Desk

Money

The central problem of this desk is that the creative industries do not publish their prices. Union agreements cover unionised film and television; everything else, which is most of what our readers do, is negotiated privately and separately by people who have been told not to discuss it.

So this desk prints what is genuinely published, names the companies that publish it, and is explicit about the size of the gap.

Everything on the Money desk

Denis Ladegaillerie on Believe and TuneCore artist consent policy
Believe founder and CEO Denis Ladegaillerie said no Believe or TuneCore music will be used in Suno or any AI partner’s training corpus without the artist’s explicit consent.

Believe: artists must consent before music feeds Suno

Believe says artists must opt in before their tracks are used by Suno. Suno said in February it had reached $300 million ARR and 2 million paid subscribers (figures checked 2026-09-18).

Court gavel beside a blurred StubHub logo
Judge Jed S. Rakoff ordered the dispute into private arbitration on September 14, 2026, under StubHub’s user agreement.

Rakoff sends proposed StubHub buyer suit to arbitration

Judge Jed S. Rakoff sent the proposed class action against StubHub into private arbitration on September 14, 2026; buyers are bound by StubHub’s arbitration clause unless they opt out.

Universal Music Group lawsuit against DistroKid over mass-distributed tracks
Universal's court filing alleges DistroKid delivered nearly 12 million tracks and more than half of weekly releases to a major DSP — figures that matter for who gets paid.

UMG sues DistroKid over 12m tracks and AI 'slop'

UMG claims DistroKid distributed nearly 12 million tracks and >50% of weekly releases to one DSP; the suit cites accounts putting out 380 tracks a month (UMG filing, checked 2026-09-16).

Curve Royalty Systems logo with Jamen Capital and Merlin ownership names
Curve’s CEO says ownership now blocks sale to majors; procurement questions for anyone buying royalty services.

Curve divested to Jamen & Merlin — what freelancers must ask

Curve’s sale to Jamen Capital and Merlin restores vendor-aligned ownership — freelancers should demand the same covenants and clarity on exit terms.

Panic! at the Disco logo and counterfeit merchandise on online marketplaces
Panic At The Disco LLC's court filing seeks injunctive relief, an accounting and statutory damages of USD $2,000,000 per use; the judge requires proof of shipments to Illinois for a TRO.

Panic! at the Disco sues anonymous sellers over counterfeit merch

Panic At The Disco LLC is suing anonymous online sellers for counterfeit merchandise and seeks $2,000,000 per use; the court told the band to show shipments to Illinois before a TRO.

Court papers: UMG lawsuit against DistroKid over AI-generated tracks
Universal Music Group alleges DistroKid distributed mass AI tracks; the complaint names 1,000 works and seeks statutory damages.

UMG vs DistroKid: lawsuit over alleged AI-generated flood

UMG sues DistroKid over alleged AI 'slop' and names 1,000 recordings; the filing seeks $150,000 per work. Practical steps for freelancers inside.

UMG and ElevenLabs announced a licensing deal; ElevenLabs valued at $11bn after Series D
Universal Music Group has licensed ElevenLabs to build a fan-facing remix platform; ElevenLabs reported an $11 billion post-money valuation after a $500 million Series D led by Sequoia Capital.

ElevenLabs $11bn valuation meets UMG licensing deal

UMG licensed ElevenLabs for a fan remix platform; ElevenLabs' $11bn valuation underlines scale, but neither company disclosed commercial terms or a launch date.

Oasis Live ’27 tour poster text with stadium silhouette
Oasis has announced a 38‑date stadium tour with standard tickets priced £71.50–£266.60 (fees included) and sales by registration only.

Oasis Live ’27: 38 shows, fixed ticket prices, registration-only

Registration for Oasis Live ’27 closes 17 September at 16:00 BST; standard tickets are fixed between £71.50 and £266.60 including fees.

Greenhouse Talent artists performing with logo
AEG takes a stake in the Benelux promoter; terms were undisclosed.

AEG Presents invests in Greenhouse Talent

AEG Presents has taken a stake in Greenhouse Talent; terms were undisclosed (AEG Presents and Greenhouse Talent announcement; checked 15 September 2026).

Empty arena floor under rigging lights, representing venue expansion opportunities
Joe Berchtold told Goldman Sachs non‑English artists are 30% of Live Nation’s top 50 tours and that venue shortage—47 of 75 markets—limits international growth.

Live Nation: 47 of 75 international markets lack arenas

Live Nation’s CFO said 30% of its top 50 tours are by non‑English artists and 47 of 75 international markets lack modern arenas—an opening for freelancers.

DistroKid not listed among IFPI Streaming Integrity Initiative signatories; check your distributor's fraud controls
IFPI's new anti-fraud standard lists 24 signatories including CD Baby — DistroKid, which says it distributes roughly 40% of new music, is not among them.

DistroKid absent from IFPI's Streaming Integrity Initiative

IFPI's Streaming Integrity Initiative lists 24 signatories including CD Baby; DistroKid — which claims to distribute roughly 40% of new music — is not listed.

BIGHIT MUSIC global audition locations and dates
In‑person auditions run Oct 3–Dec 5 across 15 cities; online entries run Sep 14–Dec 5.

BIGHIT MUSIC audition — born in or after 2008

BIGHIT MUSIC opens global male auditions for those born in or after 2008; HYBE reports strong Q2 2026 revenue. Practical steps for freelancers follow.

Eitaro Shibasaki portrait, new Chief Business Officer at Warner Music Japan
He joins the board and starts on October 1, reporting to President Takeshi Okada.

Eitaro Shibasaki named CBO at Warner Music Japan

Warner Music Japan appointed Eitaro Shibasaki EVP & Chief Business Officer, starting Oct 1; IFPI records Japan's recorded market grew 8.9% in 2025 (checked 18 Sep 2026).

ElevenLabs logo with music waveform illustrating AI music model update
Music v2.5 ships inside ElevenMusic and ElevenCreative; UMG deal is separate and launch statements publish no numeric royalty rates.

ElevenLabs Music v2.5: availability, download limits, licensing

ElevenLabs released Music v2.5; ElevenLabs and UMG set out separate platforms and primary launch posts publish no numerical royalty rates.

IFPI logo and streaming integrity headline on a screen
Distributors commit to vet uploads, share intelligence and act on fraud; some major DIY platforms are absent.

IFPI Streaming Integrity Initiative wins distributor pledges

IFPI's Streaming Integrity Initiative secures distributor commitments to verify uploads and fight fraud; key DIY platforms remain absent.

Abstract illustration of an unbalanced scale
Money · The transparency problem

We tried to find out what this industry charges. Almost nobody will say.

We went looking for published rates across music PR, music video production and creative freelancing. One agency in the entire sector publishes a starting price on its own website. The silence is not an accident, and it is not neutral.

Weverse platform login with a warning symbol overlaid
Weverse Company president says payment and refund details were among the exposed records — freelancers should audit payments and contracts.

Weverse leak: 422,584 accounts exposed

Weverse reports 422,584 accounts leaked; freelancers using the platform must secure payments, check invoices and contact the operator.

Yoto 4th‑Gen Player showing Green Button and app control
Yoto’s new Green Button and digital‑card push change discovery — the company has published prices and features, but not creator payment terms.

Yoto 4th‑Gen Green Button: what creators need to know

Yoto’s 4th‑gen adds a Green Button and digital cards; prices and dispatch dates are published, but creator rates and licensing terms are not.

Andreea Gleeson named beatBread CEO; Notes.fm payments UI and Stripe logo
A CEO appointment at beatBread and Notes·fm’s Stripe-powered payout product change how advances and platform payouts sit side by side.

beatBread hires Andreea Gleeson; Notes·fm adds Stripe payouts

beatBread names Andreea Gleeson; Notes·fm launches Stripe Financial Accounts and paid distribution — check fees, custody and Connect enrolment.

$1,000

The only published starting price for a music PR campaign we could find anywhere

Cyber PR's own campaigns page states that single campaigns start at $1,000, and that it runs four, six, ten and twelve-week publicity campaigns. Its FAQ also lists a self-directed masterclass at $97.

UMG and ElevenLabs logos overlaid with waveform graphic
Universal calls the agreement licensing plus 'product development'; Kobalt and Merlin previously committed to a 50/50 recording/publishing split for ElevenMusic (checked 11 Sep 2026).

UMG–ElevenLabs deal leaves splits unconfirmed

UMG calls the ElevenLabs tie-up licensing plus product development; Kobalt and Merlin have stated a 50/50 split for ElevenMusic (checked 11 Sep 2026).

$7,300

What the 100,000th highest-earning artist generated on Spotify in 2025

From Spotify's own Loud & Clear data, published March 2026: the artist ranked 100,000th by royalties generated roughly $7,300 across the year, against about $350 in 2015.

Martin Lorentzon, Spotify co-founder and Swedish billionaire
Bloomberg reported Lorentzon’s comment; Bloomberg Billionaires Index places his net worth at more than USD 11 billion (figure checked 11 September 2026).

Martin Lorentzon says he'll leave Sweden if wealth tax is introduced

Spotify co-founder Martin Lorentzon told Bloomberg he'd leave Sweden 'immediately' if a billionaire wealth tax is introduced; his net worth: over USD 11 billion (checked 11 Sep 2026).

Deki Alem press image with album title Forget In Mass and tour dates
Bandcamp shows a sale price, Amuse publishes campaign metrics and a vinyl date, but neither primary page publishes artist payout or revenue‑split details.

Deki Alem — Forget In Mass: Bandcamp price and published terms

Bandcamp lists a 100 SEK+ price for Forget In Mass; Amuse lists a vinyl date and campaign metrics but not payout splits (checked 2026-09-16).