Association News
Below, you’ll find the latest Association press releases, updates on our upcoming events, introductions to our newest member companies, links to the latest content from Music Biz and our partners, and more.
Sign up for our weekly email feed to have this news delivered directly to your inbox on Fridays.
October 27, 2026 – The Future of What Episode #308 — Trust & Safety Spotlight: How Cadenza & XYNQ Turned Impersonation Into Innovation
Both Reuel Williams and Leo Fakhrul fell victim to impersonation fraud – with Leo’s label being flooded with AI slop content, and Reuel’s viral TikTok remix being uploaded to streaming platforms without his consent. The two founders turned these negative experiences into their respective startups – XYNQ and Cadenza – to help those in similar situations. In this episode, Leo discusses XYNQ’s five-layer fraud protection system that emphasizes speed, accuracy, and privacy protection. Reuel speaks on the input he’s gathering from fellow creators that is shaping Cadenza.... Click Here To Listen
October 20, 2026 – The Future of What Episode #307 — How Catalog Diligence Partners Bridges the Gap Between Business and Artists in the Industry
“The music industry doesn’t pay artists” is a blanket statement often made about our industry, but is it entirely true? Oftentimes clerical & metadata errors, mismatched information, and a lack of awareness of available resources are the true culprits behind lost earnings. Sophie Steele has set out to fix this issue, beginning with an educational PDF guide in 2019 that evolved into what Catalog Diligence Partners is today. In this episode, Sophie joins us to discuss how miscommunication between the business and creator side largely contributes to this issue,... Click Here To Listen
October 14, 2026 – [Keeping Tempo With Music Biz] — The Most Expensive Mistake Rights Owners Make in a Music Catalog Deal: Op-Ed from Symphonic’s Michelle Garramone
I think and talk a lot about catalog value and long-term strategy. I spend most of my days talking to both buyers and sellers and listening to their pain points. One of the main reasons for focusing on this niche is that it’s the only thing standing between a catalog owner and what I see as a fundamentally positive future with potentially the greatest impact on legacy. I think that most people underestimate just how radical the upside of selling a catalog could be,... Click Here To Read
October 13, 2026 – The Future of What Episode #306 — Sharing Royalties & Expertise: KOSIGN’s Solution to Unlock the Value of Publishing
Democratization in our industry has broken down the barriers set by gatekeepers; however it brings with it more supply than demand, and does not solve the many issues surrounding artist education. One area specifically that artists lack a comprehensive understanding of is publishing, which is where KOSIGN creates opportunity by providing the infrastructure of Kobalt – the largest independent publisher – to mid-tier songwriters so that they can collect exactly what is owed to them. Here,... Click Here To Listen
October 6, 2026 – SAN DIEGO, HERE WE COME: Music Biz 2027 Launches Today!
2027 is set to be another transformational year for the global music business, as we reckon with seismic shifts in everything from the rapid adoption of new AI tech tools to finding new solutions to combat music fraud. We can’t wait to welcome you, along with 2,000 of your global music industry peers, to the Hilton Bayfront San Diego for Music Biz 2027! Click the thumbnail below for a video walkthrough of the updates to our Conference in 2027!... Click Here To Read
October 6, 2026 – The Future of What Episode #305 — How Tap Technology is Expanding the Fan Experience: Hear from ZATAP’s David Geisser!
Creativity is what drives our industry forward, both in musical works and innovative industry products. ZATAP combines these ideas with their NFC and QR code-powered tech that allows exclusive artist content to be accessed with a single tap to nearly any item you can think of, including CDs, posters, and even t-shirts. In this interview, ZATAP CEO David Geisser discusses versatile uses for QR codes & NFC tags – both for on-site activations and for merch where the content accessed is ever-changing – examples of how this technology benefits the artist and expands the fan experience,... Click Here To Listen
September 29, 2026 – The Future of What Episode #304 — Who Owns Your Identity? A Discussion on AI & The NO FAKES Act with Caldecott Music Group’s Dani Deahl
Only half of the states in the U.S have a codified right of publicity, creating a conundrum that not only raises concern for impersonation in the era of AI, but also complicates what action can be taken when content mimicking one’s likeness crosses state borders. To discuss these complexities and how the NO FAKES Act looks to unite us on the federal level, we spoke with Dani Deahl, VP of Creator Policy & Corporate Affairs at Caldecott Music Group and Head of Communications &... Click Here To Listen
September 23, 2026 – [Keeping Tempo With Music Biz] — The Invisible Infrastructure AI Music Will Need: Op-Ed from Neutune
For the past few years, most conversations about AI music have focused on the models and what they can create. Then came the copyright lawsuits, questions about training data and, increasingly, licensing deals between technology companies and rightsholders. There is another conversation sitting underneath all of this that we haven’t really started yet: if AI music becomes a significant part of the music economy, what infrastructure will actually make it work? Music already relies on an enormous amount of infrastructure that listeners never see.... Click Here To Read
September 22, 2026 – The Future of What Episode #303 — How Vollou’s Setlist Reporting Solution Is Shrinking the Black Box
Setlist submission is not often top of mind for artists and DJs when they perform. Whether it’s due to a lack of awareness or not having the time or resources during busy performance cycles, failing to report setlists leaves valuable live royalties on the table. To keep these artist earnings from entering the black box, Vollou automates setlist reporting using music recognition technology, creating a process that simplifies submission for everyone who is required to do so – venues,... Click Here To Listen
September 15, 2026 – The Future of What Episode #302 — The Evolution of Metadata Management: Celebrating DDEX’s 20th Anniversary with Secretariat Mark Isherwood
The music industry is constantly evolving and integrating new technologies, bringing with them both opportunities and challenges. But when it comes to metadata management, DDEX has seen our industry greatly improve since its inception in 2006. In this episode, DDEX Secretariat Mark Isherwood shares his observations over the years as the organization 20th anniversary approaches, addressing current AI discussions and uses as they pertain to metadata, how fear around sharing data has diminished over the last 10 years,... Click Here To Listen
