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A U.S. federal court judge has ruled that Ultra Music Publishing must change its name within six months after a jury found that the company breached the “Ultra” trademark owned by the Sony Music-owned Ultra Records.
Ultra Music Publishing is owned by Patrick Moxey, who also founded Ultra Records in 1995 and sold his remaining 50% share of the label to Sony Music in 2021. Sony brought the lawsuit against Ultra Music Publishing the following year, attesting that Moxey (who founded the publishing company in 2004) had signed away his rights to the trademark after selling his stake in the Ultra label.
At the December trial, lawyers for Sony/Ultra Records argued that the label had impliedly licensed the Ultra trademark to the publishing company but that, after terminating that license in March 2022, the publishing company had continued to use the trademark in bad faith. The jury in the case agreed, also finding that the Ultra mark was distinctive, that Ultra Music Publishing was in breach of the license and that its use of the Ultra name was “likely to dilute [Ultra] Records’ Ultra trademark.”
However, the jury also found that Ultra Music Publishing’s use of the trademark wasn’t “likely to cause confusion among [Ultra Music] Publishing’s customers, and that [Ultra] Records suffered nodamage from Publishing’s breach of the license.” As a result, the jury awarded no damages or legal costs to Sony/Ultra Records.
“Independent music companies are always facing challenges from major corporations, who are threatened more than ever by their increasing success,” said Moxey in a statement sent to Billboard following Tuesday’s ruling. “With 13 songwriters nominated across seven categories at this year’s Grammys, and their participation in winning Album of the Year, R&B Album of the Year, and Rap Album of the Year, we are proud of the many successes of the songwriters we represent. Our roster of talented writers and producers, alongside our executive team will keep doing what they do best — delivering the exceptional work that has made us who we are. Nothing changes except the name.”
Sony Music declined to comment on the ruling.
Though the trademark case is now resolved, the legal battle between Sony Music and the publisher isn’t over. Last November, Moxey’s Ultra International Music Publishing and Ultra Music Publishing Europe sued Sony Music Entertainment and its subsidiaries — including Ultra Records — over allegations of copyright infringement, claiming Sony and its affiliates had been using Ultra Publishing’s compositions without a license. Last week, Sony Music Entertainment asked a judge to throw out that lawsuit, calling the complaint an act of “retaliation” against the major label for filing its trademark suit against the publishing outfit two years prior. That case is ongoing.
Just over a week after A$AP Rocky (born Rakim Mayers) was found not guilty on all counts in his 2021 felony shooting case, A$AP Relli (born Terell Ephron) is moving forward with his civil lawsuit against the A$AP Mob frontman.
On Wednesday (Feb. 26), Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge William Fahey lifted a hold on Relli’s assault and battery case against Rocky and set a trial date of Jan. 12, 2026, according to Rolling Stone.
Relli’s lawyer, Melisa Mikhail, reportedly appeared virtually at the hearing and said that her client had no plans of dropping the lawsuit while citing the lower burden of proof in a civil versus criminal court.
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“We intend to continue litigating this case,” Mikail said. “The standard in a criminal case is much higher than the preponderance of the evidence standard in a civil matter. We still believe that our claims have merit, and we intend on fully litigating them.”
During the hearing, Rocky’s civil attorney James Sargent reportedly argued that “there’s no longer a basis” for the case. “Mr. Ephron testified in the criminal case as to the facts and circumstances,” Sargent said. “The jury’s acquittal speaks volumes as to how they valued that testimonial evidence.”
The next hearing in the civil lawsuit — which was originally filed in 2022 — is scheduled for May 28. Billboard has reached out to attorneys for both Relli and Rocky for comment.
In both the criminal and civil cases, Rocky is accused of firing a weapon at Relli following a heated confrontation near a Hollywood hotel on Nov. 6, 2021. In the criminal trial, Relli maintained that he was grazed by gunfire, but Tacopina argued that the weapon was in fact a prop gun filled with blanks.
Rocky, who had faced two felony counts of assault with a firearm and a maximum of 24 years in prison in the criminal case, was acquitted by a jury on Feb. 18. Upon the reading of the verdict, the Harlem rapper embraced his attorney and then dove into the gallery to celebrate with his partner, Rihanna. The rapper had earlier turned down a final plea deal ahead of trial that would have resulted in a 180-day jail sentence.
Jukebox, a music platform where retail investors can buy royalty shares linked to songs like Adele’s “Rumour Has It” or Taylor Swift’s “Welcome to New York”, has appointed Mike Coppola to be its new CEO and board member, the company announced Wednesday (Feb. 26).
Coppola, previously a senior adviser at the fintech growth fund WestCap who was an executive at TouchTunes when it was acquired by Searchlight Capital, assumed the CEO role in January. He succeeds Scott Cohen, former chief innovation officer at Warner Music Group and co-founder of The Orchard, who has led Jukebox since its launch in 2022.
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Previously referred to as JKBX, Jukebox says it’s entering a pivotal new phase aimed at growing its investor base through partnerships with popular retail brokerages, and Coppola’s background and network is key to developing the company’s market presence and recruiting talent.
“Mike’s proven track record as an operator, driving growth, fostering innovation, and scaling companies across finance and technology makes him the ideal leader for Jukebox’s next chapter,” Sam Hendel, Jukebox’s co-founder/chairman, said in a statement. “Together, we are pioneering an SEC-qualified offering to take music public, unlocking investment opportunities for both institutional and retail investors. Mike is a crucial component in bringing this vision to life, and I couldn’t ask for a better partner leading this charge.”
Founded on the idea that investing in iconic music catalogs should not be exclusively available to record labels, private equity funds and institutional investors, Jukebox launched its first investment offering last year — a Tier 2 Regulation A offering approved by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Visitors to Jukebox’s website can buy royalty shares in songs like Beyoncé’s “Halo,” Ellie Goulding’s “Burn” and “Lean On,” performed by Major Lazer, MØ and DJ Snake — and, as of this year, they can earn dividends when those songs are played. Through founders Hendel and John Chapman, whose Dundee Partners owns a controlling stake in the catalog investment company Chord, Jukebox has exclusive access to Chord’s 60,000 music copyrights that could be packaged into future offerings.
For now, Coppola tells Billboard they’re focused on growing Jukebox’s market presence and that it’s currently in a pilot phase with one major investment platform. Notably, retail brokerages such as Robinhood, Charles Schwab and Fidelity are expanding their list of alternative investment offerings beyond cryptocurrency to reach eager young investors.
In addition to reaching more investors through inclusion on those investment platforms, Coppola says the company is working through several regulatory steps to develop a secondary marketplace for Jukebox royalty shares.
“It took Jukebox a year and a half to get SEC approval, and the founders here spared no expense … to make sure they could get that done and they did,” says Coppola. “The next thing we have to build is the ability for these securities to be tradable anywhere, and not just on our website.”
Artist contract clauses to promote environmentally sustainable touring were highlighted Wednesday (Feb. 26) in London at the 37th annual International Music Conference.
The green initiatives have been put forth by the U.K. live music advocacy group LIVE (Live Music Industry Venues and Entertainment). Its members are a federation of 16 live music industry associations representing some 3,159 businesses, more than 34,000 British artists and 2,000 backstage workers.
Delegates to the ILMC, who hailed from some 60 countries, were greeted Wednesday morning with comments from Chris Bryant, the U.K. minister for creative industries, arts and tourism. “Live music in the U.K. is a really important part of what we have to offer,” said Bryant (while he lamented poor wifi at festivals and “utterly inedible” food at many venues).
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The green contract clauses, initially announced by LIVE last October, are “designed to galvanise industry-wide action and transform the environmental impact of live events,” according to a statement from the organization.
Efforts to reduce the impact of travel-intensive touring on the climate have been promoted in recent years by artists like Coldplay.
When the band announced its Music of the Spheres Tour in 2021, it pledged to reduce its direct carbon emissions—from show production, freight, band and crew travel—by at least 50%. Coldplay subsequently announced that carbon emissions on the first two years of that tour were 59% less than its previous stadium tour (2016-2017) on a show-by-show basis, with its figures verified by the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative.
The LIVE environmental proposals come at a time when climate change is acknowledged as the driving cause of catastrophes worldwide, from extreme flooding in Europe last fall to the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles earlier this year.
Within the music industry, it has been estimated that extreme weather had affected at least 30 major concerts in 2023, including evacuations, cancellations and postponements, based on a running tally, “while the total number of affected music events worldwide is surely far higher,” Billboard reported.
The contract clauses result from discussions with representatives from the agencies Wasserman and ATC Live, the global event producer TAIT, the Music Managers Forum and other major players in the touring industry. Leading the process has been the working group LIVE Green, guided by Carol Scott, the Principal Sustainability Advocate at TAIT, and Live Green impact consultant Ross Patel.
“It’s a long road, we’re all on it and we’re going in the right direction,” Patel told an ILMC session Wednesday which he hosted, along with Hilary Walsh, general manager of the U.K.booking agency Pure Represents.
The clauses are intended to help artists, agents, promoters,venues and others to create events with environmental sustainability at the core of planning events, with a focus on energy efficiency; waste reduction; water conservation; local and sustainable food; low carbon emission means of transport to encouraging attendees to travel to the show using lower carbon emission transport; offering sustainable and ethical merch; and much more.
“We’re presented with the evidence of a changing global climate on a daily basis,” said Patel as he opened the ILMC session. “And we also know that we hold the keys to be more resilient.”
Patel made the point that the changes to long-standing practices needed within the live music industry to make touring more sustainable are similar to those in the field of health and safety that are now considered standard.
Patel praised “industry professionals who can pack out an empty room at the drop of a hat, or transport thousands of fans to fields in the middle of nowhere, for life-changing experiences…. So why stop there? Why not create events that fill attendees with hope” in the face of climate challenges.
Environmentally sustainable live events exist, said Patel. “The challenge is how to increase the frequency of that.”
Walsh offered the perspective of Pure Represents, a relatively young booking agency, whose founder, Angus Baskerville, has made sustainability a personal and business priority.
“It’s really important to Angus,” said Walsh, noting the agency founder is the father of two small children and “wanted to leave behind a legacy that was sustainable.”
Walsh notes that the green contract clauses (available online from LIVE) have been easily inserted into touring agreements for Pure clients.
But sometimes those clauses have been deleted in returned contracts. Reducing resistance to change, says Walsh, required “conversations, not just on email, on Power Points, or any of that” with promoters, venues, tour managers, production managers and artist managers.
“It’s about us sharing that information,” says Walsh. “I think slowly everybody is getting onboard.”
Katie Bain provided assistance in this story.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is scrutinizing iHeartMedia’s upcoming iHeartCountry Festival in Austin as part of an investigation into whether radio stations have been offering airplay to artists in exchange for free shows.
In a lengthy letter sent Monday (Feb. 24) to iHeartMedia chairman/CEO Robert Pittman, FCC chairman Brendan Carr — who was appointed to the FCC board in 2023 by former President Joe Biden and promoted to chairman via an executive order from President Donald Trump on Jan. 21 — said he “want[s] to know whether iHeart is effectively and secretly forcing musicians to choose between, one, receiving their usual, ordinary, and full scale compensation for performing or, two, receiving less favorable airplay on iHeart radio stations.”
Carr went on to note that “certain owners of federally licensed radio stations are effectively compelling musicians to perform at radio station events or festivals for free (or for reduced compensation) in exchange for more favorable airplay,” a practice he warned violated federal bans on practices like payola.
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The letter follows a previous letter sent by U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) to the FCC earlier this month in which she asked the agency to take action to prevent the alleged practice, claiming it was “critically impacting Tennessee’s content creators.” The FCC subsequently issued an enforcement advisory in which it warned that promising radio play in exchange for free concerts would break federal law. The agency further said it would “consider investigating substantive allegations of payola that come to its attention.”
Traditionally, payola investigations have dealt with music labels and publishing groups paying radio stations to illegally promote commercial music and boost album sales. In 1959, popular radio personalities like Alan Freed were investigated by both the U.S. House and Senate for accepting cash “consulting fees” to play songs on the radio as requested by the shadowy radio promotion industry. In the 1970s, the investigation expanded to include the Italian mafia, whom the FCC accused of using drugs like cocaine for payola. In the 1990s, former NY District Attorney Elliot Spitzer won payola settlements against Sony, BMG and Warner Music, and won a civil lawsuit against Entercom.
Carr’s letter to iHeartMedia hints that the federal government may adopt a novel legal theory that radio promotion concerts, held by large FM radio stations in markets across the U.S., could be a form of payola. Specifically, Carr singles out the May 3 iHeartCountry Festival in Austin, Texas.
Carr’s three-page letter to iHeart included eight lengthy questions he asked Pittman to answer within 10 days. Among other things, Pittman is requesting a list of all artists playing iHeartCountry Festival at Austin’s Moody Center, how much they would normally be paid for a concert appearance and whether any of the artists “will receive better or worse airplay on iHeart radio stations based on their participation in the Festival or the compensation they receive for performing at the Festival.”
In the music business, artists’ appearances are typically delineated into two categories: promotional, or media, appearances, when an artist is promoting a new venture like an album or a film and appears on a talk show to promote that project; and paid appearances, when an artist performs or showcases their talents to audience members who have typically paid some type of admission fee. Artists aren’t usually paid for promotional appearances, and radio concerts have long been categorized by radio stations as promotional in nature and typically do not include payments.
Carr continued that he wants to learn more about the upcoming iHeart concert so that he can get “a real-world example of how such events are put together—including artist solicitation and compensation—and the procedures that are in place to ensure compliance with the relevant statutes and regulations.”
Officials with iHeartMedia responded to the letter in a statement, noting that the company looks forward to “demonstrating to the Commission how performing at the iHeartCountry Festival — or declining to do so — has no bearing on our stations’ airplay, and we do not make any overt or covert agreements about airplay with artists performing at our events.”
The iHeart statement goes on to say, “The iHeartCountry Festival provides the same kind of promotion that that we see with artists on talk shows, late night television, the Super Bowl and in digital music performances and events: the promotional value to the artists is the event itself, and, in our case, is unrelated to our radio airplay.”
This lineup at this year’s iHeartCountry Festival lineup, which is slated for May 3, includes Brooks & Dunn, Thomas Rhett, Rascal Flatts, Cole Swindell, Sam Hunt, Megan Moroney, Bailey Zimmerman and Nate Smith.
Josh Groban signed with CAA in all areas. According to a press release, the singer has sold more than 35 million albums worldwide. In May, he will play an exclusive five-night run at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. Groban is managed by Diarmuid Quinn at TourDForce Productions. His attorney is Richard Leher and his publicist is Luke Burland.
Coi Leray signed a recording contract with Epic Records and signed with Cory Litwin at Range Media Partners for management. Leray released the EP What Happened to Forever on Feb. 12. She previously released music on Universal Music Group’s Republic and Island Records.
Armada Music extended its deal with D.O.D with a new long-term agreement. The British DJ/producer just released the single “Wrap Yourself Around Me” featuring NORTH. Armada is also D.O.D’s publisher via its Armada Music Publishing arm.
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Spanish electronic artist Judeline signed with WME for representation in all areas. She previously released the EP De La Luz and the album Bodhiria. Last summer, she opened for J Balvin on his European tour and is currently wrapping her second solo tour. Her upcoming set at Coachella will serve as her U.S. festival debut.
The U.K. office of Believe signed deals with three rap artists: SL, Cristal and Strandz. SL signed an artist services deal covering both frontline and back catalog, with the rapper retaining ownership of his masters and creative control. Cristale and Strandz signed distribution deals on frontline releases, with Believe providing label management, editorial and marketing partnerships at DSPs, video and audience development, and synch services.
Singer-songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist Cautious Clay (Joshua Karpeh) signed with Concord Records, which recently released his new single “No Champagne (6am).” Concord Music Publishing previously acquired Clay’s catalog in 2024.
Mexican singer Carolina Ross signed a record deal with Fonovisa/Universal after several years as an independent artist. Born in Culiacán, Sinaloa, the artist’s acoustic versions of regional Mexican hits have amassed more than 400 million streams, according to a press release. – Tere Aguilera
Pop-rock group Arrows in Action signed with Nettwerk, which will release the trio’s new album, I Think I’ve Been Here Before, on May 16, with a second installment of the album to follow.
Nettwerk also signed indie-pop artist Your Smith (formerly Caroline Smith) and released her new single “Peaches.”
Warner Music Group signed a global label deal with Japanese dance and vocal boy group PSYCHIC FEVER via Warner Music Japan, in partnership with 10K projects in the U.S. The group will release its first single under Warner Music in June.
Ontario, Canada, band Arm’s Length signed with Pure Noise Records, which will put out the group’s sophomore album, There’s A Whole New World Out There, on May 16. The album is preceded by the single “Funny Face,” which is out now.
Anthony Martini and Rich Barner‘s recently launched Gravel Road Records signed country artist Travis Bolt (“Never Tried Cocaine”). An EP is coming in the spring.
Melbourne-based band Tropical F— Storm signed to indie label Fire Records, which released the group’s new single, “Goon Show.”
DJ Python (Brian Piñeyro) signed to XL Recordings, which will release his forthcoming five-track EP, I Was Put On This Earth, on March 28 as part of the label’s “house bag series.” The first track to be released from the EP is “Besos Robados.”
Triple Tigers Records signed singer-songwriter and Tennessee native Shane Profitt. Profitt earned a top 20 Billboard Country Airplay hit with “How It Oughta Be” in 2023 and previously released the BMLG Records/Harpeth 60 Records project Maury County Line. He is currently in the studio working on new music and is managed by Maverick Nashville Management. The Triple Tigers Records roster also includes Scotty McCreery, Russell Dickerson and Jordan Fletcher. – Jessica Nicholson
Sony Music Nashville signed Latina country singer-songwriter Kat Luna. Luna was previously part of the duo Kat & Alex and has since released solo music including “That Girl” and “Happiest I’ve Ever Been.” She is prepping new music with producer Nathan Chapman and is represented by Neon Coast for management, UTA for booking and Warner Chappell Nashville for publishing. – Jessica Nicholson
Korean rock artist LØREN signed with L.A.-based label AYLA. LØREN previously worked as a songwriter on BLACKPINK’s The Album, including the tracks “Pretty Savage,” “You Never Know” and “Lovesick Girls.”
Warner Classics signed the all-women vocal ensemble Lyyra. The first release under the deal will be a digital single of Vienna Teng’s song “Hymn of Acxiom,” which will be released on March 7 to celebrate International Women’s Day.
A Missouri woman has pleaded guilty to mail fraud for her role in an alleged scam to steal the Elvis Presley family’s ownership interest in the famed Graceland mansion. Lisa Jeanine Findley, who has gone by various aliases including Lisa Holden and Lisa Howell, initially pleaded not guilty to mail fraud and aggravated identity theft […]
Sacramento’s newest music venue, Channel 24, has announced its inaugural lineup as it prepares to open its doors this spring. Opening the venue for its first official show on April 24 is young country music artist Tucker Wetmore — Billboard‘s Country Rookie of the Month in May 2024 — whose debut single, “Wind Up Missin’ […]
Smart Music Group (SMG) has entered into a contract with Grupo Arriesgado, Billboard Español can exclusively reveal Tuesday (Feb. 25). Co-founders and artist managers, Raczon López and Natalia Corona — also honorees on last year’s Latin Power Players list — have launched a new label focusing on this five-member band that is currently gaining traction on social media platforms.
Originally formed in late 2013 on a ranch named Costa Rica in Culiacán, Sinaloa, and initially led by former frontman turned soloist Panter Bélico, Grupo Arriesgado gained popularity with hits such as the accordion-infused “Jimenez” (2021), “El H,” and “Enloquecido” (2022). With César Alfonso stepping in as the new lead vocalist, they have secured significant radio play and impressive digital platform statistics, amassing 4.7 million monthly listeners on Spotify and maintaining a vigorous schedule of live performances.
Their digital presence is equally robust with 882,000 followers on Instagram, 1.1 million followers and 23.8 million likes on TikTok, and a strong YouTube following with 472,000 subscribers and over 600 million views. Jesús Cuadras (electric bass), César Soto (bajo sexto), Alfonso Rodríguez (second voice) and Ángel de León (drums) also make up the band.
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“Our relationship with Grupo Arriesgado began with the promotion of their three most recent releases, which allowed us to increase their audience on Spotify to almost 5 million monthly listeners and accumulate 35 million views on the main platforms,” López tells Billboard. “For this reason, the group wanted to take its relationship with Smart Music Group (SMG) to the next level and we have signed an agreement that makes us their representatives.”
He adds: “From now on, we will provide a comprehensive strategy that combines digital growth with presence in traditional media. This work will consolidate Grupo Arriesgado as one of the most important groups in regional Mexican.”
López and Corona have recently managed the 2024 global breakout star Xavi, who topped Hot Latin Songs with “La Diabla” and secured the No. 2 spot with “La Víctima” on the same chart, and other notable achievements. Under the pair’s management, Xavi also clinched the Artist of the Year (New) award at the 2024 Billboard Latin Music Awards. The duo also managed newcomer Drian.
With this new partnership, Grupo Arriesgado has embarked on a fresh phase with the release of “De Aquí Soy” (2025) and “Qué Chulada” (2024), two singles that mark a shift toward a more romantic and melodic style.
Listen to “De Aquí Soy” below.