Over 20 organisations from across Europe’s music ecosystem have called on the European Union institutions to adopt a "strong budget" and an "ambitious sectoral approach" for music within the future AgoraEU programme. Organisations representing creators (ECSA, IAO, FIM), music rights organisation (GESAC, AEPO-ARTIS), music publishers (IMPF), labels (IMPALA), managers (EMMA) and the live sector (Live DMA, Yourope, Liveurope), among others, argue in an open letter to European policy makers that the...

Avex Music Group (AMG), the global music division of Japanese entertainment company Avex, has closed a new distribution agreement with The Orchard, the Sony Music-owned services and distribution company for the independent sector. The deal will cover distribution of all future releases in territories around the world. The first new music expected to be released under the deal will be a new recording from We The Band, who also serve as Justin Bieber’s longtime backup band.

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Canadian independent music company Nettwerk Music Group, supported by music assets society Create Music Group, has disclosed that it has entered into a definitive agreement to complete a management buyout from its existing investors. As part of the proposed agreement, Create Capital will invest over $300 million into Vancouver-based Nettwerk and will provide "access to substantial follow-on capital and support services thereafter." The transaction is expected to close this month. The details o...