UMG/Sony vs. DistroKid, Shakira's $534M Record, Cordae's $25M Suit - Mon, Oct 19

Email us here A busy Monday dominated by legal firepower: UMG and Sony are muscling DistroKid in the Suno AI case, Cordae faces a $25M lawsuit days before his album drops, and Drake is hit with a copyright claim over his #1 hit. On the deals front, Musixmatch made its first acquisition in 16 years, and a sync startup landed ABBA and pop royalty as backers. Deals & M&A • Musixmatch acquires Music Reports (Songdex owner), its first-ever deal in 16 years, expanding into mechanical, sync, print, and performance rights. • Sync startup Maia Universe signs BMG, Kobalt, WMG, and Cooking Vinyl; secures funding from Björn Ulvaeus and Max Martin. Lawsuits & AI • UMG and Sony move to compel DistroKid to reveal AI-generated music distribution data for the Suno copyright case. • MMMG Inc. sues Cordae for $25M, claiming a 2018 deal bars his October 23 collab album with Anderson .Paak. • Producer Aviel Hirschfield sues Drake and UMG, alleging Drake's "Janice STFU" lifts a chorus from his unreleased demo. • Dua Lipa's team files 30-page rebuttal urging judge to deny Samsung's bid to dismiss her $15M NIL lawsuit. Live & Touring • Bon Jovi named first BST Hyde Park 2027 headliner, playing June 24 as part of their Forever Tour. • AEG confirms Zach Bryan's 23-date Young Manhood stadium tour across North America and Australia in 2027. • Shakira's Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran tour becomes highest-grossing Latin tour ever at $534.4M across 118 shows. Also Today • DWP reports metal and punk festival attendance its strongest in a decade, drawing 1 million fans in 2026. • Pollstar Live! conference moves to the Coachella Valley in 2027, slotted between both festival weekends. • Harry Styles' Together, Together MSG residency documentary is heading to cinemas. • Over 90% of French festivals reported weather disruptions in 2026, extreme heat the top hazard. Five minutes, six categories, zero fluff.