Welcome to Music Business Worldwide’s weekly round-up – the place we be certain you caught the 5 greatest tales to hit our headlines over the previous seven days. MBW’s round-up is supported by Centtrip, which helps over 500 of the world’s best-selling artists maximize their revenue and scale back their touring prices.

There’s been numerous necessary numbers introduced this week. Did you catch all of them?

MBW reported on Universal Music Group‘s freshly-announced Q1 2023 revenues (USD $2.62bn), in addition to Sony‘s music rights revenues in the identical quarter ($2.18bn).

We’ve additionally coated Believe‘s Q1 outcomes ($213m), in addition to new monetary figures from the likes of Epidemic Sound and YouTube.

This week began with probably the most necessary quarterly outcomes of all: Spotify introduced on Tuesday (April 25) that, as of the tip of Q1, it counted 210 million paying subscribers worldwide, as well as 515 million monthly active users.

Outdoors of Q1 digits and greenback indicators, loads extra has gone on this week that’s worthy of your consideration.

For one factor, Common Music Group used its quarterly earnings name on Wednesday (April 26) to clarify its view that utilizing AI to imitate the vocals of superstars through their current recordings (prime instance: ‘faux Drake’) is towards the regulation.

Common EVP, and Chief Digital Officer Michael Nash, instructed analysts: “Particularly, soundalikes which serve to confuse the general public as to the supply or origin, or which represent a business appropriation of likeness within the type of a particular voice, are all clearly unlawful.”

Elsewhere this week, Primary Wave made a significant transfer in India, investing in native rightsholder Instances Music in a deal price $100 million.

Plus, Triller admitted legal responsibility in a breach of contract lawsuit filed towards it by Sony Music. Triller should now pay $4.57 million to the music firm.

Listed here are the largest headlines from the previous few days…

1) UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP: YES, RIPPING OFF DRAKE’S VOICE FOR THAT AI TRACK WAS ILLEGAL

Sir Lucian Grainge, CEO and Chairman, Common Music Group, mentioned: “Not like its predecessors, a lot of the newest generative AI [i.e. ‘fake Drake’ and ‘fake Bad Bunny’] is skilled on copyrighted materials, which clearly violates artists’ and labels’ rights and can put platforms fully at odds with the partnerships with us and our artists and those that drive success.

“Ought to platforms visitors in this sort of music, they’d face the extra duty of addressing an enormous quantity of infringing AI-generated content material.”

2) PRIMARY WAVE MAKES INVESTMENT IN INDIA’S TIMES MUSIC IN $100M DEAL

Primary Wave Music simply made a major transfer in India’s music enterprise.

The corporate has struck a partnership with outstanding Indian document label and music writer, Instances Music, a subsidiary of media big, Instances of India Group.

The deal will see Main Wave make investments what it says is “important capital” within the firm and supply sources for “catalog investments” available in the market.

3) Triller to pay Sony Music $4.57m as video platform admits liability for breach of contract

Brief-form video service Triller has agreed to pay Sony Music USD $4.57 million in a courtroom case introduced by the key music firm final 12 months for breach of contract.

Sony Music’s lawsuit claimed that Triller had missed a number of agreed funds all through 2022 for licensing the key’s music.

4) Ed Sheeran fights accusations of copying Marvin Gaye song in NY court: ‘If I’d done what you’re accusing me of doing, I’d be quite an idiot.’

In courtroom Tuesday, Sheeran defended himself towards the allegations. A lawyer for Townsend’s household, Ben Crump, performed a video for jurors displaying Sheeran performing Considering Out Loud in a reside present, and segueing into lyrics from Let’s Get It On.

Later, underneath questioning from legal professional Keisha Rice, additionally representing Townsend’s relations, Sheeran mentioned: “If I had completed what you’re accusing me of doing [i.e. copying elements of Let’s Get It On for Thinking Out Loud, then switching between both songs while playing live], I’d be fairly an fool to face on a stage in entrance of 20,000 folks and do this.”

5) SPOTIFY ADDED 5M PREMIUM SUBSCRIBERS IN Q1, TAKING GLOBAL SUBS TO 210M

Spotify‘s Q1 2023 outcomes are in.

The music streaming firm added one other 5 million internet Premium subscribers to its consumer base in Q1 2023 (the three months to finish of March), taking its complete world paying subs viewers to 210 million.

These 210 million subscribers marked Premium Subscriber development of 15% YoY, and was 3 million above the corporate’s steering for the quarter.

MBW’s Weekly Round-Up is supported by Centtrip, which helps over 500 of the world’s best-selling artists maximise their income and reduce their touring costs.Music Enterprise Worldwide