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Songwriter groups hail “unequivocal win for creator rights” as US appeals court upholds landmark termination rights ruling
Songwriter groups have hailed a ruling in the US Fifth Circuit Appeals Court that significantly expands the reach of the termination right under American copyright law to the advantage of music creators.  The landmark ruling, according to Music Creators North America, is both an “enormous victory for the American and global creator community” and “judicial recognition” that the US Copyright Act is meant to “protect the rights of creators first and foremost”. The Fifth Circuit was reviewing a dispute between songwriter Cyril E Vetter and independent music publisher Resnik Music Group, which began when TV company ABC sought a sync licence to use Vetter’s song ‘Double Shot’ in a program that is broadcast worldwide. Vetter and his co-writer Don Smith assigned the copyright in ‘Double Shot’ to music publisher Windsong via a publishing deal all the way back in 1963. Resnik then acquired the copyright from Windsong in 2019, but by that point Vetter was exercising his termination right.  Under US law, a creator that transfers ownership of a copyright to a business partner, like a music publisher, can subsequently terminate that transfer and reclaim the copyright after a period of time - 35 years for works created after 1978, 56 years for works created before 1978. 

Spotify can’t control its AI-generated music suggestions
The streaming giant is facing renewed criticism after subscribers reported AI-made tracks surfacing in personalised playlists like Discover Weekly and Release Radar, often without any clear indication that the music wasn’t created by a human artist.  The complaints have been bubbling up for months, with a recent Reddit thread drawing significant attention from users who say they’re repeatedly being served low-effort, AI-generated songs. The common frustration isn’t just the presence of AI music, but the lack of transparency.  Spotify, however, insists it isn’t promoting or suppressing music based on whether AI tools were used. In a statement, the company said: “Spotify does not create or own any music, and does not promote or penalise tracks created using AI tools.” The company argues that drawing a clean line between AI and non-AI music isn’t straightforward, describing AI as a “fast-moving shift” across the industry. Spotify says its focus is on preventing harmful use cases, including spam, impersonation, and unauthorised voice cloning, while supporting industry-standard AI disclosures in music credits. Spotify’s challenge isn’t just technical; it’s about trust. When personalised playlists are supposed to reflect your taste, discovering AI “slop” where new artists should be can feel like the algorithm has lost the plot. 

5 Things to Do in the First 30 Seconds of Your Song (Jason Blume)
Opening your song with a catchy instrumental or vocal signature lick, an instantly identifiable melodic motif, can be the ticket to grabbing a listener’s attention. It is the first thing they will hear when listening to your song—your first opportunity to let them know they are listening to something exceptional—or not. If your melodic hook is played on an instrument (or uses a keyboard generated sound) that is not typically heard in the genre you are writing for, it has an even better chance of jumping out of the pile. When recording a demo, regardless of whether it is a stripped-down guitar/vocal, keyboard/vocal, or a full band production, the quality of your recording instantly sends a message that tells your listeners whether this submission came from an amateur or a pro writer. To achieve this, we need vocal and musical performances that “sell” the song; a mix that allows listeners to hear the words; and an overall sonic quality and clarity that is in line with what the competition is producing. Strong opening lines of lyric might pique listeners’ interest by using a variety of tools. Other ways to make your opening lyrics jump out of the pile include using unexpected words or phrases and finding new ways to express your concept. For some exceptional examples of opening lines of lyric listen to Simon and Garfunkel’s classic “Sound of Silence” (written by Paul Simon). Put the opening thirty seconds of your song under a proverbial microscope. Imagine your listener has his or her finger on the “stop” button. Be sure your recording is up to the industry standard and that your lyrics, melodic intervals, rhythms, and instrumental licks are compelling enough to make a listener crank up the volume instead of moving on to the next song. Use these tools to grab your listeners from the very start – and don’t let go! 

What Is an Echo Chamber?
It’s sometimes hard to remember that most modern effects are actually a pre-packaged version of an old analog process. Take studio echo, for example. You may have noticed that a lot of records from the ‘50s and ‘60s have an enormous reverb sound, much of it the product of a purpose-built room consisting of concrete or tile and outfitted with a loudspeaker and microphone. These so-called echo chambers (also known as “live chambers”) were often quite small (usually around 10 to 15 feet long on average, with a low ceiling), yet the best ones were capable of achieving a reverb “tail” that could last several seconds or longer. Chambers came in various shapes and sizes, but because they were handmade the best ones had a trademark sound—in fact, music buffs can often tell where a song was recorded just by the sound of the chambers. So remarkable were many chambers that even today recording artists flock to the likes of Abbey Road Studios, Capitol Studios, and other mainstay facilities to hear these artifacts in action.  With increasingly sophisticated plugins now able to replicate these effects in the box, today live echo chambers aren’t nearly as prevalent as they once were. However, their legacy remains—and there’s nothing wrong with trying to emulate a live chamber at home, using an existing space such as a shower stall, a hallway, stairwell, or garage as a way of adding something totally organic to your work.

Let the Phono V Fireworks Begin: CRB Kicks Off High-Stakes Streaming Rate Proceeding for 2028-2032
The Phono V commencement technically arrived in a Federal Register notice on 2025’s final day, though the CRB just recently confirmed the development in a standalone announcement. At the top level, those seeking to participate in the process have until January 30th to submit the relevant petition (plus a $150 filing fee).  And if history is any indication, a number of parties will look to make their voices heard here. As many will recall, the Phono III rate-setting debacle was replete with disagreements and took years to resolve. But quicker doesn’t always mean better: The marathon Phono III showdown ultimately made way for the comparatively conflict-light Phono IV settlement. However, the latter’s CRB approval was accompanied by justified songwriter demands for transparency. Subsequently inked direct deals or not – Spotify’s still coming out ahead in terms of its compositional royalty payments – this remains a sore subject. Over the summer, it wasn’t by chance that federal lawmakers called out Spotify’s bundling craze, and the Mechanical Licensing Collective is plowing ahead with a lawsuit against the DSP. 

When It Rains, It Pours: Ticketmaster Faces Another Class Action Lawsuit, This Time for Allegedly Illegal Surveillance
Ticketmaster faces even more litigation, this time in the form of a class action alleging its website employs illegal tracking and surveillance tools.  Most litigation against Ticketmaster and its parent company Live Nation in recent months has primarily focused on market dominance and so-called “junk fees.” But a newly proposed class action accuses the company of employing tracking and surveillance tools on its website in violation of California privacy laws.  The complaint, filed in California federal court this week, claims that Ticketmaster’s advertising and analytics trackers operate as unauthorized surveillance tools under the California Invasion of Privacy Act. Plaintiffs argue that these trackers covertly monitor user behavior without proper consent and capture sensitive data about browsing habits, preferences, and potentially personal information during ticket purchases.

Sun Records Takes Prices Back to 1952 in Weeklong Birthday Bash Honoring Founder Sam Phillips
n celebration of Sam Phillips’ 103 birthday, Sun Records is honoring its legendary founder by taking prices backward instead of pushing them higher. Starting January 5 and continuing for a week, throwback pricing will be available on select vinyl titles.  The promotion will see these vinyl on offer for prices closer to what fans paid in 1952 for a new vinyl—also coincidentally the year Phillips opened Sun Records in Memphis. 
The campaign will feature over 30 CD and vinyl releases from the Sun catalog, including iconic recordings from artists including Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison, and more. Sun Records says the throwback pricing seek is a nod to the era when Phillips’ belief in raw talent, risk-taking, and new voices helped reshape popular music in America.

Napster Music Streaming Service Abruptly Shuts Down in Pivot to AI—’Napster is No Longer a Music Streaming Service’
After its acquisition by AI company Infinite Reality, Napster abruptly shuts down its music streaming service and pivots to… AI assistants?   Now, the company has abruptly shuttered its music streaming capabilities—while users were actively using the service—in its broader pivot to AI assistants. The pivot into AI isn’t unexpected—the brand was purchased by AI company Infinite Reality last year—but for users of the music streaming service, to call it jarring is an understatement. Users on Reddit lamented Napster’s foray last year into AI music creation while it was still a music streaming service, although some users said the new tools were fun to play around with. Many users expressed having walked away from the service altogether.

Musicians are deeply concerned about AI. So why are the major labels embracing it?
Companies such as Udio, Suno and Klay will let you use AI to make new music based on existing artists’ work. It could mean more royalties – but many are worried
This was the year that AI-generated music went from jokey curiosity to mainstream force. Velvet Sundown, a wholly AI act, generated millions of streams; AI-created tracks topped Spotify’s viral chart and one of the US Billboard country charts; AI “artist” Xania Monet “signed” a record deal. The worry is that AI will eventually absorb all creative works in history and spew out endless slop that will replace human-made art and drive artists into penury. Those worries are being deepened by how the major labels, once fearful of the technology, are now embracing it – and heralding a future in which ordinary listeners have a hand in co-creating music with their favourite musicians.Aware of the scale of the shift, last year the Recording Industry Association of America, representing the three major labels, initiated legal action against AI music companies Suno and Udio for copyright infringement, alleging they had trained their AI platforms on the labels’ artists without their permission. But then there was an extraordinary about-turn. They didn’t just settle the matter out of court – Universal Music Group (UMG) then partnered with Udio, and Warner Music Group (WMG) with Udio and Suno. (Dealin' with the Devil anywone?)

AI: A Brief Overview and affects.

The biggest concern about the development of artificial intelligence (AI) in recent years is that it will take human jobs. Well, unfortunately, that is already happening, with a wide range of businesses already admitting that the technology is replacing employees.   Estimates vary, but experts converge on a transformative window of 10 to 30 years for AI to reshape most jobs. A McKinsey report projects that by 2030, 30% of current U.S. jobs could be automated, with 60% significantly altered by AI tools. Goldman Sachs predicts up that to 50% of jobs could be fully automated by 2045, driven by generative AI and robotics.  Goldman Sachs previously estimated that 300 million jobs , over 100 million in the U.S. alone.  For more information click here.