MTV is Dead ... Long Live CBS: Link Drop

A round-up of the most important stories in music right now

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Today’s newsletter is link drop, meaning our monthly series for paid subscribers where I discuss art, news, and stories that have gotten me thinking and laughing in the last 30 days. This month, we talk about Eminem’s penchant for rhyming, my beef with Chubby Checker, how labels are becoming investors, and so much more.

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Music News to Keep an Eye One

“Is CBS Simulcast of VMAs the Final Blow to MTV?” by Tony Maglio (The Hollywood Reporter)

Though this story is a few months old, I’m sharing it now because the VMAs are fast approaching. Plus, I find the implications of MTV licensing their signature award show to another network fascinating. Of course, music hasn’t been a big part of their business model in decades, but this feels like a true death knell for the music business of yore.

“Sony Music Sues Napster Over Missed Royalty Payments” by Walden Green (Pitchfork)

Yes, Napster — the file-sharing service that reshaped the music business at the turn of the millenium — is still around, albeit in name only. The original Napster was shuttered in 2001, but the IP has changed hands a bunch of times. Now, Sony Music Entertainment (SME) is suing the regular old streaming service called Napster for not paying royalties. This is part of a larger trend of lawsuits from SME and the other major labels.

Of course, the biggest are related to AI-music platforms, but SME has also sued the shoe company DSW for using their music on TikTok without licenses. I suspect lawsuits of this kind will become more common as major labels function more as investment vehicles for older intellectual property rather than ushering in the next generation of talent.

“Universal Music Group Files for U.S. Public Offering” by Francesca Regalado (The New York Times)

Speaking of the financialization of the major labels, Universal Music Group (UMG) said it will go public in the United States. Already traded in Europe, this move was driven by Bill Ackman, the activist investor behind Pershing Square, who owns a large stake in UMG.