban New York community already paying some of the highest property taxes in the country overwhelmingly rejected a referendum Monday to borrow $400 million for the construction of a new hockey arena and ballpark.…"
08/02/2011



Dollywood Refunds Lesbian Couple After Shirt Flap
"Dollywood officials have offered a refund to a lesbian couple after an employee asked one of the women to turn her T-shirt reading "marriage is so gay" inside-out to avoid offending others during a recent visit to the Tennessee theme park complex.…"
08/02/2011



Breaking Benjamin Broken In Legal Dispute
"The platinum-selling rock band from northeastern Pennsylvania is mired in a legal dispute over what its founder and lead singer, Benjamin Burnley, called an unauthorized remix of one of the band's hit songs, "Blow Me Away."…"
08/02/2011



Live Nation Files $10m Lawsuit Over Insurance Coverage
"Live Nation Entertainment Inc. has filed a $10 million against an insurer, alleging that the company wrongfully denied coverage for class action suits pending against Live Nation subsidiary Ticketmaster.…"
08/01/2011



Spotify In Patent Infringement Suit
"Digital music service Spotify, which recently arrived in the U.S., has been sued by music and video streaming software maker PacketVideo for allegedly violating a patent it holds for digital music distribution.…"
08/01/2011



6 Men Plead Not Guilt To Beating At McGraw Concert
"Six Massachusetts men have pleaded not guilty to felony aggravated assault charges stemming from a brutal beating at a Tim McGraw concert in Mansfield.…"
08/01/2011



AOL Shutters UK Music Sites
"As AOL reorganizes in the wake of their acquisition of the online aggregator site The Huffington Post, they've announced that they are shuttering their primary music and sports websites in the U.K. - AOL Music and FanHouse.…"
08/01/2011



Four Shot After George Clinton Show In Ohio; 1 Dies
"A man fired several shots from a handgun during a large fight near an outdoor concert venue featuring funk music artist George Clinton, killing one person and wounding three others, police said Sunday.…"
07/31/2011



WME May Take A Big Hit Over Building Dispute
"William Morris Endeavor Entertainment will appeal an arbitrator's ruling against them in their multi-million dollar legal dispute with real estate developer George Comfort & Sons Inc., who built an office building the agency chose not to occupy post-merger with Endeavor Entertainment.…"
07/28/2011



Cheap Trick Wants Bands, Crews and Fans Protected
"Cheap Trick was the band onstage at the Ottawa Bluesfest when the stage collapsed and they have released a statement (in the third person) about the incident.…"
07/28/2011



LA Coliseum Audited For Possible Fiscal Mismanagement
"The city's controller said Wednesday her office has launched an audit of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum's finances amid allegations of possible fiscal mismanagement.…"
07/28/2011



Love Parade - A Year After The Tragedy
"Over 2.200 witnesses may have been questioned by the police, but the question of responsibility a year after the Love Parade tragedy in Germany's Duisburg (North Rhine-Westphalia) on July 24th 2010 in which 21 died and over 500 were injured is still unanswered.…"
07/28/2011



TicketNetwork Receives State Tax Subsidies For New Headquarters
"Ticket resale site TicketNetwork Inc. is the second company to receive state tax credits in exchange for new jobs, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy announced Thursday.…"
07/27/2011



BMG Submits Bid For EMI
"Music publisher BMG Rights submitted its bid for EMI to bankers Citigroup on Friday, according to the New York Post.…"
07/27/2011



Walmart - Now Streaming Movies
"The world's largest retailer on Tuesday started streaming many movies the same day they come out on DVD, in a second bid for a share of popular movie rental and streaming website Netflix Inc.'s business and just two weeks after Netflix announced new price increases.…"
07/26/2011



Former Employee Files Suit Against HoB & Live Nation
"A former general manager of the House of Blues (HOB) Downtown Disney in Anaheim outlet has filed a lawsuit against HoB and their parent company Live Nation, alleging violation of labor codes, wrongful termination and defamation.…"
07/26/2011



$5 Million Dollar Lawsuit Filed In 2009 Stage Collapse
"The family of a Saskatchewan woman killed in a stage collapse at the 2009 Big Valley Jamboree has filed a lawsuit against the City of Camrose, Alta., the concert promoter and several other related companies, seeking more than $5 million.…"
07/26/2011



Mo. Attorney General Goes After Storm Aid Promoter
"Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster is filing suit over two alleged fundraising scams involving the Joplin tornado. …"
07/26/2011



Access Completes WMG Sale
"Access Industries has completed its acquisition of Warner Music Group in a cash deal worth $3.3bn, or $8.25 a share.…"
07/25/2011



Minnesota Case Slashes Downloading Fines
"A federal judge has again reduced the penalty imposed on a Minnesota woman for illegally sharing 24 songs online, this time from $1.5 million to $54,000.…"
07/25/2011



Artists, Venues And Promoters Form Fans First Ticketing Coalition
"Dozens of major artists have joined with industry professionals and more than 60 venues to form the Fans First Coalition, a nationwide, not-for-profit with a stated goal of protecting fans from fraudulent and unscrupulous ticket practices.…"
07/21/2011



'Idol' Creator Sues For Stake In Rival 'X-Factor'
"The creator of "American Idol" sued the show's broadcaster and producer claiming they have reneged on a deal to give him a stake in a rival competition show that is about to premiere in the United States.…"
07/21/2011



Matching Actors Piracy Rights With Musicians'?
"In the 2008-film "No Country for Old Men" Javier Bardem's hitman character mercilessly collected unpaid debts with a deadly bolt gun.When it comes to movie pirates, the 42-year-old Academy Award winner is more understanding.…"
07/19/2011



Amazon Cloud With 'Unlimited' Possibilities
"Amazon has enhanced it's cloud music offering to stay competitive with Apple and Google. Paid Amazon cloud storage plans now include unlimited space for music.…"
07/18/2011



Aretha's Publishing Company Sued Over Royalties
"A longtime songwriting partner of Aretha Franklin has sued her publishing company, claiming it did not sign a royalty agreement for a song on her recently released album.…"
07/18/2011



Ja Rule Sentenced In Tax Case
"Rapper and actor Ja Rule was sentenced Monday to more than two years in federal prison for failing to file income tax returns, and said a combination of youthful inexperience, bad advice and an inability to manage fame and fortune lead to his financial troubles.…"
07/18/2011



Lopez And Anthony Throw In The Towel
"With three failed marriages between them, Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony finally seemed to find true love together when they married seven years ago. They had twin children, went on tour together, did a movie together and even planned a music-based reality show they were working on together.…"
07/18/2011



Promoters Wary After Missouri Music Festival Bust
"Jimmy Tebeau figured a shuttered youth camp deep in the Missouri Ozarks would be the perfect venue for his Grateful Dead tribute band - and to host other touring musicians and thousands of free-spirited fans.…"
07/15/2011



LimeWire Sued...Again
"When LimeWire agreed in May to pay major record labels $105 million, it also promised to pay independent labels, according to a lawsuit filed by Merlin. The indie licensing organization says it had not to filed a lawsuit previously because LimeWire signed an agreement in 2008 promising to pay indies in proportion to any settlement with the majors.…"
07/15/2011



It's Go Time - Spotify To Launch In US...Today
"Spotify, the Swedish music streaming service that is popular in Europe, is finally launching in the United States.…"
07/14/2011



Beyonce's Father Denies Stealing From Her
"Mathew Knowles insists he still has an amicable relationship with his daughter Beyonce — even though she dumped him as her manager two months ago — but is alleging that people close to her have tried to destroy his reputation with allegations that he stole from her.…"
07/14/2011



Lady Gaga In Trouble For YouTube Naughtiness
"Lady Gaga's YouTube account was suspended Thursday. The notice read that the suspension was due to "multiple or severe violations of YouTube's copyright policy."…"
07/14/2011



Web Sheriff Goes To The Mats Against Russian Clone
"So, the cold war has returned, only this time cast as a stand-off between the Web Sheriff and an alleged Russian imposter, operating under the imprimatur WebSheriff.ru.…"
07/14/2011



Former Queens Of The Stone Age Bassist Arrested After SWAT Standoff
"Nick Oliveri, former singer and bassist for the Queens of the Stone Age was arrested in Los Angeles on Tuesday after a four hour standoff with SWAT…"
07/14/2011



Warner Music Staffer Accused Of Stealing $700K
"A former NYC staffer of Warner Music conned the company out of $700,000 according to a Manhattan Criminal Court complaint. Andrew Robertson allegedly set up a fake company and billed WMG for undelivered goods between March 20, 2007 and this past July 1st.…"
07/13/2011



DMX Increases Prison Time With Failed Drug Test
"The rapper known as DMX will have to spend at least an extra week in an Arizona state prison for failing a drug test.…"
07/13/2011



Foxy's 'Full Moon' Charges Dropped
"A judge on Tuesday dropped charges that rapper Foxy Brown violated a court order by mooning her neighbor after the woman told prosecutors she would not testify at the trial.…"
07/13/2011



R Kelly Faces Foreclosure On Chicago-Area Mansion
"Grammy-winning singer R. Kelly faces a $2.9 million foreclosure on his suburban Chicago mansion.…"
07/13/2011



New York City Opera Musicians Protest Contract
"Musicians of the New York City Opera are staging a protest as the company announces its new season.…"
07/12/2011



Music Mogul Denies Ordering Tupac Shot
"Hip hop mogul James Rosemond has pleaded not guilty to federal charges in Brooklyn, and his attorney Jeffrey Lichtman says his client is being framed.…"
07/12/2011



2 Suspects Detained In Folk Singer Slaying
"Two men have been detained in the slaying of Argentine folk singer Facundo Cabral and that more suspects are being sought, authorities said Tuesday.…"
07/12/2011



Coheed & Cambria Bassist Accused Of Robbing A Pharmacy Before A Gig
"A judge on Monday increased bail for a rock band bassist accused of stealing prescription painkillers from a pharmacy just hours before a show.…"
07/11/2011



Concert Hall Destroyed In Fire Gets No Insurance Due To Improper Sprinkler System
"A judge has decided that the owners of a southern Indiana concert hall destroyed in an arson nearly two years ago aren't owed any insurance money because they didn't properly maintain the sprinkler system.…"
07/08/2011



Live Nation Hit With Lawsuit Over Service Charges
"A Baltimore man has filed suit against promoter giant Live Nation and their Ticketmaster division, alleging that the company overcharged him for tickets to a Jackson Browne concert.…"
07/07/2011



Warner Shareholders Approve Sale To Access
" Warner Music Group Corp. said its shareholders on Wednesday approved the sale of the world's third-largest recording company for about $1.3 billion to Access Industries Inc. as a global decline in CD sales weighs down the industry.…"
07/07/2011



Music Mogul Rosemond Pleads Not Guilty In NY
"Hip hop mogul James Rosemond has pleaded not guilty to federal charges that he ran a cocaine trafficking ring between Los Angeles and New York.…"
07/07/2011



Nelson Pot Plea Deal Rejected
"A judge has rejected a plea deal that would have resolved Willie Nelson's marijuana possession case in West Texas with a fine, saying the country singer shouldn't get what she considers special treatment.…"
07/07/2011



It's A Miracle! US Music Sales Rise For First Time Since 2004
"U.S. music album sales grew in the first six months of the year from a year ago, the first gain since 2004, thanks to rising sales of digital tracks and albums.…"
07/06/2011



Bret Michaels' Case Over Near Fatal Tonys Accident Moved
"Bret Michaels' lawsuit over an accident at the 2009 Tony Awards that the singer claims nearly killed him should be heard in New York where the accident happened, a federal judge in Los Angeles has ruled.…"
07/06/2011



Rocker Rick Springfield Pleads Not Guilty To DUI
"Prosecutors say an attorney for Rick Springfield has entered a not guilty plea on the rocker's behalf in a drunken driving case.…"
07/06/2011



Sting Cancels Kazakhstan Concert Over Human Rights Violations
"Sting has cancelled a concert in Kazakhstan's capital Astana over claims of human rights violations on oil workers in the Central Asian country.…"
07/05/2011



James Dolan Joins Live Nation's Board Of Directors
"Madison Square Garden chairman and Cablevision CEO James Dolan has been tapped to join Live Nation's board of directors, filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission have revealed.…"
06/30/2011



Justin Timberlake Part Of Group Buying MySpace
"Justin Timberlake apparently wasn't satisfied with just playing a social media impresario in the movies, so now he's becoming one in real life.…"
06/30/2011



Overheard At NARIP
"The National Association of Record Industry Professionals (NARIP) had their monthly Biz Brunch recently to bring together industry producers, songwriters, and publishers to network and discuss trends.…"
06/30/2011



Electric Daisy Employee Arrested In Alleged Counterfeit Scheme
"An employee for a sprawling electronic music festival in Las Vegas was arrested for allegedly plotting a $1 million counterfeit ticket scheme.…"
06/30/2011



Coalition Announces Boycott Of CBS Over Grammys
"A coalition of musicians that has protested the Recording Academy's decision to drop 31 categories from the Grammy Awards is stepping up the pressure, calling for a boycott of the Grammys' telecast partner, CBS, and hiring a lawyer to explore legal action.…"
06/30/2011



New Hackers AntiSec Release Private Universal Music, Viacom Data Torrent On Pirate Bay
"With an online warning that they are picking up where hackers LulzSec left off, a new group calling itself AntiSec has released a large torrent of hacked data via the Pirate Bay's servers.…"
06/30/2011



Jeezy Sued Over Alleged No-Show
"Atlanta-based rapper Young Jeezy has been hit with a lawsuit after allegedly failing to post for a scheduled gig in the Virgin Islands.…"
06/29/2011



MySpace - SOLD, Refocusing On Music
"MySpace has been sold to ad network Specific Media for a reported $35 million. News Corp, which paid $580 million for MySpace in 2006, had hoped to get as much as $100 million for the struggling social network.…"
06/29/2011



Patti LaBelle Fights Back With Countersuit
"Veteran R&B diva Patti LaBelle says in a countersuit filed against a West Point cadet who claims she ordered her bodyguards to beat him up outside a Houston airport terminal that the altercation began after the cadet hurled racial insults at her.…"
06/29/2011



MySpace - Bought High, Selling Low
"NewsCorp paid $580 million for MySpace in 2006. Now its close to being sold for $30 million, far less than the $100 million that they had hope to get for it; and the two prospective buyers are ones that few have ever heard of.…"
06/28/2011



Lady Gaga Hit With Lawsuit Over Japan Relief
"Lady Gaga's spokeswoman says a lawsuit accusing the music star of misleading fans with an online pitch for donations to victims of the Japan earthquake is meritless.…"
06/28/2011



Arvika Bankrupt, Abandoning Ticket Holders
"The Swedish music festival Arvika has just declared itself bankrupt. The festival, which was supposed to take place between July 14 and 16 has not sold enough tickets and is forced to shut down.…"
06/28/2011



Report: Exec. Paid For Deals At LA Coliseum
"Coca-Cola and other firms that had business before the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Commission paid at least $1.7 million dollars to companies owned by a Coliseum executive, according to a newspaper report.…"
06/27/2011



Singer Paulina Rubio Arrested In Miami After Crash
"Mexican pop singer Paulina Rubio is charged in Miami with refusing to comply with police officers after a traffic accident.…"
06/27/2011



'Tax Dodge' Protest At U2 Glastonbury Show Turns Violent
"Violence erupted in the crowd watching U2's debut performance at Britain's Glastonbury festival Friday, as security guards foiled a protest against the Irish rockers' tax status.…"
06/27/2011



Voodoo Music Festival Promoter Stephen Rehage Cleared Of Rape Charge
"An attorney for the founder of the Voodoo Experience music festival in New Orleans says that a rape charge against his client has been refused by the Orleans Parish District Attorney's Office.…"
06/24/2011



Merlin Makes Magic With Sony Cloud
"Global rights agency Merlin has cut a deal with Sony to deliver its large independent label catalog to Sony's cloud-based digital music service "Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity".…"
06/24/2011



Banton Gets 10 Years
"A federal judge sentenced Grammy-winning reggae singer Buju Banton to 10 years in prison Thursday, the lowest sentence legally allowed for his role in a large cocaine trafficking deal in 2009.…"
06/24/2011



Viacom Sues Cablevision Over Video Streaming App
"Viacom, the owner of MTV, Comedy Central and other television channels, is suing cable TV distributor Cablevision over an iPad app that Viacom says streams video of its channels without permission. …"
06/23/2011



UMG To Bid On EMI
"Universal Music Group will be among the bidders for EMI Music Group, a source close to the label has told the LA Times. Since Warner Music Group along with several others have also expressed strong interest, the stage is being set for an aggressive competition for the beleaguered music group. …"
06/22/2011



Cash-Short Philly Orchestra Announces Big Pledges
"The Philadelphia Orchestra announced Tuesday that it has received several major gifts and pledges toward its effort to emerge from bankruptcy and establish solid financial footing. …"
06/22/2011



Michael Jackson's Former GM Pleads In Tax Case
"A former general manager for Michael Jackson has pleaded guilty for failing to file tax returns during the time she worked for the late pop star. …"
06/22/2011



Live Nation Spends 55k Lobbying In Q1
"Concert promoter and ticket seller Live Nation Entertainment Inc. spent $55,000 in the first quarter to lobby the federal government on ticket legislation and a proposed royalty that would be paid to performance artists for radio airplay, according to a disclosure report. …"
06/21/2011



Apple Patents Camera Shutoff Technology
"Apple has filed a patent for technology that would allow venue owners to disable video recording in cellphones such as Apple's ubiquitous iPhone during concerts. …"
06/21/2011



Best Buy's Soft Steps Into The Cloud
"Best Buy has quietly launched a cloud music service; and like Apple's announced iTunes Match, this licensed music service works on a scan and match basis, avoiding large transfer of files to the cloud. …"
06/21/2011



Fugitive Hip-Hop Mogul Arrested On Drug Charges
"A fugitive hip-hop mogul recently linked by a convicted killer to a shooting that wounded Tupac Shakur was arrested Tuesday in a drug case after he was discovered hiding out at a popular Manhattan hotel. …"
06/21/2011



EMI Considers Sale Or IPO
"Struggling British music company EMI Group Ltd. says it is exploring the possibility of a sale or an initial public offering. …"
06/21/2011



Denver Venue Lays Down The Law For Scalpers
"The Denver Center for the Performing Arts is warning theater-goers about scalpers selling tickets to performances. …"
06/19/2011



Music Producer Points Gang Violence To 'Shaq'
"A Los Angeles music producer testified that gang members kidnapped him in 2008 and told him the reason was an "issue" with basketball star Shaquille O'Neal and his business partner, according to transcripts from a preliminary criminal hearing. …"
06/19/2011



Embezzler Faces 'Music'
"A former payroll manager embezzled about $421,000 from a record label that features rock artists ranging from Megadeth to the Steve Miller Band, authorities said. …"
06/19/2011



Black's Popular 'Friday' Video Pulled From YouTube Amidst Legal Flap
"Rebecca Black's official "Friday" music video has been taken off YouTube. The page where the video starring the 13-year-old singer once played now says it "is no longer available due to a copyright claim by Rebecca Black." …"
06/17/2011



U2 Guitarist's Project Rejected By Coastal Agency
"A proposal led by U2 guitarist The Edge for five mansions overlooking Malibu, Calif., has been rejected by California's coastal development agency, despite assurances by him that it would be one of the greenest developments in the world. …"
06/17/2011



Hampton Coliseum Settles Wheelchair Accessibility Lawsuit
"The city of Hampton has agreed to improve wheelchair accessibility at the Hampton Coliseum to settle a federal lawsuit.…"
06/16/2011



Man Confesses To Tupac Killing
"New York City police have begun an investigation into an online posting supposedly from a convicted felon who claims to have shot and robbed slain rapper Tupac Shakur.…"
06/16/2011



Sony Seeks To Block Jackson Video From Defense
"Attorneys for Michael Jackson’s doctor want access to raw footage that was used for the star’s posthumous concert film, “This is It.” But Sony Pictures is fighting the request.…"
06/16/2011



Basshunter Cleared Of Sexual Assault Charges
"The Swedish Europop musician - real name Jonas Altberg - had been accused of sexually assaulting two teenage girls after he had appeared at Kitty's nightclub in Kirkcaldy, Scotland on December 10 last year. …"
06/16/2011



Pandora's 'Box' Wide Open In Market Debut
"The shares of popular but unprofitable Internet radio service Pandora (P) soared more than 50% in its market debut.…"
06/15/2011



FIFA Taps Placido Domingo For Corruption Panel..Wait, What?
"Sepp Blatter, president of World Cup Soccer organization FIFA, announced on Monday that Spanish tenor Placido Domingo has been asked to join Henry Kissinger and former FBI head Louis Freeh in a special panel tasked with rooting our corruption in FIFA.…"
06/14/2011



Live Nation Shares Still Wavering
"Shares of Live Nation have risen after a Friday New York Post report claimed the company is in early buyout discussions with Liberty Media. Shares rose 6% on Friday but were down over 3% in early Monday trading, suggesting the market was less certain a deal would get done.…"
06/14/2011



AEG Looks To Refi On O2 Arena Debt
"AEG's O2 Arena is looking to refinance their debt with a new $246 million and an infusion of cash from AEG.…"
06/14/2011



Labor Dispute Outside Tony Awards Venue Solved
"The stagehands' union and producers of the Tony Awards reached an agreement Friday on how the show's red carpet area will be staffed, ending a labor dispute that threatened to derail Broadway's biggest night.…"
06/10/2011



Joan Jett 'Loves Rock N' Roll'...But Not Tributes
"Joan Jett loves rock and roll, but not on a tribute album she says an ex-employee put together without her permission.…"
06/10/2011



Wiseguys Sentenced In Ticketing Scheme
"The three men who were operating Wiseguy Tickets, Inc. were sentenced connection with their multimillion-dollar scheme to bypass the security mechanisms of online ticket distributors to buy premium tickets in bulk and resell them for a profit, United States Attorney Paul J Fishman announced.…"
06/10/2011



MJ Merchandiser Sues Perfumer Over Star's Image
"A Las Vegas perfumer promoted by Michael Jackson's father is being sued for using the name of the deceased superstar to sell fragrances.…"
06/10/2011



Willie Nelson Escapes Jail In Pot Bust
"Country music legend and avowed marijuana aficionado Willie Nelson must pay a Texas court $787 to settle marijuana possession charges.…"
06/10/2011



Reggae Star Banton Asks For Shorter Jail Sentence
"The Grammy winner was convicted in February of conspiring to set up a cocaine deal in Florida in 2009. He faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison at his sentencing hearing June 23 in Tampa federal court.…"
06/10/2011



Paris Bar Honors The Doors; May Have To Close Them
"The walls of the Paris bar are plastered with images of Jim Morrison and The Doors, and a bust of the lead singer presides over the beer tap -- all part of the owner's lifelong passion for the band. But an attorney for the group doesn't love it madly.…"
06/10/2011



Union Sues 'Spider-Man' On Behalf Of Julie Taymor
"The union that represents theater directors is seeking any royalties owed Julie Taymor, the original director of "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark."…"
06/09/2011



Report: Ex-LA Coliseum Exec Had Side Deals
"The former events manager for the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Commission reportedly made tens of thousands of dollars in side deals with companies that used the stadium or adjacent Sports Arena. …"
06/09/2011



Rapper Flo Rida Charged With DUI In Miami Beach
"A large crowd pleaded with officers to let rapper Flo Rida go and one fan offered to drive him home after he was charged with driving under the influence early Thursday in Miami Beach, police said.…"
06/09/2011



Nevada State Senate Nixes Stadium Bill
"The Nevada State Senate failed to pass a bill to support the development of one of three proposed stadium projects.…"
06/08/2011



Paulina Rubio Wants To Bar Media From Deposition
"Singer and actress Paulina Rubio wants the media barred from attending a deposition by her manager in a Miami breach contract lawsuit.…"
06/08/2011



Country Performers May Be Called In Gambling Corruption Case
"A federal gambling corruption trial at the Alabama Statehouse could look like a country music concert or a political convention rather than a court case.…"
06/08/2011



Ja Rule To 'Reign' From Prison
"Rapper Ja Rule is set to go to prison almost four years after he was charged with having a loaded gun in his luxury sports car as he left a New York City concert.…"
06/08/2011



AEG Faces Jackson Suit Over Cancelled Shows
"The insurer of Michael Jackson's canceled comeback concerts has asked a judge to nullify a policy intended to protect concert promoters if the singer wasn't able to complete the shows.…"
06/07/2011



Apple's Jobs On Stage To Reveal IOS5, Apple Cloud Service
"Apple CEO Steve Jobs briefly emerged from a medical leave Monday to unveil a free service that lets customers share calendar entries, songs and other files among their devices more easily.…"
06/06/2011



Music Promoter Gets 21 Months In Mariah Carey Scam
"A purported music entrepreneur who bilked a New Jersey investor out of $330,000 by claiming he was promoting a series of Mariah Carey concerts in Dubai has been sentenced to 21 months in federal prison.…"
06/06/2011



Dre Settles 'Chronic' Damages Suit
"Dr. Dre won't be behind the microphone at a federal courthouse after all -- the rapper settled a lawsuit over damages from unauthorized online sales of his album "The Chronic" a day before trial.…"
06/06/2011



KFC Yum! Center Tax Assessment Not So Yummy
"The Jefferson County Attorneys Office has found that they The Louisville Arena Authority is on the hook for nearly $56,000 in property assessments and fees for the KFC Yum! Center.…"
06/03/2011



Parental Warnings Threaten To Cross The Pond
"Parental warning notices are being added to digital music sites in Britain; and the U.S. is almost certain to follow.…"
06/03/2011



Female Flasher Booted From Kid Rock Show..Wait, What?
"Scotiabank Place security sparked controversy after ejecting a woman from the venue after she flashed her breasts during the a Kid Rock concert.…"
06/02/2011



BamaJam Festival Crumbles After Giley Pleads Guilty
"The developer of the BamaJam music festivals says a 2011 festival is unlikely and he is offering full ticket refunds after pleading guilty to government corruption charges.…"
06/01/2011



MySpace Bids Are Less Than Satiating
"By all accounts News Corp wants to unload MySpace before it's fiscal year ends on June 30th and yesterday was reportedly the deadline for yet another round of bids.…"
06/01/2011



Want To Share Your Password With A Friend? Hope You Like Handcuffs
"State lawmakers in country music's capital have passed a groundbreaking measure that would make it a crime to use a friend's login -- even with permission -- to listen to songs or watch movies from services such as Netflix or Rhapsody.…"
06/01/2011



Coalition Of Finnish Producers Sues Pirate Bay
"A group of 23 Finnish music production companies is suing the Pirate Bay file-sharing website in an attempt to halt illegal downloads and distribution of music in the Nordic country, an anti-piracy group said Friday.…"
05/31/2011



Union Files Complaint To Stop Move Of NYC Opera
"A union representing New York City Opera workers has filed a federal complaint against the financially troubled company, saying its plans to move out of Lincoln Center after 45 years are aimed at undermining the labor rights of performers.…"
05/26/2011



Promoter Sues Caesars Over Easton Residency Deal
"A Las Vegas promoter has launched a lawsuit against Caesars Entertainment, alleging the casino giant cost him more than $1 million dollars when they backed out of a deal for a Sheena Easton residency.…"
05/26/2011



New Strategy For Intellectual Property Rights In EU
"The European Union has outlined plans for a new intellectual property framework to be implemented across its 27 member states, including legislation to tackle digital piracy and simplify pan-European digital licensing.…"
05/26/2011



Emotional Traffic' Spurs Countersuit, McGraw V. Curb Records
"Attorneys for country music star Tim McGraw have filed a countersuit against Curb Records, seeking a ruling that would release him from his 20-year contract with Mike Curb.…"
05/25/2011



Eminem's 'Broke'n Victory, Other Artists To Follow?
"Despite his team winning a lawsuit against Universal Music Grpup over digital download royalty payments that some estimate could lead to a $30 million payout, Eminem may not receive any of the money from an eventual settlement.…"
05/24/2011



Former KISS Guitarist Arrested For Domestic Violence And Dead Dogs
"Former Kiss guitarist Vinnie Vincent, AKA Vinnie Cusano was arrested on Sunday in Tennessee, being accused of allegedly battering his wife.…"
05/24/2011



Hangout'...And Get Arrested
"Gulf Shores police say officers made 189 arrests during the three-day Hangout Music Festival last weekend, about 60 percent of them involving drugs.…"
05/24/2011



Leave It To Sony - Music Security Breach In Greece
"Sony says it has discovered a security breach affecting 8,500 user accounts in a music entertainment website in Greece.…"
05/24/2011



Record Co. Deal Could Secure Apple's Cloud
"Apple Inc. is close to securing deals with all four major recording companies on a music service that will allow users to stream songs stored on remote computer servers, presumably to an array of portable Apple-made devices, a person familiar with the matter said yesterday.…"
05/23/2011



Music To Live Nation Investors' Ears
"News of improved ticket sales is music to investors' ears this week. Shares of Live Nation rose 9.1% Wednesday after Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino said May ticket sales were up 7% year over year. Shares were up another 2.7% in midday trading Thursday.…"
05/20/2011



Phil Spector's Lawyers Seek Rehearing Of Appeal
"Lawyers for music producer Phil Spector have asked an appeals court to take a second look at his arguments for a new trial, contending the court ignored a defense argument that the trial judge had violated his neutrality in the case.…"
05/19/2011



Tim McGraw Sued By Curb Records
"Tim McGraw and Curb Records could be headed to court over an unreleased album. The independent record label filed a breach-of-contract lawsuit last week against McGraw, claiming the country superstar failed to provide a fifth and final album that met contractual obligations under their deal by an April deadline…"
05/18/2011



Bertelsmann Posts Solid Q1
"Media giant Bertelsmann saw both their revenue and profits increase in the first three months of the year the company said.…"
05/18/2011



Three Charged In Slaying Of MTV Music Coordinator
"Three people have been charged in a string of 10 armed robberies and two slayings, including the murder of an MTV music coordinator in Los Angeles.…"
05/17/2011



Blavatnik Reportedly In Private Talks Over EMI
"According to several reports, the owners of EMI has already been holding private meetings with Russian-born tycoon Len Blavatnik, who just won the bidding war for Warner Music Group. It's no secret that WMG CEO Edgar Bronfman, who negotiated Blavatnik's purchase, has always coveted EMI; and some observers believe his new boss is on track to make it happen. Other aren't so sure. …"
05/13/2011



WMG Shareholders Sue Over Blavatnik Deal
"Warner Music Group's board of directors "abandoned their duties" when agreeing to a $1.3 billion sale last week. According to a lawsuit filed by shareholder Barbara A. Varipapa in Delaware's Chancery Court, The companys shares are already locked up in favor of the proposed transaction, rendering the minority shareholders vote meaningless. …"
05/13/2011



LimeWire Finally To Bed After $105M Settlement
"File-sharing software company LimeWire, which shut down last year after being barred from allowing people to share copyright-protected files online, reached a $105 million out-of-court settlement with the major record labels Thursday, the labels said.…"
05/13/2011



UMG Down In Q1
"A day after a report that overall music sales had increased in the first months of 2011, Universal Music Group announced a drop in both sales and revenue.…"
05/13/2011



Dylan Nixes Chinese Censorship Claims
"In an open post to his fans, Bob Dylan has taken exception with the press coverage of his recent concerts in China, which suggested that the troubadour caved in to government requests to censor his setlist.…"
05/13/2011



Black Eyed Peas' Pajon Sues His Business Manager
"Black Eyed Peas guitarist George Pajon has filed a lawsuit against the band's longtime business manager, alleging breach of contract, negligence, professional fraud, breach of fiduciary duty and unjust enrichment.…"
05/12/2011



Medical Examiner: NYC Jazz Musician Was Stabbed
"The New York City medical examiner's office says a jazz musician was stabbed to death before his body was stuffed into a storage chest in his home.…"
05/11/2011



Lindsay Lohan Says She's Glad Theft Case Resolved
"A lawyer entered a no contest plea Wednesday for Lindsay Lohan in the theft of a necklace, setting the stage for a summer of confinement, counseling and community service.…"
05/11/2011



Google Launches Cloud Music Beta
"Google is launching a new service in the U.S. that lets users store their music remotely and access them from any compatible device, including mobile phones, tablets and computers.…"
05/10/2011



Woman Allegedly Raped By Parking Lot Attendant At Stagecoach
"A Los Angeles man has been arrested and accused of raping woman during the Stagecoach Country Music Festival.…"
05/10/2011



OSHA Pushes For Disaster Preparedness At NY Theaters
"The federal agency that governs workplace safety has sent a letter to 63 New York City theaters saying future inspections of the venues will include reviews of their emergency action plans.…"
05/10/2011



Library Of Congress Partners With Sony In Music Streaming Service
"For the first time, the Library of Congress is streaming some of its vast collection of sound recordings of popular music, speeches and comedy online for free.…"
05/10/2011



Judge Approves Bo Diddley Assets Sale
"A Florida judge has ruled that Bo Diddley's former managers can sell the late rock 'n' roll legend's assets and take a 15 percent commission.…"
05/10/2011



Live Nation Partners With Groupon In Ticketing Deal
"Live Nation deals have been flying fast and furious and the latest is a joint venture with online coupon website Groupon to develop a new channel for event ticket deals.…"
05/09/2011



Charges To Be Dropped In Bieber NY Mall Frenzy
"Justin Bieber has agreed to record a public service announcement on cyberbullying in order to resolve criminal charges filed against his manager and a record executive after a frenzy at a New York mall.…"
05/09/2011



Serb Folk Music 'Queen' Gets 1 Year House Arrest
"Serbia's flamboyant folk music queen Svetlana Raznatovic, better known as Ceca, will spend eight months under a house arrest and pay a euro1.5 million ($2.2 million) fine as part of a contentious plea bargain approved by a Belgrade court on Monday.…"
05/09/2011



Blavatnik Lands WMG For $3.3bn In Cash Deal
"Russian-American billionaire Len Blavatnik's Access Industries won a bidding war on Friday for Warner Music Group, buying the storied music company for $3.3 billion in an all-cash transaction.…"
05/06/2011



New Zealander Tiki Taane A Fan Of Freedom
"According to the Australian Associated Press, Taane was arrested on stage at an April 9th gig after allegedly encouraging his fans to chant the chorus from the NWA song F*** Tha Police while several members of the local constabulary were present. Taane spent the night in jail for his troubles.…"
05/06/2011



HFA Takes 'Foreground' In Background Music
"The Harry Fox Agency, Inc. and PCMusic, a provider of customized background music solutions for businesses, have announced a licensing agreement.…"
05/05/2011



Australian Teen Charged Over Bieber Egging
"Australian officials have charged a teenager with breaking into a Justin Bieber concert and throwing eggs at the Canadian pop star.…"
05/05/2011



Ticketmaster Settles With Maryland AG Over Springsteen Ticket Flap
"Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler announced that his Consumer Protection Division has reached a settlement with Ticketmaster subsidiary TicketsNow.com over allegations that the company misled consumers into purchasing higher-priced secondary market tickets.…"
05/04/2011



Warner Music Deal May Close This Week
"The final bids for Warner Music were tendered this week, with some sources reporting that BMG Rights Management and Universal Music Group have teamed up in an effort to land both Warner and EMI.…"
05/04/2011



Live Nation Signs With Carnival Cruiselines In Unique Sponsorship Deal
"Live Nation has pacted with Carnival Cruises in a sponsorship deal that will see the cruise line become the official sponsor of several "Rock the Deck" concert series at Live Nation venues across the U.S.…"
05/04/2011



Klipsch Pacts With Live Nation
"Live Nation has signed an agreement with speaker manufacturer Klipsch in a multi-venue naming rights deal.…"
05/03/2011



Neil's Vegas Appearance...In Court
"Motley Crue singer Vince Neil has an Aug. 8 trial date in Las Vegas on misdemeanor charges stemming from a confrontation with an ex-girlfriend in the audience of a casino showroom…"
05/03/2011



Court Rejects Spector's Appeal
"A California appeals court rejected music producer Phil Spector's bid to overturn his murder conviction on Monday, saying it was permissible for prosecutors to call a parade of women who said Spector had threatened them with guns in the past.…"
05/03/2011



Rick Springfield Arrested On Suspicion Of DUI
"Rick Springfield has been released from jail after being arrested by sheriff's deputies Sunday night on suspicion of drunken driving.…"
05/02/2011



Flavor Flav Arrested In Las Vegas
"Police in Las Vegas say rapper and reality television star Flavor Flav was arrested on four outstanding misdemeanor warrants for driving offenses.…"
05/02/2011



Dionne Warwick Strikes Against Broadway
"US singer Dionne Warwick has taken legal action against the producers of a new Broadway musical, claiming it uses her name and likeness without consent.…"
04/29/2011



Man Stabbed At Tiesto Concert In Winnipeg Convention Center
"Police are investigating a stabbing at an electronic dance music concert at the Winnipeg Convention Centre.…"
04/28/2011



Sony Slapped With Lawsuit Over Data Breech
"A gamer has filed suit against Sony, accusing the company of failing to adequately safeguard user information as the legal fallout for the company's massive data breach gets underway.…"
04/28/2011



Diddy's Entourage Under Inquiry
"New York City police say a sergeant allowed a police escort for Sean "P. Diddy" Combs for one city block after a concert. The police department says the assistance was unauthorized and is under investigation.…"
04/28/2011



Rahm Emanuel, Jam Concerts And Chicago Politics
"Chicago-based Jam Productions has been tapped to produce a concert celebrating the inauguration of incoming Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel.…"
04/28/2011



Fab Phili' Orchestra Turned 'Drab Phili' Orchestra
"The musicians known as the Fabulous Philadelphians are feeling more drab than fab about their management these days.…"
04/26/2011



ICM Looks To Reorganize
"Senior agents at International Creative Management (ICM) aree reportedly looking to acquire a controlling stake in the company from a major shareholder, the Connecticut-based equity fund Rizvi Traverse Management LLC.…"
04/22/2011



Keith Richards Daughter's Case Set For Dismissal
"Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards' daughter Theodora will get her New York City graffiti and drug case dismissed in exchange for doing two days of community service, a judge said Thursday. …"
04/21/2011



New Zealand Outlaws File Sharing
"New Zealand passed a law against online piracy on Thursday which outlaws file-sharing and threatens repeat offenders with having their Internet access cut off.…"
04/21/2011



Argentine Band Convicted In Deadly Fire
"An Argentine appeals court has thrown out innocent verdicts for a rock band in the deaths of 194 people in a nightclub fire and found them guilty.…"
04/21/2011



A Win, Just What The 'Doctor' Ordered
"The new incarnation of Death Row Records does not have the rights to sell Dr. Dre's iconic rap album "The Chronic" digitally, a federal judge ruled Tuesday.…"
04/19/2011



Jackson Estate Settles Lawsuit Over Heal the World
"Michael Jackson's estate has settled a lawsuit against a nonprofit claiming it is the successor to the singer's Heal the World charity. …"
04/19/2011



Rapper Gucci Mane's Lawyer Denies Battery Charge
"Rapper Gucci Mane's lawyer is denying accusations that the musician pushed a woman out of his Hummer as he drove down a suburban Atlanta street in January. …"
04/19/2011



Philadelphia Orchestra Files For Chapter 11
"The world-renowned Philadelphia Orchestra, long considered one of the best in the nation, will be filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection an apparent first in recent history for a major U.S. orchestra.…"
04/17/2011



Warner Close To A Deal
"Warner Music Group Corp. is seeking to sell the entire company, rather than parts of the business, and could agree on a buyer within weeks, The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday.…"
04/14/2011



Case Against Reed's Manager Dismissed
"Lou Reed's manager won't be prosecuted on a New York City harassment claim stemming from a bizarre squabble with a consultant over money. …"
04/14/2011



Phil Spector Murder Conviction In Appeals Court
"A panel of three appellate judges gave lawyers on both sides a hostile reception Tuesday as they argued for and against motions to overturn the second-degree murder conviction of legendary music producer Phil Spector. …"
04/14/2011



Lil Wayne's Guards Face Cop Impersonation Charges
"Two security guards face charges of impersonating police officers after they escorted rapper Lil Wayne to an Indiana nightclub. …"
04/14/2011



Facebook Faces New Lawsuit Over Ownership
"The drama of the Facebook story heightened on Tuesday as a man with a shady past used old emails and a powerful law firm to press his claim to half the online social networking firm…"
04/13/2011



Wiz Attendee Found Unconscious Behind Arena
"Police at the University of New Hampshire are investigating how a woman ended up unconscious behind the Whittemore Center Arena after a concert Friday night.…"
04/12/2011



Crist And 'Talking Head' Talk It Out
"Former Florida Gov. Charlie Crist has settled a lawsuit filed by Talking Heads singer David Byrne after Crist used one of the group's songs without permission in a campaign ad last year, both parties confirmed Monday.…"
04/12/2011



Ceca: Guilty Of Embezzlement
"Serbias flamboyant folk music queen Svetlana Raznatovic, better known as Ceca, pleaded guilty to embezzling millions in exchange for a lenient sentence, prosecutors said Tuesday, bringing to an end a legal soap opera that has transfixed the country.…"
04/12/2011



XM Settles With Indie Community
"Independent music agency Merlin and other members of the indie music community have agreed to a settlement of $3.6 million in a long-running dispute with XM Satellite Radio over the Pioneer Inno recordable radio receiver. Out of court settlements had been reached with the four major record labels between 2007 and 2008.…"
04/11/2011



Gucci Mane Arrested, Charged With Battery In Georgia
"Rapper Gucci Mane was arrested Friday, accused of shoving a woman out of his Hummer in January as he was driving down a suburban Atlanta road, authorities said. …"
04/11/2011



Did Eminem's Legal Victory Open The Floodgates?
"A recent ruling in the case of FBT Productions v Interscope may have paved the way for numerous artists to seek what may amount to billions in unpaid royalties from major labels.…"
04/08/2011



Judge Rules Cohl's Stones Suit Against LN Can Proceed
"A Florida judge has approved a lawsuit by promoter Michael Cohl against his former employer Live Nation, resulting from dispute over who will promote the next tour by The Rolling Stones.…"
04/07/2011



2 NY Men Arrested In Shooting Death Of DJ Megatron
"Two New York City men have been arrested in the shooting death of radio and TV personality DJ Megatron. …"
04/07/2011



FBI Made Bi-Coastal Effort To Find B.I.G. Leads
"FBI agents on both coasts participated in a nearly two-year investigation aimed at finding out who gunned down the Notorious B.I.G. and whether any Los Angeles police officers were involved, according to recently released records. …"
04/07/2011



Fest Cancellation A First Amendment Violation?
"The American Civil Liberties Union said Wednesday the cancellation of a South Florida music festival featuring artists from Cuba may have violated the event organizers' constitutional right to free speech.…"
04/06/2011



Lawyers Say Jackson Was 'Desperate' Over Finances
"A defense lawyer for Michael Jackson's doctor says the singer was so anguished about his deteriorating finances in his final days that he took desperate actions that caused his own death. …"
04/06/2011



Bogus Drake Managers Swindle Theater
"A Pennsylvania theater says it's been the victim of a swindle by people posing as managers for rapper Drake.…"
04/05/2011



Pandora's Federal Subpoena
"As part of filings with the Security And Exchange Commission for its upcoming IPO, Pandora revealed that early in 2011 it had received a subpoena from a federal grand jury investigation related to information sharing on its Apple and Android mobile applications.…"
04/05/2011



Vince Neil Faces New Legal Troubles
"Less than six weeks after being released from jail on a drunken driving charge, Motley Crue singer Vince Neil is facing two new misdemeanor charges in a Las Vegas casino showroom confrontation with an ex-girlfriend. …"
04/05/2011



Tentative Deal Could End Detroit Symphony Strike
"The Detroit Symphony Orchestra and its striking musicians say a tentative agreement has been reached that could resolve a six-month walkout. …"
04/04/2011



Ceca Busted Big Time
"Renowned Serbian turbo-folk singer Svetlana Raznatovic, widely known as Ceca, has been indicted on embezzlement charges, prosecutors in Belgrade say.…"
04/04/2011



Spears Lawsuit 'Stinks Up' The Court
"A brand marketing company that brokered a deal for Britney Spears' fragrance line sued the singer and her father Wednesday, claiming the pair secured a new deal that stinks to the tune of more than $10 million.…"
04/01/2011



Live Nation Makes A Bid For Warner
"Live Nation has reportedly thrown their hat into the recorded music ring with a bid for Warner Music Group. If the bid is successful, the acquisition would give Live Nation control over the third largest label group.…"
03/31/2011



Global Music Sales Down In 2010
"Global Music sales dropped by almost $1.5 billion in 2010, a loss of 8.4%, according to a report by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI).…"
03/31/2011



Web Sheriff Cracks Down On Piracy
"Music piracy specialist, Web Sheriff has been making inroads into film protection, working with major studios and Hollywood distributors and having protected two U.S. #1 Box Office movies in the 4th quarter of 2010.…"
03/31/2011



Man Dies After Fall At Peterson Events Center
"A man attending a concert by the band Further at the Petersen Events Center, fell to his death after crashing through a 4th floor window.…"
03/31/2011



5 Browns Dad Gets At least 10 Years In Abuse Case
"The father of the renowned piano group The 5 Browns has been sentenced to serve at least 10 years in a Utah prison on charges that he sexually abused his three daughters when they were children. …"
03/31/2011



Amazon A'Head In The Clouds
"Overnight Amazon beat both Google and Apple to market with the launch of a freemium cloud based digital media locker and robust integrated music player that accesses stored tracks across multiple computers and Android devices.…"
03/30/2011



Prosecutor Suggests Willie Nelson Sing For Court
"A Texas prosecutor says Willie Nelson can resolve marijuana possession charges by agreeing to plead guilty, pay a fine -- and sing "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain" for the court. …"
03/29/2011



Nokia Raises 'Hel'sinki Against Apple
"Nokia is suing Apple in the United States for allegedly infringing patents in its mobile phones, portable music players, tablets and computers, the Finnish company said Tuesday.…"
03/29/2011



Songtrust Signs With HFA
"The Harry Fox Agency has signed a deal with DIY music publishing service Songtrust to provide back-office support for the collection and distribution of royalties. …"
03/29/2011



Website To Pay $950K For Posting Beatles Hits
"A website that posted digital copies of The Beatles music a year before they became legitimately available has agreed to pay record companies nearly $1 million to settle a lawsuit. …"
03/28/2011



Rick Ross In Marijuana Bust
"Rapper Rick Ross has been arrested in Louisiana on a marijuana possession charge. …"
03/28/2011



Judge Tosses Hurwitz's Fillmore Suit
"A judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by Seth Hurwitz' IMP against Live Nation in an attempt to block taxpayer money from funding the construction of the Fillmore in Silver Spring.…"
03/25/2011



NY Court: Keep Internet Copyright Disputes At Home
"New York's top court says publishers should bring Internet copyright infringement lawsuits in courts where their business is located, even if there's no evidence that's where their copyright was violated. …"
03/24/2011



Fest's First Scalper
"Organizers of central Nebraska's Nebraskaland Day summer festival say they are dealing with a problem they've never encountered: ticket scalping.…"
03/24/2011



Lady Gaga Criticizes Malaysia Gay Lyric Censorship
"Lady Gaga has urged young Malaysians to protest the censorship of lyrics in her hit song that encourage acceptance of gays.…"
03/24/2011



The 'He Said, He Said' Of A Halifax Concert Scandal
"Halifax Mayor Peter Kelly is dismissing concert promoter Harold MacKay's version of a secret deal to keep the Black Eyed Peas show on the Halifax Common.…"
03/23/2011



UK Music Industry 'Bailout' Announced
"The U.K. Government has taken significant steps to support the music industry in the country, with a package of initiatives that include the launch of the Creative Industries Council (CIC) and an easing of licensing requirements.…"
03/23/2011



Bad Checks Take Down City Stages?
"The founder of Birmingham's defunct City Stages music festival is scheduled to go on trial April 1, facing charges that he signed bad checks to performers and vendors.…"
03/22/2011



Weasel Strikes Again
"Screeching Weasel singer Ben Weasel (a.k.a. Ben Foster) struck two women during the band's concert at SXSW in Austin Friday night at Austin's Scoot Inn.…"
03/21/2011



Supreme Court Bows Out Of Em's Royalty Battle
"The Supreme Court won't get involved in a fight between Eminem's former production company and Universal Music Group over downloads of the rapper's songs and ringtones.…"
03/21/2011



House To Vote On Cutting Off Funds For NPR
"House Republicans on Thursday took another swipe at taxpayer support for public broadcasting with legislation to bar federal funding of National Public Radio and prohibit local public stations from using federal money to pay NPR dues.…"
03/17/2011