Suno Code Breach, Merlin's $3.2M Triller Win, Reservoir Buys Nacional - Friday, July 17

Email us hereHacked Suno source code dominated headlines today, revealing the AI music company scraped YouTube Music, Deezer, and Genius to build its training data — potentially turbocharging UMG and Sony's ongoing lawsuit. Meanwhile, a federal court handed indie licensing org Merlin a $3.2 million default judgment against Triller, and Reservoir Media expanded its Latin footprint with the acquisition of Nacional Records. Deals & M&A • Reservoir Media acquired Nacional Records' recorded and publishing catalogs, forming a JV with founder Tomas Cookman for new Latin signings. • Warner Music Group renewed its multi-year licensing deal with China's NetEase Cloud Music, expanding into artist promotion and multimedia content. • New Zealand app Lume launched globally with a buy-once album model, backed by Lorde, giving artists 80% of revenue. Lawsuits & AI • Hacked Suno source code confirmed scraping of YouTube Music, Deezer, and Genius, strengthening UMG and Sony's copyright suit. • Suno opposed UMG and Sony's demand to disclose its Warner Music settlement terms, citing chilling effect on future deals. • Federal court entered a $3.2M default judgment against Triller in Merlin's unpaid-royalties case — $2.55M owed plus $668K interest. • Bad Bunny and Rimas Entertainment asked a court to reconsider refusing to dismiss the Steely and Clevie dembow copyright case. • Suno posted a Director of Accounting role signaling IPO readiness, weeks after raising $400M at a $5.4B valuation. Streaming & Tech • Samsung preinstalled Amazon Music across Galaxy devices worldwide, offering new subscribers three free months. • Spotify launched a beta conversational AI interface for Premium users in the US, Ireland, and Sweden. • Lorde criticized Spotify's AI "About the Song" feature for publishing incorrect information about her track. • Spotify expanded parent-supervised Managed Accounts to its free tier, adding content filters and data separation for children. Live & Touring • Goldenvoice announced the inaugural Ocean Way Festival on Santa Monica Beach, September 26–27, headlined by The Killers and Olivia Dean. • Massachusetts Governor Healey introduced the Noah Kahan-inspired Great Divide Act, capping ticket resale at 110% of face value. • Post Malone announced as headliner for the FIFA World Cup 2026 closing ceremony, joining Bieber, Shakira, Madonna, BTS, and Burna Boy. Artists & Releases • New Music Friday brings Gracie Abrams' Daughter from Hell, Steve Lacy's Oh Yeah?, Rick Ross' Set In Stone, and Ludwig Göransson's Odyssey soundtrack. Also Today • Madonna's TikTok LIVE Confessions II event set a platform record with 2.16 million unique viewers. • MLC black-box royalties begin pro-rata distribution in early 2027 — independent songwriters urged to register now. • Ofcom launched a new investigation into TikTok's child-protection and age-inference measures in the UK. • Avicii Estate and Pophouse launched a fan platform with archival footage, setlists, and exclusive playlists. Five minutes, six categories, zero fluff.