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...

Universal Music Group (UMG) has signed a new strategic multi-year license agreement with China's music streaming service provide NetEase Cloud Music, in a deal that includes artist-centric provisions and terms covering artificial intelligence (AI). The deal makes the catalogue of artists and recordings by Chinese and international artists that are signed, released and distributed by UMG’s labels available across NetEase Cloud Music’s streaming platform and associated digital services in China. ...