It’s the Weekly Headline Roundup!
This week we’re looking at AI deals and criticism, the merger of BMG and Concord, iHeart being acquired by SiriusXM, Spotify verification, Taylor swift trademarking her voice and likeness, and more!
How will the major labels overcome the copyright threat from AI music? By turning to the most powerful weapon available: AI itself.
Allow us to make a prediction.
– Murray Stassen, Music Business Worldwide
In five years, the major music companies will not only be scouring the web for AI infringement, they will also be issuing legal letters directly to the perpetrators… using AI.
Sound far-fetched? It isn’t. It’s sitting inside a pair of patent applications published by the US Patent and Trademark Office on February 12, 2026.
Music streaming services targeted as Texas Attorney General launches payola investigation
Allegations of payola in music streaming are being put in the spotlight by the Attorney General of Texas, Ken Paxton, who wants to know if there are any “undisclosed financial arrangements” between the streaming services and music companies that allow specific artists or tracks to “boost visibility, playlist placement or recommendation rankings” in violation of the state’s laws.
– Chris Cooke, Complete Music Update
“Music artists deserve to compete on a level playing field, not one distorted by bribes, and listeners deserve transparency in what they are being recommended”, Paxton says. And that’s why, as the chief legal officer in Texas, he is now “investigating the popular streaming platforms”, including Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora, Amazon Music and YouTube Music.
Interest in AI Music Declines Most Among Young Listeners, Luminate Study Finds
According to a new study from Luminate, U.S. consumer interest in listening to AI-assisted music declined across all age groups from when they were first surveyed in May 2025 to November 2025. The greatest decline comes from Gen Alpha and Gen Z in particular, falling from net -6% to -16% during that period.
– Kristin Robinson, Billboard
Overall, U.S. listeners have had a net negative interest in listening to music if they knew it was produced using generative AI since they were first surveyed in May 2025, but that score became even more negative by the next time they were tallied in November. Millennials were the most open to listening to AI-assisted music, and Boomers constituted the group least likely to say they would feel positively about listening to AI-assisted music.
BMG and Concord’s merged operations will create the fourth largest music company
Bertlelsmann’s music division BMG and Great Mountain Partners-backed independent music company Concord will merge their operations to create the world’s fourth largest music company after Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment and Warner Music Group. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Subject to regulatory approval, the combined company will be owned approximately 67% by Bertelsmann and approximately 33% by affiliates of Great Mountain Partners.
– Emmanuel Legrand, Creative Industries News
Taylor Swift seeks to trademark her voice to combat AI clones
Taylor Swift has applied to trademark her voice and likeness in the US, seemingly in a bid to use trademark law to combat unapproved AI-generated digital replicas and deepfakes. The actor Matthew McConaughey previously did something similar and confirmed his trademark registrations were to provide protection in relation to AI-generated imitations of his image and voice.
– Chris Cooke, Complete Music Update
These moves come as governments and lawmakers in multiple countries, including the UK, consider whether new legal protections are necessary to help performers, and people more generally, protect their voice and likeness in the context of AI. But while those discussions proceed, more artists may look to register new trademarks that could help them protect their interests in the AI domain.
iHeartMedia in talks to be acquired by SiriusXM Holdings (report)
iHeartMedia is reportedly in preliminary talks to be acquired by SiriusXM Holdings, in a deal that would bring together two audio giants under pressure from on-demand streaming platforms.
– Mandy Dalugdug, Music Business Worldwide
That’s according to Bloomberg, which reported over the weekend (April 24), citing people familiar with the discussions, that the talks are still at an early stage and may not result in a deal.
Universal is selling 50% of its Spotify stake, generating around $1.4 billion
Universal Music Group will sell half of its equity stake in Spotify and use the proceeds to help fund an expanded share buyback program totaling EUR €1 billion (USD $1.17 billion), the company confirmed on Wednesday (April 29) alongside its Q1 2026 results.
– Tim Ingham, Music Business Worldwide
The decision comes three weeks after Bill Ackman‘s Pershing Square launched a $64 billion takeover bid for UMG that proposed liquidating the company’s entire Spotify stake to help fund the deal.
UMG‘s board has yet to make a decision on the Ackman proposal.
Believe and TuneCore are blocking distribution of Generative AI tracks made on ‘pirate studios’ like Suno – while inking new partnerships with ElevenLabs and Udio
Believe has unveiled a significant update to its Generative AI policy – one that simultaneously hardens the company’s stance on unlicensed music AI platforms, while deepening its investment in other AI tools.
– Tim Ingham, Music Business Worldwide
On the first front: Believe and its global platform for self-releasing artists, TuneCore, are automatically blocking the distribution of AI-generated tracks partly or fully produced on unlicensed “pirate studios”.
Meanwhile, Believe has also confirmed to MBW that it has inked new music licensing agreements with two notable Gen-AI companies: ElevenLabs and Udio.
As AI Music Grows, Spotify Launches Verification Badges — But Only for Human Artists
Spotify has announced the launch of “Verified by Spotify,” a new verification badge designed to distinguish human artists and provide greater transparency for users. To qualify, artists must be in good standing with Spotify’s platform policies, have consistent listener activity and prove their identity as an artist on and off platform.
– Kristin Robinson, Billboard
A press release announcing this badge points to “the AI era” and says, “It’s more important than ever to be able to trust the authenticity of the music you listen to.” As part of the new program, the company notes that now “more than 99% of the artists Spotify listeners actively search for will be verified,” which “prioritiz[es] artists with active fan interest, or who have made important contributions to music culture and history, rather than functional music creators whose content is primarily designed for passive or background listening.”