This week, the industry continues to pivot around AI disruption, catalog consolidation, and incremental platform shifts. From long-awaited audio upgrades at Spotify to major licensing deals and legal settlements around AI training, the pace of transformation continues, touching every corner of the rights and revenue landscape.
#1. Deezer Says Nearly One-Third of Uploaded Tracks Are AI-Generated
Deezer has revealed that almost 33% of all new tracks uploaded to its platform are now fully AI-generated. The stat comes as part of a larger platform initiative to tag and differentiate generated content from human-made music. The company is pushing for greater transparency in metadata and has already begun rolling out AI detection tools. As DSPs face an influx of machine-made content, rights-holders are increasingly concerned with how royalties, exposure, and artist visibility will be impacted.
#2. Miles Davis Catalog Acquired by Reservoir Media
Reservoir Media has struck a new deal to represent the entire publishing catalog of jazz legend Miles Davis. The agreement includes copyrights for many of Davis’ most iconic works and expands Reservoir’s footprint in legacy jazz and soundtrack licensing. The acquisition reinforces the company’s roster of historically significant music and highlights the continued commercial value of foundational jazz in film, TV, and brand sync.
#3. U.S. Streaming Subscriptions Rise, Revenue Barely Moves
New data shows that U.S. streaming subscriptions hit 105.3 million in H1 2025, but recorded music revenue grew less than 1% year-over-year. The stagnation suggests that while user bases are expanding, per-user monetization may be reaching a plateau stage, raising questions about pricing models, value tiers, and the role of superfans in unlocking future revenue growth.
#4. Anthropic to Pay $1.5 Billion in AI Copyright Settlement
Anthropic has agreed to pay $1.5 billion to settle a lawsuit filed by book authors, who alleged that the company used pirated materials to train its models. The case sets a major legal precedent for generative AI firms, particularly around how training data is sourced and compensated. While this specific suit focused on books, the implications for music are clear: datasets, licensing, and attribution are now a financial and legal priority.
#5. Spotify to Launch Lossless Audio
After years of speculation, Spotify is officially rolling out lossless music streaming as part of a new premium tier called “Supremium.” According to TechCrunch, the feature will support FLAC-quality playback for up to 24-bit/44.1kHz files. While competitors like Apple Music and Tidal have long offered HiFi audio, Spotify’s move marks a long-anticipated step toward audio quality parity and opens the door for deeper monetization through high-end listening experiences.
