UMG $3.83B & Live Nation $7.7B Q2s, Suno Loses in Germany - July 31

Email us hereThe music industry's biggest players reported blockbuster Q2 numbers today, with UMG, Sony, and Live Nation all posting double-digit revenue growth. Meanwhile, a German court handed AI music startup Suno a significant copyright loss, and UMG made a bold move to reshape India's streaming economy. It's a day defined by big money, bigger legal precedents, and one very awkward West End exit. Deals & M&A • UMG posted Q2 revenue of $3.83B, up 13.3% YoY, driven by Noah Kahan, BTS, and Olivia Rodrigo. • Sony's recorded music and publishing hit $3.12B in Q2, up 12.7%, led by Michael Jackson's catalog. • Sony raised its full-year profit forecast after strong Q2 performance across all divisions. Lawsuits & AI • Munich court ruled Suno violated German and US copyright law training on GEMA-represented songs including "Rasputin." • Suno ordered to disclose illicit revenues and pay unquantified damages; plans to appeal the ruling. • GEMA CEO calls the Munich ruling "a verdict of global significance" for AI and copyright worldwide. • London judge ordered Mitch Winehouse to pay nearly $2.7M after his knowingly weak lawsuit over Amy's belongings. Streaming & Tech • UMG will paywall new India releases to paid subscribers for 72 hours starting end of August 2026. • SiriusXM Q2: net income up 17%, self-pay churn hit record low 1.4%, podcast ad revenue surged 30%. • Spotify added "Campaign Lift" analytics to Discovery Mode, giving artists data on listener conversion. • SoundBoost launches natural-language AI mastering tool, already serving 140,000 users. Live & Touring • Live Nation Q2 revenue hit $7.7B, up 9% YoY, with record Q2 attendance of 49 million fans. • Ticketmaster revenue rose 15% to $852M; event deferred revenue hit a record $6.4B, up 25%. • Live Nation and Cidade Center Norte announced a 21,000-cap São Paulo Arena opening in 2028. Artists & Releases • Boy George dropped out of Jesus Christ Superstar at London Palladium after AI pro-Israel song backlash. International • K-pop's Big Four confirmed Fanomenon festival for December 2027 in Seoul, projecting $680M economic impact. • EY-IMI report highlights India's struggling paid streaming economy, providing context for UMG's paywall move. Five minutes, six categories, zero fluff.