Bertelsmann's music division BMG has entered into a direct, multiyear publishing licensing deal with streaming service Spotify covering the United States. The agreement is designed "to deliver greater value to songwriters and their teams."
The two companies said the agreement reflects BMG and Spotify’s "shared interest in building a direct relationship that ensures songwriters share more directly in the value created by their work." They described the deal as "a practical step toward a more flex...

Universal Music Group (UMG) and Warner Music Group (WMG) are reportedly in the final stages of negotiating artificial intelligence licensing deals with some of the main players in the field, according to a report from the Financial Times, citing people familiar with the matter.
The report said the talks have focused on how the labels license their songs for creating AI-generated tracks and for training large language models. The agreements could be announced "within weeks," according to the FT,...

Spotify and independent labels' digital licensing society Merlin have renewed and expanded their global, multi-year licensing partnership.
"This agreement reinforces the vital role of independent music on Spotify and provides Merlin members continued access to a platform that reaches fans worldwide," said the organisations in a joint press release. "This expanded partnership reflects both companies’ commitment to the independent community and its impact on global culture."
Details of the agreem...