Afleveringen
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"Spotify and Universal Music Group (UMG) have officially signed a licensing agreement that will allow “AI-enabled superfans” to produce AI covers and remixes of participating UMG songs."
Up until now a song was created to listen to, dance to. An artist's official release has been the definitive version of a song. Listeners could interpret it differently, but the recording itself remained fixed.
Soon, the labels and Spotify see all of those songs, maybe yours, as the 1st building block for Spotify users to take your song, and create 1000s of variations. "The sources confirm artists can opt out, but do not specify whether participation is opt-in or opt-out by default and neither Spotify nor UMG has clarified this."
"It also isn't clear whether "participating" is determined artist by artist, catalog segment by catalog segment, or through some broader label-level agreement with individual exceptions. That mechanism is simply undisclosed."
Does it matter to you if your song is sliced and diced and made into something you wouldn’t like, or even recognize? sources: https://snydersmusicbiznews.blogspot....
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"He will exist digitally as himself for as long as we have computers."
The emerging world of “deadbots”—AI-powered digital recreations of deceased individuals that can speak, answer questions, and interact using a person’s voice, personality, and digital history.
With reports that Sharon and Jack Osbourne are developing an interactive AI version of Ozzy Osbourne, the music industry may be entering an entirely new era. Unlike hologram concerts or archived recordings, these systems could engage in real conversations, recognize fans, and potentially continue an artist’s commercial legacy long after death.
Could estates eventually license AI versions of artists for concerts, films, museums, theme parks, and virtual meet-and-greets? Could digital performers continue generating revenue indefinitely? And are living musicians ready to share the stage with deadbots?
Sources: https://snydersmusicbiznews.blogspot....
00:00 Bring Out Your Deadbots 00:55 Ozzy Osbourne's AI Legacy 01:55 Who Owns a Digital Person? 02:15 The Digital Afterlife 03:20 The Business of the Dead 04:05 The AI Legacy Clause 05:35 We've Already Started Down This Road 05:50 The Backlash 06:40 The Future of Music 07:55 Living with Deadbots 08:35 Final Thoughts and Questions
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Zijn er afleveringen die ontbreken?
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(May is Mental Health Awareness Month)
It's not just Schumann, Monk, Cobain and Adele. It's the 1st Chair Violinist in your local orchestra, the flamenco guitarist in the Mexican restaurant, the roadie setting up the PA, the person on the rigs hanging lights, the piano major in college, the choir director at church, etc. Out of 100,000, 138 of them will commit suicide,
The national average is 32 across all occupations (CDC report: Suicide Rates by Industry and Occupation. 2021). (This was before the increasing negative effects of AI on the music industry)
Maybe if those 138 had just been made aware of the many free services available just for them...
sources and links to support orgs: https://snydersmusicbiznews.blogspot.com/2026/05/the-988-lifeline-more-than-most.html
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George Romero's Night of the Living Dead is in the public domain. (That's why I can use a screen grab and not worry about copyright infringement.) But Hal Roach made the zombies green and so created a derivative that he could copyright and make $ licensing.
BMG's announcement about Synch + brought to light how agentic AI is replacing music supervisors and song pluggers. "AI tools analyze BMG’s repertoire of over three million songs and 200,000 production music tracks to find precise matches for film, TV, and advertising briefs."
Those who opt-in to allow BMG's agentic AI train on their music should be aware of the results. AI training creates a permanent capability to generate unlimited similar works....derivatives that BMG owns, with nonstop countless derivatives of the derivatives that only create $ for the label. Once your song's DNA is out there, there's no pulling it back. Maybe even if you decide to later opt-out. (Be sure to read the license you grant. Even better seek legal counsel).
"While the “ethical” data training touted by some in the music industry may provide certain compensation in the short-term for the music on which these models are licensed, there are tangible long-term risks to production music libraries, composers and creators that should be considered."
"It is not just about selling a song. It is about owning the source material, the derivatives, the licensing pathway, and the machine that helps produce the next wave of derivatives."
Romero never made a dime on the derivatives of his creation. Will those who opt-in to feed AI?
Sources: https://snydersmusicbiznews.blogspot....
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For the last 14 years, the Big 3, the holy trinity SONY, WMG, and UMG have dominated the music industry, devouring all of the other labels, and scooping up music catalogs.
BMG, once a major label itself, though seemingly disappeared, has been kept alive by its parent company Bertlesmann, and it has sprung back to life joining with the old jazz label, Concord.
Both have been on a feeding frenzy of music catalogs owning 4.3 million songs, enough to claim a spot with the Big 3 labels ....(BMG would prefer to be considered the king of indies).
Though the headlines have broadcast the merger and the major shift with the Big 4, most haven't noticed that BMG is just a small part of the Bertelsmann empire, that with the merger owns Penguin Random House, the largest book publisher, 10,000 plays and musicals including Hamilton and Rogers and Hammerstein's works, and even classic movies like King Kong, Citizen Cane, and It's a Wonderful Life.
Along with the titles, Bertelsmann has large divisions of marketing, streaming, and yes...AI.
Regardless if it's one of the Big 4, or King of the Indies, it has moved up the food chain, and will undoubtedly have a major impact on the music industry.
Sources: https://snydersmusicbiznews.blogspot.com/2026/05/another-shark-in-food-chain-big-4.html
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The 1st AI Music Chart (versus Billboard charts)
The 1st Performing rights Organization (versus ASCAP, BMI, SESAC)
The 1st AI Streaming platform (versus Spotify)
Just three of the parallel music organizations in the rapidly expanding AI music industry.
(This is not an endorsement of AI Music...just reporting what I see)
"A new music industry is being built—with its own rules, its own economics, and its own definition of success. And for the first time in modern history… That industry doesn’t need the old one to survive." ChatGPT
Sources: https://snydersmusicbiznews.blogspot....
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This is the 3rd and last podcast linking 3 music biz events that I believe marks a change in access to the music markets. Indie distributors and labels being swallowed by majors, major labels and Spotify now allies working together to create an answer to AI music (and market control), and DDEX becoming the required meta data required for access to the new music ecosystem.
DDEX has added AI descriptions into the Meta data of song files. Spotify and the major labels have adopted DDEX as the sole source of Meta Data Spotify requires to accept new uploads. While this will gratefully screen out false or misleading AI generated music, it also gives them control...they make the rules. Meta data has been a mystery to most musicians and who have left it up to distributors like Distrokid and Record labels to create and add meta data to their songs based on the accuracy and truthfulness of the artists' submissions. Most music companies accepted the data without question.
Now, meta data comes into view with the dominant majors and Spotify creating a new collaborate music ecosystem controlling access to the market, with the DDEX standard becoming the sole accepted meta data source. Spotify's 'gatekeeper' now closely examines uploaded songs for DDEX before accepting them for streaming. Only labels and record labels can add DDEX data to your songs.
While the accuracy of the DDEX data created by indie distributors and indie labels may vary based the accuracy of info when submitted by the artist, requiring closer examination, Spotify knows that music presented by the major labels in their new agreement is 'clean', with legit AI use of licensed music and accurate song info, so fast-tracks the music into the streams.
It's imperative that musicians now learn the importance of meta data and providing accurate information when submitting a song to a distributor for upload to Spotify, publishers, etc. or risk their music being rejected. sources: https://snydersmusicbiznews.blogspot.com/2026/04/ddex-and-new-music-world-order.html
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Part 2 of 3: Once they competed, now they work together for the first time to create a new music ecosystem built around AI. Spotify, WMG, UMG, SONY Music, Believe, and Merlin joined forces in reaction to AI.
The labels have licensed their music to Spotify to be used in Spotify's new AI tools being developed. All in theory to better serve musicians and copyright holders, except of course those who aren't paid royalties because their song didn't achieve 1,000 streams in 1 year (where do those royalties go?)
What will happen to artists outside the new ecosystem? Part 3 will be the new DDEX AI music standard they agreed on. Sources: https://snydersmusicbiznews.blogspot.com/2026/04/spotify-and-labels-create-new-music.html
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A brilliant (my opinion) world-wide promotional campaign by Taylor Swift for 'Life of a Showgirl' became tainted as her fans began to notice videos with 'A bartender's hand passing through a napkin. A disappearing coat hanger. A carousel horse with two heads.' Sure signs of AI residue, and fans weren't/aren't happy.
Will Smith, T Swift, and even Katy Perry, (at least their promo teams), are learning you can't fool the fans, and if you use AI for anything, quality control is imperative!!!
Sources: https://snydersmusicbiznews.blogspot.com/2026/03/ai-and-orange-door.html
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This is Part 1 of 3 podcasts of recent events that I believe are connected:
1. The Majors Swallow the Indies
2. Major Labels and Spotify's Agreement for Total Domination
3. New DDEX Standard for AI Influence in Music May Affect Music Uploads and Streaming
Universal Music Group, and the other majors, are buying indie music companies at a rapid pace. CDBaby, once seen as an alternative distributor for indie musicians, is now part of the corporate system. What does this mean for artists, maybe you, who preferred the freedom from corp ownership? UMG now represents BOTH its artists and (formally) independent musicians. Who do you think they might favor? It could be a big boost, or the silent fade of indies. All of the data, and future, of the indie companies, are now in the hands of the majors.
But...before you leave CDBaby and pull your music, be aware of the consequences that will have on your music. It's called the 'stickiness factor.'
(If you or anyone you know, are using any of the indie music companies, please share this podcast...be aware of what is happening to your music)
Sources: https://snydersmusicbiznews.blogspot.com/2026/04/cdbaby-now-owned-by-umg-washing-of.html
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Agentic AI. "AI that doesn’t solely rely on human prompts nor require human oversight."
Meta (Facebook) just bought the 1st all AI social media network, Moltbook. AI agents interact and talk to each other, even creating new religions for AI bots, humans aren't welcome.
Agentic AI agents are already creating music (a brief example is at the end of the video), new genres, and they're uploading to Spotify on their own.
They not only create music for human consumption, they create music for other bots to listen to.
There has already been a court case about if bot-to-bot music can be copyrighted. Will 10 years from now, or in a year, humans using SUNO with their pathetic human prompts to compose, be left behind as agentic AI bots, that 24 hours a day, on their own, create and upload a flood of license free music?
AI exclusive sites are spreading with all AI streaming platforms like MoltDJ, and other social media sites like MoltGram.
We humans can watch, but that's all. 2026 is the year of Agentic AI.
sources: https://snydersmusicbiznews.blogspot.com/2026/03/2026-year-autonomous-bots-compose-music.html
YouTube
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Ticket Scalpers for a Charles Dickens Reading Tour were called 'Sidewalk 'Men'.
The term scalper was first used in a book about the railroad.
The first bot scalper was used for U2's Vertigo Tour.
Now Ticketmaster/Live Nation are in court (now settled) because of the Taylor Swift Eras Tour ticket fiasco, the first time AI was used to scalp tickets for resale.
AI Scalping Bots have learned, and continue to learn, how to imitate humans. CHAPTAs aren't effective anymore, as AI Bots can even mimic frustrated humans trying to solve the puzzles. AI Ticket Scalpers have changed the ticketing industry forever as they constantly learn how to overcome obstacles, and there isn't anything (yet) that can stop them.
(As a sidenote...CHAPTAs collect more information about you than you're probably aware of!)
sources: https://snydersmusicbiznews.blogspot.com/2026/03/live-nationticketmaster-go-to-court-ai.html
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While AI detection tech is improving, SONY announced it has the tech that can identify the original music in AI generated songs by percentages...“30% of the music used is by the Beatles and 10% is by Queen.” Should artists begin the celebration? It may be too late!
The Internet is being divided up by the record labels into 'walled gardens,' charging tech companies to slip into the gardens and train AI on the music. It may be too late.
A nonprofit company you probably haven't heard of, Common Crawl, has been silently crawling and archiving the Internet for decades, and allows free access to the data. It is now the source of 80% of the data used to train AI, there wouldn't be a ChatGPT without it. I.E., everything on the Internet has already been gobbled up by AI. Can you name a song that hasn't been on the internet? Is walling off their existing IP and charging for AI access to the data, that AI probably already has, a way to provide legal cover for the AI tech companies? Does this mean there will be less 'free' Internet available after it is carved up by big corps?
And if you're not signed to a label, you're music is outside the walls and is open game for AI!
Sources: https://snydersmusicbiznews.blogspot.com/2026/02/carving-up-and-raising-walls-on-web.html
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A historical dive into the demise of live local music.
(Note: This is not an endorsement of drinking)
Looking back to the glory days when band's were prolific and there were plenty of venues to play in, packed with fanatical music lovers. Small local venues were a proving ground for emerging artists, where they could build a following from high school age, and expand the boundaries of music performance. Label A&R reps prowled local clubs looking to sign the next big band. Most live local acts now mostly consist of singles or duos starting and ending early for early-to-bed boomers, tribute cover bands playing for those same boomers, and lounge troubadours playing for non-locals.
There are three primary reasons that the venue habitats, and thus bands to play in them, have all but disappeared:
- The National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984
- Now six Performing Rights Organizations demanding payment by local venues
- Covid Epidemic
As Mary Hopkins sang: Those were the days, my friend We thought they'd never end We'd sing and dance forever and a day
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I ask anti-AI musicians if they had ever had actually checked out what it's capable of, most say no.
So I decided to demonstrate how over 70+ million Alexa subscribers can now ask Alexa to write a song, by just talking to an Alexa enabled speaker. You'll hear the conversation between me and Alexa as we discussed creating a Valentine song for my cat, Jonesy. Listen to the song. Do you think it's AI slop? Personally, I think it's scary good. (It also created the artwork).
When Amazon announced the new Alexa +, it's integration with Suno was barely featured, but now that it's open to any Prime member, they are beginning to publicize it. “Using Alexa’s integration with Suno, you can turn simple, creative requests into complete songs,” “Looking to delight your partner with a personalized song for their birthday based on their love of cats, or surprise your kid by creating a rap using their favorite cartoon characters? Alexa+ has you covered.”
Instead of streaming typical songs played at weddings, now a couple can ask Alexa to create original love songs for each other. It will be interesting to see Suno membership grow as Alexa points users to Suno to download or see the lyrics of the song.
I do this not to promote AI music. There is definite copyright infringement. But I encourage musicians to at least check out what somebody, with no musical abilities, can instantly create. Tik Tok is next. Ignore this at your own peril!
Sources: https://snydersmusicbiznews.blogspot....
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After music publishers lost the 1st round against Anthropic and Claude last year, they're back with a vengeance!
Anthropic failed to reveal it had used BitTorrent to download millions of lyrics, songbooks, etc. Even though they did inform the book publishers who had also sued and won 1.5 Billion dollars. The judge wouldn't let them bring that into the case though. They had sued for a paltry $75 Million before. This time it's a whopping $3+ Billion dollars!
Anthropic is now worth $350 Billion. Assuming they settle like the book publishers, when can songwriters and lyricists expect to cash in? Previous Anthropic Podcast:
Sources: https://snydersmusicbiznews.blogspot.com/2026/02/let-biggest-baddest-copyright-lawsuit.html
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ElevenLabs and Spotify just released an album, The 11 Album featuring Liza Minnelli, Art Garfunkel, and others all using AI in some way. "This is the first known direct deal between Spotify and an AI company to easily and directly distribute AI songs on the streaming platform" ...and it won't be the last.
This led to my learning more about ElevenLabs (created 2023), the large cloned voice market, and the surprising web of AI partners:
ElevenLabs is known for cloning voices of celebrities that can be licensed. It created a Voice Market Place.ElevenLabs licenses the actual voices, pre-cloning, from CMG Worldwide that represents the estates of dead celebritiesElevenLabs partnered with Meta (Facebook)ElevenLabs, has partnered with Merlin, et.al that represents multiple artists and record labels, providing the music to train AIMerlin has partnered with UDIO, expanding its AI contentUDIO has partnered with Universal Music GroupWithout a lot of studio editing, easily using a clone of your voice, or that of the dead to sing your song, is probably the next big step in music AI...it's already begun. sources: https://snydersmusicbiznews.blogspot....
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Bandcamp is be promoted as the first major music company to ban AI music.
While Humans rejoice, there's more here than meets the eye.
I do a deep-dive into Bandcamp's recent history, Songtradr - its owner, questions about the new policy, and what the CEO actually thinks about AI and music (you'll be surprised)!
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This is for anyone who records music, and is looking for a tax write-off.
The HITS (Help Independent Tracks Succeed) Act was passed last summer (2025), but it hasn't been publicized like No Tax on Tips. (Side note...the tips you get at gigs don't count!). This Act allows you to write-off any recording costs, up to $150,000, you may have had in 2025, but only 2025.
So if you need a tax write-off, start digging for those receipts!
Be sure your recording friends are aware and share this podcast...the TAXMAN is coming!
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Music historians will note that 2025 was the year of another major change in music production and composition.
The official beginning of musical 'slop.' When Artificial Intelligence began to elbow its way into music (and every other thing), and replaced songwriters playing guitars, with music designers writing prompts.
2026 will probably be the year when the shift in the Matrix will settle, and the new music world order is established.
So much happened that looking back at the totality of it all, can be overwhelming.
So here is a quick list of 2025 firsts. (Most referred to in my previous podcasts...check out the playlist for 'deep dives.')
Talking Heads - Once In A Lifetime (Isolated Vocals) • Talking Heads - Once In A Lifetime (Isolat...
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