When Jeremy Sirota signed on as CEO of indie digital rights nonprofit Merlin in January 2020, he had already spent years championing the independent music community.  After starting his career as a tech lawyer in the mid-2000s, Sirota worked for nine years at the Warner Music Group at WEA and ADA, helping to distribute WMG’s […]

LEVEL, a distribution company owned by Warner Music Group, announced on Thursday (Sept. 26) via Instagram that it will be shutting down in 2025. In a letter to its clients, obtained by Billboard, LEVEL notes that it is no longer accepting new songs for distribution or edits as of the date of the announcement and […]

Canadian musician K’naan has been charged with sexual assault. A charge sheet was filed this morning (Sept. 26) in Quebec City for the musician and director, born Keinan Abdi Warsame, for a count of sexual assault dating back to 2010, The Canadian Press reports. The arrest warrant alleges that the assault took place between July 16 and 17 […]

In its highest profile catalog acquisition yet, Jonas Group Publishing has purchased the publishing copyrights and recordings of pop hitmaker and songwriter Julia Michaels for an undisclosed price. The portfolio acquisition includes Michaels’ RIAA four-time platinum certified hit “If The World Was Ending,” which she wrote and recorded with JP Saxe. The portfolio also includes […]

All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes. John Lennon was more than one fourth of The Beatles — he was also a talented songwriter who, after going solo, […]