• Education
    • Higher Education
    • Scholarships & Grants
    • Online Learning
    • School Reforms
    • Research & Innovation
  • Lifestyle
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Fashion & Beauty
    • Home & Living
    • Relationships & Family
  • Technology & Startups
    • Software & Apps
    • Startup Success Stories
    • Startups & Innovations
    • Tech Regulations
    • Venture Capital
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Cybersecurity
    • Emerging Technologies
    • Gadgets & Devices
    • Industry Analysis
  • About us
  • Contact
  • Advertise with Us
  • Privacy & Policy
Today Headline
  • Home
  • World News
    • Us & Canada
    • Europe
    • Asia
    • Africa
    • Middle East
  • Politics
    • Elections
    • Political Parties
    • Government Policies
    • International Relations
    • Legislative News
  • Business & Finance
    • Market Trends
    • Stock Market
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Corporate News
    • Economic Policies
  • Science & Environment
    • Space Exploration
    • Climate Change
    • Wildlife & Conservation
    • Environmental Policies
    • Medical Research
  • Health
    • Public Health
    • Mental Health
    • Medical Breakthroughs
    • Fitness & Nutrition
    • Pandemic Updates
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Tennis
    • Olympics
    • Motorsport
  • Entertainment
    • Movies
    • Music
    • TV & Streaming
    • Celebrity News
    • Awards & Festivals
  • Crime & Justice
    • Court Cases
    • Cybercrime
    • Policing
    • Criminal Investigations
    • Legal Reforms
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • World News
    • Us & Canada
    • Europe
    • Asia
    • Africa
    • Middle East
  • Politics
    • Elections
    • Political Parties
    • Government Policies
    • International Relations
    • Legislative News
  • Business & Finance
    • Market Trends
    • Stock Market
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Corporate News
    • Economic Policies
  • Science & Environment
    • Space Exploration
    • Climate Change
    • Wildlife & Conservation
    • Environmental Policies
    • Medical Research
  • Health
    • Public Health
    • Mental Health
    • Medical Breakthroughs
    • Fitness & Nutrition
    • Pandemic Updates
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Tennis
    • Olympics
    • Motorsport
  • Entertainment
    • Movies
    • Music
    • TV & Streaming
    • Celebrity News
    • Awards & Festivals
  • Crime & Justice
    • Court Cases
    • Cybercrime
    • Policing
    • Criminal Investigations
    • Legal Reforms
No Result
View All Result
Today Headline
No Result
View All Result
Home World News Europe

EU set to probe Universal’s planned acquisition of Downtown Music

April 24, 2025
in Europe
Reading Time: 2 mins read
A A
0
The logo of Universal Music Group
3
SHARES
7
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter


Unlock the Editor’s Digest for free

Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.

The European Commission is set to investigate Universal Music Group’s planned $775mn acquisition of independent music services company Downtown Music, amid claims the deal will give too much power to the industry’s largest player.

Brussels will announce the probe into the deal on Friday, officials briefed on the preparations told the Financial Times.

Representatives of independent music companies have been urging competition authorities to review and block the deal, which was announced in December 2024, arguing it would make Universal even more dominant in the music industry’s ecosystem.

Downtown Music provides a range of services in the music industry, such as managing copyright, royalties, marketing, promotion and distribution to streaming platforms.

The commission, which oversees EU antitrust laws, will act on a referral from the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets, the officials said. Universal’s corporate headquarters are located in the Netherlands and the company is listed on the Dutch stock exchange.

Brussels has sweeping powers to impose fines or block mergers that it decides have breached EU competition rules.

Universal Music is by far the world’s largest music company. The Los Angeles-based group, home to performers such as Taylor Swift and Kendrick Lamar, controlled 37 per cent of the US market in the first quarter of 2025, according to Billboard, the entertainment magazine.

However, in recent years the big record labels — Universal Music, Sony Music and Warner Music — have suffered declining shares of listening on Spotify. In 2024, songs owned by the three major labels and Merlin, a group representing large indies, made up about 71 per cent of total listening on streaming service Spotify, down from 87 per cent in 2017.

Universal’s acquisition of Downtown is the latest example of the majors swallowing up smaller independent labels. Sony Music in 2021 acquired label services group Awal, while Warner Music in 2021 bought 300 Entertainment, the label behind rapper Megan Thee Stallion, and in 2023 took a majority stake in Elliott Grainge’s 10k Projects.

The European independent trade association Impala has voiced concern over Downtown Music’s ownership of independent distributors Fuga and CD Baby.

It argues that Universal Music’s alleged “juggernaut strategy of acquisitions to gatekeep market access and exert power over digital services, as well as control a whole host of essential services across the music market” threatens independent artists and labels.

Universal Music Group said the company looks “forward to continuing to co-operate with the commission . . . We are confident that we will close this acquisition in the second half of the year, on its original timeline”.

The commission did not immediately respond to a request for comment.



Source link

Previous Post

Congo and M23 Agree to a Cease-Fire in Qatar

Next Post

Sara attends Isko Moreno’s campaign rally

Related Posts

Russia claims entry into Dnipropetrovsk – DW – 06/08/2025

Russia claims entry into Dnipropetrovsk – DW – 06/08/2025

June 8, 2025
5
London stock exchange

Make London liquid again

June 8, 2025
5
Next Post
Sara attends Isko Moreno's campaign rally

Sara attends Isko Moreno's campaign rally

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Family calls for change after B.C. nurse dies by suicide after attacks on the job

Family calls for change after B.C. nurse dies by suicide after attacks on the job

April 2, 2025
Pioneering 3D printing project shares successes

Product reduces TPH levels to non-hazardous status

November 27, 2024

Hospital Mergers Fail to Deliver Better Care or Lower Costs, Study Finds todayheadline

December 31, 2024

Police ID man who died after Corso Italia fight

December 23, 2024
Harris tells supporters 'never give up' and urges peaceful transfer of power

Harris tells supporters ‘never give up’ and urges peaceful transfer of power

0
Des Moines Man Accused Of Shooting Ex-Girlfriend's Mother

Des Moines Man Accused Of Shooting Ex-Girlfriend’s Mother

0

Trump ‘looks forward’ to White House meeting with Biden

0
Catholic voters were critical to Donald Trump’s blowout victory: ‘Harris snubbed us’

Catholic voters were critical to Donald Trump’s blowout victory: ‘Harris snubbed us’

0
Deploying troops is “too much power into the hands of one man”

Deploying troops is “too much power into the hands of one man”

June 8, 2025
Gaza Media Office denies Israeli claim of tunnel under European Hospital

Gaza Media Office denies Israeli claim of tunnel under European Hospital

June 8, 2025
Pochettino dismisses Spurs links: 'Not realistic'

Pochettino dismisses Spurs links: ‘Not realistic’

June 8, 2025

Olympic champs Errani, Paolini win French Open women’s doubles todayheadline

June 8, 2025

Recent News

Deploying troops is “too much power into the hands of one man”

Deploying troops is “too much power into the hands of one man”

June 8, 2025
0
Gaza Media Office denies Israeli claim of tunnel under European Hospital

Gaza Media Office denies Israeli claim of tunnel under European Hospital

June 8, 2025
5
Pochettino dismisses Spurs links: 'Not realistic'

Pochettino dismisses Spurs links: ‘Not realistic’

June 8, 2025
4

Olympic champs Errani, Paolini win French Open women’s doubles todayheadline

June 8, 2025
5

TodayHeadline is a dynamic news website dedicated to delivering up-to-date and comprehensive news coverage from around the globe.

Follow Us

Browse by Category

  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Basketball
  • Business & Finance
  • Climate Change
  • Crime & Justice
  • Cybersecurity
  • Economic Policies
  • Elections
  • Entertainment
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Environmental Policies
  • Europe
  • Football
  • Gadgets & Devices
  • Health
  • Medical Research
  • Mental Health
  • Middle East
  • Motorsport
  • Olympics
  • Politics
  • Public Health
  • Relationships & Family
  • Science & Environment
  • Software & Apps
  • Space Exploration
  • Sports
  • Stock Market
  • Technology & Startups
  • Tennis
  • Travel
  • Uncategorized
  • Us & Canada
  • Wildlife & Conservation
  • World News

Recent News

Deploying troops is “too much power into the hands of one man”

Deploying troops is “too much power into the hands of one man”

June 8, 2025
Gaza Media Office denies Israeli claim of tunnel under European Hospital

Gaza Media Office denies Israeli claim of tunnel under European Hospital

June 8, 2025
  • Education
  • Lifestyle
  • Technology & Startups
  • About us
  • Contact
  • Advertise with Us
  • Privacy & Policy

© 2024 Todayheadline.co

Welcome Back!

OR

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Business & Finance
  • Corporate News
  • Economic Policies
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Market Trends
  • Crime & Justice
  • Court Cases
  • Criminal Investigations
  • Cybercrime
  • Legal Reforms
  • Policing
  • Education
  • Higher Education
  • Online Learning
  • Entertainment
  • Awards & Festivals
  • Celebrity News
  • Movies
  • Music
  • Health
  • Fitness & Nutrition
  • Medical Breakthroughs
  • Mental Health
  • Pandemic Updates
  • Lifestyle
  • Fashion & Beauty
  • Food & Drink
  • Home & Living
  • Politics
  • Elections
  • Government Policies
  • International Relations
  • Legislative News
  • Political Parties
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Middle East
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Cybersecurity
  • Emerging Technologies
  • Gadgets & Devices
  • Industry Analysis
  • Basketball
  • Football
  • Motorsport
  • Olympics
  • Climate Change
  • Environmental Policies
  • Medical Research
  • Science & Environment
  • Space Exploration
  • Wildlife & Conservation
  • Sports
  • Tennis
  • Technology & Startups
  • Software & Apps
  • Startup Success Stories
  • Startups & Innovations
  • Tech Regulations
  • Venture Capital
  • Uncategorized
  • World News
  • Us & Canada
  • Public Health
  • Relationships & Family
  • Travel
  • Research & Innovation
  • Scholarships & Grants
  • School Reforms
  • Stock Market
  • TV & Streaming
  • Advertise with Us
  • Privacy & Policy
  • About us
  • Contact

© 2024 Todayheadline.co