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R. Kelly Says He Won’t Testify in Chicago Trial as Defense Calls First Witnesses

R. Kelly’s lawyers began mounting a defense Thursday in Chicago against federal charges of child pornography, enticement of minors for sex and fixing his 2008 state trial, with an initial witness contending the singer was himself a victim of blackmail. The presentation to jurors won’t include Kelly taking the witness stand. Judge Harry Leinenweber asked […]

Publishers, Streamers Reach Deal for Highest Streaming Royalty Rate Ever: Here’s How It Works

Songwriter and publisher U.S. mechanical streaming royalty rates are going up — slowly — to a headline rate of 15.35% of total revenue from 2023-2027. That’s the big news out of Wednesday’s (Aug. 31) joint announcement on the “Phonorecords IV” settlement from the National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA), the Nashville Songwriters Associations International and the […]