Midweek Music Update: Thursday 2 July 2026
Welcome to this fortnight's round-up of news, commentary and industry announcements that you may have missed from the past few weeks.
If you are looking for advice in relation to any of the issues mentioned, please do not hesitate to get in touch.
Legal updates
Court of Appeal dismisses ‘black box’ royalties group claim appeal against PRS (Law Gazette)
CMA fines StubHub UK £900,000 and demands customer refunds for 'drip-pricing' (Music Week)
Merck Mercuriadis wins legal battle over early Hipgnosis company (CMU)
Hagens Berman and Delgado Entertainment Law file action against Udio and Suno (MBW)
Backstreet Boys are latest artists to file voice trademark applications (Billboard)
New copyright law for Japan promises artists and labels public performance royalties (CMU)
In the news
AI music generator Suno announces new artist incubator programme (Hollywood Reporter)
Music Artists Coalition and others warn of 'misuse' of musician's rights in AI deals (MBW)
Influence Media buys Anthem Entertainment music assets (Billboard)
MMF Hyperdrive programme launches in collaboration with YouTube (Music Week)
Music mogul Clive Davis dies aged 94 (BBC)
Proper Music Distribution and Crunchyroll anime sign home entertainment deal (Music Week)
Deezer launches no-AI 'Remix Lab' (DMN)
HarbourView secures Max Martin and Shellback catalogue deal (Variety)
Live Nation's Rapino talked to Trump ahead of antitrust settlement (Hollywood Reporter)
€2.5 million EIC grant awarded for Reactional Music to scale gaming music (Musically)
Reservoir Media and Latin music publisher TU announce new joint venture (ROTD)
PIAS buys Signum Records in classical market expansion (Music Week)
Former Blackstone executive Spasov targeting music rights with $1.5B Trimontium fund (MBW)
Features and commentary
How the proposed No Fakes Act could protect creators in era of AI (Variety)
Google talks copyright regulation on AI (Music Ally)
