April 8, 2023
In October 2019, member of the K-pop group Monsta X, WONHO, faced allegations of drug usage, resulting in his departure from the group. Fans were disheartened by the news of him leaving and wondered..
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April 1, 2023
Songwriters, composers, and publishers have long been underpaid when it comes to the live concert industry. However, a successful court case may be the first step to changing that.....
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March 28, 2023
Society has always placed a high value on music. As technology starts to become more part of our lives, social media and music platforms have become more and more prominent in the music business....
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March 28, 2023
The Latin GRAMMY Awards are changing it up this year for songwriters! On March 21, 2023, The Latin Recording Academy released a press release announcing various additions and changes to the awards...
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March 22, 2023
Even if you haven't heard of NewJeans yet, there's a good chance you'll soon be humming along to their infectious tunes. The Korean pop group is quickly gaining international attention and breaking..
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March 31, 2023
Even if you don’t know who Max Martin is, you’ve definitely heard his songs. Hit-pop songs are kind of his thing after all. Martin first stepped into the music world in 1985 as a frontman for....
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March 18, 2023
The Filipino-Canadian duo from Vancouver has been releasing new tracks left and right, and they are known for their most streamed songs on Spotify, “Timezones,” and “Silver Skies.” Previously .......
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March 17, 2023
The singer, songwriter, and actress Miley Cyrus has recently released a record-breaking song called “Flowers” in January 2023. This song recites her 10-year long relationship with her ex-husband....
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March 4, 2023
Men I Trust is a Canadian indie pop band known for their dreamy and mellow sound. Their music is laid back, incorporating elements of funk, disco, and R&B to create a smooth and groovy vibe that is
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March 3, 2023
Artists like Kaytranada have proved that you don’t need access to a professional recording studio to create well-produced music. As technology and social media have advanced, it is now easier than eve
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February 25, 2023
People draw inspiration from others when forming their ideas, it’s a fact of life. Sampling in music is no exception - and artists do it for a variety of reasons. Traditionally, copyright laws and
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Sony Music, the world's largest music publisher, has taken a significant stance in the ongoing debate over artificial intelligence (AI) and copyright. Recently, Sony has sent letters to major tech companies, including Google, Microsoft, and OpenAI, demanding transparency regarding the use of its songs to train AI systems. Representing prominent artists like Beyoncé and Adele, Sony Music is prohibiting the unauthorized use of its catalog for AI development or profit. The letters, sent to over 700 firms, express Sony’s suspicion that some companies may already be using its music without permission, emphasizing the company's readiness to enforce its copyrights to the fullest extent permitted by law, including leveraging the forthcoming EU AI Act.
This move by Sony highlights a broader concern within the creative industries about the data used to train AI systems. AI tools, such as chatbots and music generators, rely on vast amounts of data, which often includes copyrighted materials. Sony Music's complaint underscores the need for transparency in how AI systems are trained, particularly when it involves potentially copyrighted content. Google and OpenAI, among others, have developed AI capable of generating music, yet the specifics of the training data remain undisclosed. Sony’s letter demands detailed accounts of any songs used, how they were accessed, the existence and duration of copies made, and the justification for such copies, signaling a push towards more stringent licensing agreements for future use.
The legal landscape surrounding AI and copyright is still evolving, with significant implications for both the technology and creative sectors. In the EU and the US, there is ongoing debate over whether using copyrighted content to train AI constitutes infringement or falls under fair use and temporary copying exceptions. Legal experts, like Nana Nwachukwu from AI ethics firm Saidot, suggest that current EU rules might classify such training as infringement, although exceptions exist for lawful access and public domain content. The forthcoming EU AI Act will enforce stricter documentation and transparency requirements for AI models, potentially reshaping how AI firms utilize copyrighted materials. This issue is also being tested in US courts, with high-profile cases involving authors and musicians challenging the use of their work in AI training. Sony Music’s proactive stance could thus set a precedent for how the music industry navigates the intersection of AI and intellectual property rights.
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