Megan Thee Stallion to Interscope, Suno Suits Dropped - Mon, Aug 17

Email us hereMegan Thee Stallion's new Interscope distribution deal and a pair of Suno lawsuit dismissals headline a busy Monday. India's music industry is also in expansion mode, with UMG and Yash Raj Films both launching new labels. Meanwhile, the Grammys' contested Asian Pop category faces a Friday deadline and a potential overhaul. Deals & M&A • Megan Thee Stallion signs Interscope distribution deal for Hot Girl Productions, retaining full masters and publishing. • UMG partners with Excel Entertainment to launch Excel Music, a new Indian film music sub-label. • Colorado's Artist Company Act takes effect, letting creatives register LLCs with a stated artistic mission — a U.S. first. Lawsuits & AI • Jamendo and The American Dollar both voluntarily dismissed their copyright infringement suits against Suno. • Ronald Isley and Rudolph's estate dismissed their Chicago trademark dispute over "The Isley Brothers" name with prejudice. • Senators Hawley and Durbin opened a bipartisan Senate probe into Roblox over child safety; records due August 31. Live & Touring • Berlin club study: ticket sales now 59% of nightclub revenue, up sharply from 21% in 2017; 39% of clubs posted losses in 2025. • Vancouver Summer Fair refund requests spike after Boy George released a controversial pro-Israel reggae track; he remains on the bill. Artists & Releases • Grammys CEO Harvey Mason Jr. signals the new Best Asian Pop category will be reworked after BTS declined to submit; deadline is August 21. International • India's Saregama now earns 60% of revenue from post-2000 catalog; live events revenue surged 214% year-over-year in Q1 FY2027. • Yash Raj Films launches Raah Records as a standalone indie label, joining Excel Music in a growing Bollywood-linked indie scene. Also Today • A viral Punjabi sample and AI TikTok trend made India the second-biggest streaming market for Haitian artist Francis Mercier. • Industry hire recap covers moves at Celestion, UnitedMasters, Merlin, Virgin, Version III, and Country Music Hall of Fame. Five minutes, six categories, zero fluff.