Oakland, CA — Things are constantly changing in the landscape of the music industry and it’s important to stay on top of trends and news updates, especially as an independent artist. We’ve got you covered with a weekly recap of the top stories you need to know.
Timbaland & Jay-Z Hit with Copyright Infringement Lawsuit
According to the legal team of soul musician Ernie Hines, Jay-Z and Timbaland sampled bits and pieces of Hines's 1969 track “Help Me” in their 1998 song “Paper Chase.” It’s been stated that neither Jay-Z nor Timbaland reached out to Hines’s team to clear the sample. Let’s see how this plays out!
Travis Scott Donating Merch Sales From Concert to Planned Parenthood
During his Hangout Festival performance, Travis Scott announced that he would be donating all profits from his festival merch sales to Planned Parenthood amidst the recent wave of anti-abortion bills being proposed and/or signed into law by individual states. Pure love!
Brooklyn Acapella Group Suing UMG, WMG, and More over 48 Years of Unpaid Royalties
The Persuasions, an acapella group out of Brooklyn, are alleging that they haven’t been paid royalties for over 48 years and are due millions of dollars in payment. The Persuasions and their legal team claim the group never saw a penny from streams or album sales between 1971 to present-time.
Sony Music Creating Easy Way To Collect Royalties
Sony plans to make major upgrades to its Music Artist Portal which it uses to track royalties and receive payments. As stated in a long email from the entertainment company, starting this fall Sony Music will release new features allowing artists/musicians to see and cash out earnings faster.
Whitney Houston Estate Planning Hologram Tour & New Album
Primary Wave Music Publishing recently partnered with Whitney Houston’s estate in planning a hologram tour to remind everyone about her legacy of being America’s sweetheart. Primary Wave’s deal entitles them to 50% of Whitney’s estate which gives them 50% of her royalties from film, music and merchandising.