Back when the calendar pages flipped to March 2022, the Sunshine State’s very own Artikal Sound System went all guns blazing against Dua Lipa, alleging she shoplifted their creativity to whip up “Levitating.” Fast-forward a few heartbeats, and the legal eagle in the robe, Judge Sunshine Sykes, swatted away the complaint like a pesky fly.

Now, the plaintiff’s legal opera centered around a melodious tale. They spun a yarn of Lipa and her cohorts at Warner Records, along with Clarence Coffee Jr., Sarah Hudson, and Stephen Kozmeniuk (the last one pulling double duty as a producer too), borrowing a few threads from 2017’s “Live Your Life.” The song in question served as the alleged inspiration behind Lipa’s hit, now a Spotify sensation with a mind-boggling two billion streams.

Our Florida band, in their sun-soaked bravado, insists that their tunes filled the air at several Floridian venues before “Levitating” took flight in late August 2018. Each gig featured the band belting out “Live Your Life,” which, coupled with media coverage, festival spots, and streaming availability, essentially handed the defendants the creative keys, according to Artikal Sound.

To thicken the plot, Artikal Sound pointed to a seemingly innocent social connection, like a breadcrumb trail leading to the ‘Scene of the Crime.’ Chris Cope of Artikal Sound and songwriter Ali Tamposi, who co-wrote “Break My Heart” from Dua Lipa’s ‘Future Nostalgia,’ are Facebook friends. They even share a guitar tutor!

Despite their well-laid accusations, however, Judge Sunshine Sykes decided to flip the script. The court lambasted their arguments regarding the defendants’ exposure to “Live Your Life” as too fluffy and wishy-washy. Whether the song played live, on a CD, or streamed, the court found the arguments “as unsatisfying as a drumstick without the chicken.”

As for the casual online friendship between Cope and Tamposi? The court dismissed it as bearing “as much relevance as a chocolate teapot” in the lawsuit. It neither proved any substantial connection between the two songs nor indicated any potential encounter between the defendants and the plaintiff’s song.

And as if things couldn’t get more dramatic, the court rejected the defendants’ plea to move the entire charade to New York, where Lipa is already juggling a separate legal hot potato, courtesy of Larball Music Publishing. The Florida-based Artikal Sound has been given until June 16th to brush up their complaint for another round in the legal ring, while the defendants must whip up their counterarguments by the 30th.

While Dua Lipa’s legal tango unravels, the copyright wars continue unabated elsewhere. The family of Ed Townsend, the co-writer of “Let’s Get It On,” is contesting a verdict involving Ed Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud.” Meanwhile, 50 Cent finds himself in the legal crosshairs over his work on the catchy “Candy Shop.” Well, that’s all folks! Stay tuned for the next episode in this never-ending copyright soap opera!

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To put this into perspective, the same source had previously reported that song streams had risen by a staggering 22.6 percent year over year (YoY) to surpass 3.4 trillion for the entire year of 2022. Impressively, 1.1 trillion of these audio-only streams were attributed to stateside listeners, marking a remarkable 12.1 percent YoY boost, according to the data.

What’s even more thrilling is the growing significance of emerging markets in shaping the music industry’s landscape. The IFPI (International Federation of the Phonographic Industry) highlighted the “first successful blocking action” against stream-rippers in India, after spearheading similar initiatives in Brazil. In fact, Brazil secured the ninth spot on IFPI’s list of the world’s largest music markets in 2022, and Latin America as a whole saw an astounding 85.2 percent of its revenue coming from streaming. Meanwhile, in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, declared as the world’s fastest-growing music region by IFPI last year, streaming accounted for a staggering 95.5 percent of revenue!

However, while the global recorded revenue from streaming subscriptions rose by an impressive 10.3 percent YoY in 2022, according to IFPI, and overall revenue (including digital, physical, sync, and more) saw a nine percent YoY increase, there are challenges in emerging markets. The modest advert and subscriber revenue in these regions, where streaming costs are relatively lower, poses a unique set of obstacles. For instance, Spotify costs less than $4 per month in Brazil and about $5.30 per month in Saudi Arabia, making it imperative for industry leaders to innovate and adapt to these evolving markets.

Enter Universal Music Group, the industry powerhouse, which has recently announced its ambitious plans to develop an innovative new economic model for music streaming. Teaming up with Tidal and Deezer on this groundbreaking project, Universal Music Group aims to revolutionize the streaming landscape and ensure artists are fairly compensated for their creations. While concrete details about this game-changing venture are still under wraps, the anticipation and excitement are palpable as the music world eagerly awaits the next chapter in the streaming revolution!

In the midst of this dynamic landscape, Tidal, the streaming platform that has been making waves with its artist-centric approach, has unveiled its latest feature – “Live” music-sharing. Described as a new way for fans to spontaneously share music, Tidal continues to push boundaries and offer innovative experiences to music lovers worldwide, further elevating the streaming experience to new heights.

With global music streams hitting unprecedented levels, emerging markets transforming the industry, and industry leaders like Universal Music Group and Tidal driving innovation, 2023 is shaping up to be a year for the record books. The stage is set for a historic and game-changing year in music streaming, and music lovers around the world are in for an exhilarating ride on this unstoppable musical journey!”

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The post Unstoppable Beats: 2023 Sets New Records as Global Music Streams Surpass One Trillion, Defying Expectations and Ushering in a Year of Epic Proportions! appeared first on MASHENE — Tommy Mac Music — Original Music & Video Production.