Independent production music company Sonoton Music is launching a VIP sample curation service, named Sample People, which will function as an invite-only VIP club. Members of the club will receive a curated playlist service, easy clearance to sample tracks from Sonoton’s library and pre-sorted, timed and quantised loops. The service will launch "in the first few months of this year," "Sonoton is working through its entire catalogue of archive material and new recordings to create loop packs spec...

The UK's Copyright Licensing Agency (CLA) has appointed Simon Hutson as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective 9 February 2026. Hutson joins from The Savings Group, where he was leading commercial activity, "Simon brings a deep understanding of licensing and copyright, alongside a genuine commitment to creators and publishers," said the CLA in a statement. His career includes leadership roles at organisations such as the BBC, Reuters and Cision. “I’m excited to be joining CLA at such a pivo...

Merlin, the digital music licensing society for independent labels and distributors, has signed a partnership with AI-powered music creation platform Udio.  This partnership establishes "a framework for licensing Merlin’s independent members’ repertoire to train AI models while protecting the value of real artistry and ensuring fair compensation." “As AI develops, it is critical to Merlin that we work with partners who respect artists, their work, and the requirement to license music,” said...