Influence Media Buys Anthem for $600M, BTS Boycotts Grammys - July 30

Email us hereA $600M catalog acquisition, a Grammy boycott from one of the world's biggest acts, and a landmark European AI copyright ruling due tomorrow headline a packed Thursday. Lawsuits targeting an AI detection startup and Live Nation's antitrust fate also moved forward today. Deals & M&A • Influence Media Partners and BlackRock acquire Anthem Entertainment's 24,000-song catalog for over $600M, closing Q4 2026. • Catalog includes Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, and OneRepublic masters and publishing rights. Lawsuits & AI • Milk & Honey's Lucas Keller and producer Oak Felder sue AI firm SoundPatrol, alleging unpaid software development work. • SoundPatrol, which holds a 2025 UMG and Sony Music partnership, faces claims filed July 28 in LA Superior Court. • Judge Subramanian holds status conference on Live Nation's bid to overturn April's antitrust jury verdict. • Possible Ticketmaster divestiture hangs on outcome of Live Nation's post-trial motions. • Munich's Regional Court delivers its GEMA v. Suno AI training-data verdict tomorrow, July 31 — a potential European first. Streaming & Tech • Spotify launches AI-powered Running Mode with BPM-matching and 25 presets for Premium iOS users in seven markets. Artists & Releases • BTS will not submit comeback album Arirang for 2027 Grammy consideration, calling the new Asian Pop category geographic segregation. • Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. says he is "saddened" but respects BTS's decision. Also Today • Anthropic settles with music industry author Donald Passman for $5,000 after training Claude on his books without permission. • MBW's Murray Stassen questions why the AI chart-eligibility coalition isn't also pushing to demonetize unlicensed AI music on DSPs. • Music Ally Publishing Summit set for October 12 in London; Concord CFO and UMPG UK MD headline the speaker list. • Australia's 20th AIR Awards held in Adelaide; Ninajirachi leads with nine nominations. Five minutes, six categories, zero fluff.