Suno Sued for $20M, Elton Hologram Deal, MJ Biopic Hits $977M — Thu, July 2

Email us hereJamendo's $20M lawsuit against Suno headlines a packed legal day, while Elton John's hologram Las Vegas residency and the Michael Jackson biopic closing in on $1 billion dominate the culture beat. Catalog deals, a MENA streamer take-private bid, and Tidal's AI demonetization policy round out a dense Thursday. **Deals & M&A** • Exceleration + NexTone acquire Ryuichi Sakamoto's full recordings and publishing catalog from his estate. • OSN Streaming offers $3.39/share to take MENA streamer Anghami private; special committee formed. • Spotify's first Indian telco deal bundles three free Premium months with Vodafone Idea postpaid plans. **Lawsuits & AI** • Jamendo sues Suno in federal court over 55,600 unauthorized training tracks, seeking $20M+. • Major labels and NMPA file Phonorecords V proposal to freeze mechanical rates through 2032 with inflation adjustments only. • Blur's David Rowntree accepts UK Court of Appeal dismissal of his £200M PRS "black box" class-action, calls for transparency. • Taylor Swift's team files to dismiss refiled "Life of a Showgirl" trademark suit with prejudice. • Tidal demonetizes all AI-generated music effective July 15, adding AI badges and artist-impersonation removal tools. **Streaming & Tech** • Spotify signs as exclusive streaming partner for Afro Nation Portugal, launching a dedicated Afrobeats hub. • Spotify paid Nigerian artists ~$44.3M in royalties in 2025, up just 3.4% year-on-year. **Live & Touring** • Elton John signs seven-figure deal for a 2027 hologram residency at Las Vegas Hard Rock, featuring Dua Lipa and Kiki Dee avatars. **Artists & Releases** • Michael Jackson biopic *Michael* hits $977M globally, overtaking *Oppenheimer* as highest-grossing biopic ever. • Alan Jackson's catalog surged 32% to 8.1M streams in two days after his Nashville farewell concert. • Miguel's 2015 deep cut "Damned" is up 15,273% in 16 weeks, driven by successive TikTok trends. **International** • South Korea's FTC opens formal probe into HYBE and ADOR over alleged discriminatory treatment of NewJeans member Danielle. Five minutes, six categories, zero fluff.