As each week goes by, we have our fair share of legal pressure continuing to grow around playlisting practices and AI training ethics. With discovery, ownership, and transparency all being questioned, the music economy continues to shift in both expected and surprising ways.
#1. Spotify Hit with Class Action Lawsuit Over Discovery Mode
Adding to the current disputes around the platform, Spotify is facing a class action lawsuit that accuses its Discovery Mode feature of being a modern version of payola. Filed in New York, the suit claims the program misleads users by promoting tracks under the guise of personal recommendations when, in fact, labels and artists pay for exposure.
The complaint highlights that users are not given enough transparency to distinguish between editorial curation and commercial placements. With Discovery Mode now a core part of Spotify’s artist marketing toolkit, the outcome of this case could influence how DSPs present and disclose promotional features in the near future.
#2. Suno Faces New Lawsuit from Danish Rights Society KODA
Danish CMO KODA has filed a lawsuit against Suno, alleging that the AI music company used its members' copyrighted works without permission to train its generative models. This follows similar suits in the U.S. and builds further legal momentum against generative platforms accused of training on protected music.
KODA claims Suno's actions violate both moral and economic rights under European copyright law. The case adds to growing calls for licensing clarity and training transparency across international markets.
#3. Udio Resumes Downloads After Settlement with Universal
Speaking of GenAI platforms, just 48 hours after announcing a licensing settlement with Universal Music Group, Udio has resumed user downloads on its platform.
If you didn’t follow the issue, Udio had paused the feature during negotiations, but the new agreement allows them to reintroduce access under updated terms. This resolution follows weeks of legal scrutiny around how generative platforms should handle output rights.
#4. Nostalgia Is Still Driving the Streaming Economy
A new report from The Times explores how nostalgia is reshaping listener habits. From anniversary editions to legacy artist revivals, older albums are seeing sharp increases in streams, often outperforming new releases in catalog-driven formats like Spotify and Apple Music.
This resurgence is not limited to top-tier acts. Deep cuts, B-sides, and soundtrack placements are also benefiting from the nostalgia cycle. For rights-holders, this makes catalog strategy even more central.
#5. NPR’s Tiny Desk Has Outsized Impact on Emerging Artists
According to new research from Luminate, NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert series delivers a measurable lift in streaming performance for artists featured on the platform. The data shows increases in both U.S. and international listener engagement, especially for emerging and mid-tier acts. For A&R teams and managers, Tiny Desk becomes a proven accelerator for catalog exposure and fan development.
