This week highlights major revenue milestones, overhauls in artist compensation, and new legal and platform dynamics in AI and streaming. Music companies are setting records, suing for protections, and rethinking how creators are paid and connected.
#1. Sony Tops $3B in Quarterly Music Revenue
For the first time ever, Sony’s combined recorded music and publishing revenues passed $3 billion in a single quarter. The final three months of 2025 were driven by strong physical sales, streaming, and hits from major international artists including Doja Cat and Bad Bunny. Publishing also saw significant growth thanks to synchronization and performance revenue.
#2. TikTok Redesigns Artist Payment Model
TikTok is overhauling its artist compensation rules as part of its “Artist Impact Program.” Payments will be based more heavily on official sounds and video usage, with clearer royalty structures replacing the previous Creator Fund. The update is meant to improve fairness and transparency, and could shift how artists and labels plan TikTok-focused releases.
#3. Concord and UMG Detail AI Copyright Claims
The $3 billion lawsuit against Anthropic outlines six core arguments around unlicensed use of copyrighted lyrics. The plaintiffs argue that Anthropic not only used their material without permission but also reproduced and distributed it through outputs from its Claude chatbot. The case may define how AI firms must handle rights-managed content in training data and responses.
#4. Streaming Platforms Look to Community and Control
Music Ally’s analysis looks at how streaming is evolving toward more interactive and community-led formats. As Gen Z listeners shift to platforms that allow shared discovery and creator participation, services like SoundCloud and Amazon Music are exploring ways to integrate friction, personality, and fan engagement back into the music experience.
#5. Apple Music Targeted in Streaming Fraud Allegations
A new report accuses Apple Music of allowing significant levels of streaming fraud in 2025, with up to 10% of some artists’ streams flagged as suspicious. The allegations reignite debates over transparency and fraud detection on major DSPs. Labels and distributors are once again pushing for stronger protections and cleaner data.
