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Profitability at K-pop company JYP Entertainment fell in the first quarter due to a lack of large tours and an album release schedule that favored young, developing artists. While revenue reached 140.8 billion KRW ($97 million), up 3% from the prior-year period, operating profit fell 42%. Operating margin — operating income as a percentage of […]
THE BIG STORY: A little under 18 months after sexual abuse allegations against Sean “Diddy” Combs were first made public – and 8 months after he was indicted over them – the once-powerful rap mogul headed to trial this week on felony charges that could put him behind bars for life.
When things got underway in the courtroom Monday, I was sitting just rows behind the now-gray-haired superstar as prosecutors accused him of years of criminal conduct – centered on claims that he coerced longtime girlfriend Cassie Ventura and other women to take part in drug-fueled, marathon sex sessions with male escorts called “freak offs.”
The start the trial, which is expected to run for eight weeks, was something of a circus. News crews filled the plaza outside the courthouse in Lower Manhattan as a line of spectators wrapped around the block – so many that they eventually filled the entire large courtroom and two overflow rooms. Professional “line sitters” were charging $350 for a spot closer to the door; one person waiting in line, there at the crack of dawn, told me that he didn’t want to miss the “trial of the century.”
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To catch up after the first two days of the trial, go check all of Billboard’s coverage:
–On day one, both sides made their opening statements to the jury. Prosecutors said Combs had used his power for decades to “feed his every desire” — and they almost immediately played an infamous video of him assaulting Cassie in a Los Angeles hotel. Defense attorneys, meanwhile, said the women had consensually partaken in Diddy’s “swinger lifestyle” and that the star cannot be convicted merely based on weird sex, a “toxic relationship,” or even domestic violence: “We take full responsibility that there was domestic violence. Domestic violence is not sex trafficking.”
–On day two, Ventura took the stand. The star witness in the prosecution’s case, Cassie told jurors that participating in “freak off” sex performances “became a job” for her and left her feeling “humiliated.” But she said she felt she had no choice — at times because she was in love with Combs and wanted to please him, but also, later, because she feared blackmail, physical violence or other blowback: “He was a scary person. He would be violent.”
If you need a general catch-up on the Diddy case before the trial goes any further, go read our explainer on everything you need to know – or our deep-dive analysis in which the prosecutors from R. Kelly’s highly-similar case explain how this one might go. You can also read about the many, many lawyers involved in the Diddy debacle.
This is The Legal Beat, a weekly newsletter about music law from Billboard Pro, offering you a one-stop cheat sheet of big new cases, important rulings and all the fun stuff in between.
Other top stories this week…
TAYLOR GETS SUBPOENAED – Taylor Swift was hit with a subpoena formally dragging her into the legal drama between her friend Blake Lively and Lively’s It Ends With Us director and co-star Justin Baldoni. The subpoena, filed by Baldoni’s lawyers, is certain to be opposed by Swift’s lawyers after her reps blasted the filing: “This document subpoena is designed to use Taylor Swift’s name to draw public interest by creating tabloid clickbait instead of focusing on the facts of the case.”
HER LAWYERS, TOO – Speaking of Taylor’s lawyers: Her longtime outside law firm, Venable, was also hit with a subpoena from Baldoni’s attorney. The filing specifically name-drops Douglas Baldridge, a Venable partner who’s worked with Swift since 2013 and recently returned to the firm after a stint as her general counsel. In legal filings this week, the firm formally opposed a filing that it described as a “fishing expedition” by Baldoni and his lawyers: “Venable had nothing to do with the film at issue or any of the claims or defenses asserted in the underlying lawsuit.”
LIL DURK DENIED BAIL – Days after federal prosecutors dropped Lil Durk’s rap lyrics from his murder-for-hire case, his lawyers argued that the new “watered-down” charges dramatically weakened the case against him and supported his push to be released from jail ahead of trial. But a federal judge then refused to release him, citing a report that Durk has been using other inmates’ jailhouse phone calls, thereby showing a “disrespect for the rules.”
HALLE RESTRAINING ORDER – A Los Angeles judge granted a restraining order to Halle Bailey against DDG, her ex-boyfriend and the father of her 1-year-old son, after she claimed that he had attacked her multiple times. In legal filings seeking the order, Bailey alleged that in one incident, her ex (Darryl Dwayne Granberry Jr.) pulled her hair, slammed her face on the steering wheel and chipped her tooth.
DRAKE v. UMG UPDATE – Weeks after Drake updated his libel lawsuit against UMG to add gripes about Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl performance of “Not Like Us,” the music giant again asked a judge to dismiss the entire case. In doing so, UMG’s lawyers said the new claims about the halftime show are what the case is really about: “Drake’s attack on the commercial and creative success of the rap artist who defeated him, rather than the content of Lamar’s lyrics.”
SMOKEY ROBINSON ALLEGATIONS – The legendary Motown singer and his wife were hit with an explosive new lawsuit, seeking $50 million in damages over claims that he repeatedly raped four housekeepers over nearly two decades. Robinson’s lawyers strenuously denied the claims, calling them “vile, false allegations” and “an ugly method of trying to extract money from an 85-year-old American icon.”
BAD BUNNY COPYRIGHT CASE – The reggaeton superstar was sued for infringement over allegations that a track from his chart-topping Un Verano Sin Ti (“Enséñame a Bailar”) featured an unlicensed sample from a song called “Empty My Pocket” by a Nigerian artist named Dera. The lawsuit claims the issue was raised with Bunny’s reps, but that they’ve “turned a blind eye” and “stonewalled” efforts to properly clear the sample.
ANOTHER SAMPLE DISPUTE – British singer-songwriter Bakar and his viral track “Hell N Back” – featured in millions of TikTok videos – were hit with a messy new lawsuit over the song’s prominent use of a sample from Robert Parker’s 1967 R&B track “I Caught You In A Lie.” The case claims Bakar and Sony Music cleared the sample, but did so with the wrong rightsholders who have been making “false claim of ownership” to Parker’s song.
DATA BREACH AT iHEART – iHeartMedia was hit with a proposed class action from subscribers after publicly disclosing that several of its radio stations were hacked months ago, exposing Social Security numbers, financial information and other personal details. The company says it “immediately implemented our response protocols” to contain the hack, but attorneys for the subscribers say iHeart waited four months to tell subscribers about it.
LIVE NATION AT SCOTUS – Live Nation asked the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn a ruling last year that said the concert giant couldn’t enforce “opaque and unfair” arbitration agreements against ticketbuyers. That ruling – a scathing critique of Live Nation’s approach – showed improper “judicial hostility,” Live Nation warned the justices, and will create “massive uncertainty” over how such clauses can be used and enforced.
(DIDN’T) GET THEM TO THE GREEK – The Grammy-winning band The Kingston Trio sued a Los Angeles music attorney for fraud, claiming that he lied about having an “inside track” to book the folk group at the Greek Theatre last summer. The group says the lawyer, David A. Helfant, charged them high fees but didn’t actually have any secret mojo to get them booked at the legendary venue. Helfant denied the allegations, saying they were “completely without merit.”
FLORIDA DRAG LAW ICED – A federal appeals court has upheld an injunction blocking the state of Florida from enforcing a law signed by Governor Ron DeSantis that would restrict drag shows in the state, ruling that the statute likely violates the First Amendment’s protection of free speech: “The act wields a shotgun when the First Amendment allows a scalpel at most,” the court wrote.
WEEZER WIFE CHARGED – Author Jillian Lauren, the wife of Weezer bassist Scott Shriner, was officially charged with two felony counts following a bizarre shootout with police at her Los Angeles home last month. The charges are serious (discharge of a firearm with gross negligence and assault with a semiautomatic firearm) but less than she initially faced when booked on suspicion of attempted murder following the April 8 altercation.
The International Music Summit (IMS) will return to Dubai this fall. This will be the electronic music industry conference’s second time in the United Arab Emirates after debuting in Dubai in late 2024. The event will happen November 13-14 at 25hours Hotel One Central. At this year’s conference, IMS will gather industry figures from the […]
Sony Music reported record high operating profit and a 14% jump in revenue for its fiscal year, as revenue from subscription streaming and its live, merchandise and sync business bolstered earnings, parent company Sony Group Corp. reported Wednesday (May. 14). Sony’s music segment, which includes Sony Music Entertainment, Sony Music Entertainment Japan and Sony Music Publishing, […]
Mexican music powerhouse Fonovisa-Disa is rebranding as Fono, it was announced on Wednesday (May 14).
The new name for the regional Mexican label, which is part of Universal Music Group, comes more than 40 years after its launch. It went on to become a pioneering company at a time when música mexicana didn’t have the global spotlight it has today.
“This isn’t the end of an era, at least we don’t feel like it is,” Antonio Silva, Fono’s U.S.-Mexico MD and a towering figure at the company, tells Billboard. “This is an evolution of Fonovisa, of our team, our artists, and it is an evolution designed to expand our genre and culture. This rebranding does not make Fonovisa’s legacy disappear, we intend to make [the genre] more relevant and take it beyond where our artists have already taken it.”
Fono is home to genre giants Alejandro Fernández, Los Tigres del Norte and Banda El Recodo, to name a few of the veterans on its roster, as well as emerging acts such as Camila Fernández, Danny Felix and Majo Aguilar — a reflection of the genre’s multigenerational audience. The label’s rebranding comes at a time when regional Mexican music has grown significantly in popularity and exposure over the past few years. Still, there’s much more opportunity for growth, says Alfredo Delgadillo, president/CEO of Universal Music México.
“Mexican music is in a good place right now, but we want to see it go further,” says Delgadillo, who notes the rebranding has been in the works for over a year. “It’s important to note that while corridos are getting all the attention at this moment, the rest of the subgenres like banda, norteño, mariachi, cumbia, continue to have enormous relevance, and we don’t want that to get lost. We see a very strong opportunity. The focus on the corrido, which is very important and, coming from what Fonovisa is and what it has built, we don’t want it to end or stay there. For us, the cultural richness of the entire genre goes beyond a special moment for just one of the subgenres.”
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Fono will continue building on the legacy that Fonovisa-Disa built. Previously an indie label, Fonovisa was acquired by Universal in 2008 and became an institution in the regional Mexican music space. “We saw this as [an opportunity] to grow, to take Mexican music and all its genres to other regions and territories,” says Ana Martínez, who was appointed Fono’s U.S. GM last year. “Our vision is focused on the opportunity to take our culture to other audiences, above all in a sustainable way, helping develop something that lasts more than the isolated impact that sometimes happens.”
Adds Silva, “After so many years of working in the music industry and practically all dedicated to regional Mexican, I’ve experienced the phenomenon of Bronco, Rigo Tovar and so many more that have been a part of our history. Now, to reach this moment where the company has this vision of expanding our culture and all that we are, I’m thankful to Fono and Universal for giving us a new road to navigate the world.”
Industry executives Daniel Oakley, Darren Potuck and Cage the Elephant co-founder/guitarist Brad Shultz have partnered to form the new label Parallel Vision, it was revealed to Billboard on Wednesday (May 14). Additionally, the Nashville and Los Angeles-based label announced it has formed a joint venture with Big Loud Rock (the alternative/rock imprint of Big Loud Records) to sign its flagship artist, rock duo Girl Tones.
Composed of sisters Kenzie and Laila, Girl Tones has opened shows for Cage the Elephant in Europe and later joined The Velveteers and hey, nothing on those acts’ stateside shows. In July, the duo will join Silversun Pickups on a run of North American shows and is also slated to play festivals including Lollapalooza, Shaky Knees and Austin City Limits.
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To mark the signing, Girl Tones released its new single and video, “Blame,” on Wednesday. Described as “vintage-tinged,” the Casey Pierce-directed video was filmed at Nashville’s Dive Motel and plays up the trope of sibling rivalry.
“We’ve been friends for nearly two decades, each carving out different corners of the industry — artist, executive, creative, while also working and creating together throughout those years,” said Oakley in a statement. “Brad had spent the last several years developing and producing artists while Darren and I worked with major music and entertainment companies.”
Added Shlutz, “We were presented with a chance to have our own outlet to further develop and release the music. Parallel Vision is that avenue. It’s honestly a blessing the way it all came together. Girl Tones is the perfect first chapter. They’ve gone from local stages to global releases and touring internationally in under a year — and we’re just getting started.”
On the label’s partnership with Big Loud Rock, Potuck added, “At Parallel Vision, we’re driven by a desire to support artists who push boundaries. Partnering with Big Loud Rock gives us the infrastructure and momentum to take that vision to a much bigger audience — without compromising the art. We’re excited to build something that respects creativity while delivering at the highest level.”
Joey Moi, a Big Loud partner and president at Big Loud Rock, added, “Big Loud Rock is honored to be in partnership with the renowned team at Parallel Vision and their first signing Girl Tones. As part of our label’s mission to develop the next generation of alternative-rock artists, these strategic partnerships will be part of our core mission as we continue to build and take this company to new heights.”
Big Loud Rock is also home to artists including Blame My Youth, Bizzy and Sikarus.
LONDON — Manchester’s Co-op Live Arena has teamed up with Adidas and Abbey Road Studios for the launch of a new recording studio inside its premises.
The Adidas Originals Recording Studio is situated inside the U.K.’s largest music arena and has been designed as “a vibrant hub for emerging musical talent and young creative communities.” The studio has been engineered by Abbey Road’s technicians and sound engineers.
The studio in Manchester, England will be available to local musicians from August onwards. The initiative is launched in conjunction with a number of existing schemes, including Abbey Road’s Amplify and Equalise programmes, which hosts a number of panels, workshops and recording opportunities at the iconic London studios each year.
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Factory’s International’s Factory Sounds initiative, which provides financial support and mentorship to underrepresented groups in the Greater Manchester area, is also involved with the project. Courteeners frontman Liam Fray, who was born and raised in Middleton, Manchester, opened the studio with an acoustic live performance and praised the space and the opportunities it may provide: “To have something of this level up here that is a focal point in Manchester opens up the industry and takes it to a wider audience.”
Despite a rocky, delayed opening, the Co-op Live Arena has become a key venue on the U.K.’s touring circuit, with a number of huge acts set to perform there this summer, including Bruce Springsteen, Olivia Rodrigo, Tyler, the Creator, Massive Attack and more.
Sally Davies, managing director of Abbey Road Studios, said in a statement: “The launch of the adidas Originals Recording Studio is a world-first collaboration creating a new, Abbey Road-engineered recording space beyond the walls of our home in London.”
“We are enormously proud to partner with Adidas, Co-op Live and Factory International to create a new platform for talent in Manchester and the North-West, expanding our mission to enable and empower the global community of music makers and creators, and shape the future of music making.”
LONDON — A new Tube map showcasing the breadth of London’s artists and music venues has been published as part of a campaign championing the capital’s grassroots scene.
The map highlights record shops, nightclubs and historic locations across the city, as well as venues such as XOYO and Electrowerkz to institutions such as the Barbican. London-raised artists including Dua Lipa, Dave and recent Billboard U.K. cover star Loyle Carner also feature.
Each Underground line has been reimagined as a different aspect of the city’s music scene, with the Jubilee line displaying London-made albums, the Metropolitan line showing independent record labels, and the District line listing “25 artists to see in 2025.” The iconic map was designed by Harry Beck and first came into use in 1933.
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London mayor Sir Sadiq Khan and Transport for London (TfL) joined forces with media leaders to devise the map as part of the London Creates campaign. Over the next month, it will be displayed at digital exhibition space Outernet London in Tottenham Court Road.
In a statement, Khan said: “London’s grassroots music scene is renowned around the world. From providing opportunities for talented aspiring artists to develop their trade, to giving Londoners a great night out, our venues are an essential part of our life at night and provide a huge boost to our economy.
“However, they have faced huge challenges in recent years, which is why we’re joining with partners across the capital to champion all parts of London’s grassroots music scene. This special edition Tube map is a great way to highlight what a huge impact the scene has on our capital, as we continue to do all we can to support venues and build a more prosperous London for everyone.”
Mark Davyd, founder and CEO of Music Venue Trust, added: “London is one of the world’s great music cities, constantly reinventing itself with new sounds, new genres, and incredible new artists. The network of grassroots music venues in London are an essential part of what makes the capital’s music thrive, delivering an extraordinary range of music, community and life changing experiences at affordable prices.”
According to City Hall, London is home to 179 grassroots music venues, which in the last year have welcomed more than 4.2m audience members, hosted performances by more than 328,000 artists, employed nearly 7,000 people and contributed £313m ($417m) to the economy.
The map was formally published in the Metro newspaper yesterday (May 13). Further information about the campaign can be found at the newspaper’s official website.
Live Nation has announced the launch of a $30 concert ticket initiative for summer 2025, through which fans will be able to access more than 1,000 shows at select amphitheaters across the U.S. and Canada throughout the season.
Live music fans can catch concerts from The Offspring, Halsey, Nelly, Pierce the Veil, Avril Lavigne, Kesha, HARDY, Dierks Bentley, Cyndi Lauper, Kidz Bop Kids, Rod Stewart and many more for just $30 — an all-inclusive price with no additional fees outside of local taxes.
Additional artists under the $30 ticket options include Willie Nelson, Simple Plan, The Black Keys, Weird Al Yankovic, Little Big Town, James Taylor, Leon Bridges, Goo Goo Dolls, Luke Bryan, Barenaked Ladies, Billy Idol, Cody Jinks, Keith Urban, Big Time Rush, Volbeat, Slightly Stoopid and more.
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More shows will be added throughout the summer, giving fans multiple chances to score $30 tickets all season long.
Starting May 21 in the U.S. and Canada, fans can go to Live Nation’s Ticket to Summer site to see the full list of participating events and add the ticket type “$30 Ticket to Summer” to their cart for the deal. T-Mobile and Rakuten members will get early access on May 20. All ticket sales will begin at 10 a.m. ET on the given day.
The $30 Tickets to Summer initiative follows Live Nation’s similar summer offering, Live Nation Concert Week. Live Nation Concert Week, which hit its 10-year anniversary last year, only lasted seven days. Notably, the promoter recently discontinued its popular Lawn Pass program, through which music fans paid a flat fee for a lawn ticket to every summer concert at participating amphitheaters. At the time of that announcement, the company said it would replace the six-year-old program with something different. The $30 Ticket to Summer will be the promotion giant’s only summer offering for the 2025 season.
Tickets for this year’s $30 Tickets to Summer are available for select Live Nation shows while inventory lasts.
Bill Ackman, whose hedge fund Pershing Square Capital has been among Universal Music Group’s largest investors, said he will resign from his seat on UMG’s board of directors effective Wednesday “due to new executive and board obligations arising from his recent investments,” according to a company statement. In a brief announcement posted Wednesday hours ahead […]