In today's CMU Daily: Beyoncé’s people have issued a cease and desist after the Donald Trump campaign used her track ‘Freedom’ in a campaign video without permission, prompting the ad to be removed. The Kamala Harris campaign has been using the same song, but with permission. It has also got the all clear from Neil Young to play ‘Rockin In The Free World’ at its campaign events

One Liners: Fortë, UTA + Downtown deals; Ditto launches AI-powered mastering; court clears Sony’s Michael Jackson catalogue deal; Vans settles trademark battle over Tyga’s sneakers; Mercury Prize schedule; new Take That documentary; plus latest releases + more 

Also today: UK competition regulator the CMA has closed ongoing investigations into Apple and Google’s rules around in-app payments. Though mainly because recently passed laws boost the power of the CMA and it therefore believes any investigation would be better done in the context of enforcing those new laws

Plus: Fcukers are CMU Approved

Beyoncé warns Trump off Lemonade: Walz asks Neil Young for personal favour

A video posted by the Donald Trump election campaign that featured Beyoncé track ‘Freedom’ has been taken down, seemingly after her label and publisher sent a cease and desist letter. 

The track from 2016 album ‘Lemonade’ has been repeatedly used by the Kamala Harris campaign, but with authorisation. The Democrats have also got permission to use Neil Young’s ‘Rockin In The Free World’ at their campaign events, while Trump himself has commented on an AI-generated image of Taylor Swift he shared on social media that urged people to vote for the former President. It’s been a busy week for presidential campaigns meet pop music stories. 

Trump campaign officials were presumably referencing the Democrats’ frequent use of ‘Freedom’ when they decided to insert the track into a campaign video. That video was posted to X by Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung and included footage of Trump walking off a plane. Following reports that Beyonce’s label and publisher had issued a cease and desist in relation to the unapproved use of ‘Freedom’ in the campaign ad, Cheung deleted his post. 

Bars and Duty Manager // Islington Assembly Hall (London)

terrible* // Advancing & Touring Assistant (London)

Infectious PR // Senior PR Manager/Publicist (Bristol Hybrid)

Ninja Tune // Copyright Assistant (London)

Ghostwriter Consultancy & Events // Promoter (Whitburn Hybrid)

Ghostwriter Consultancy & Events // Junior Promoter (Whitburn Hybrid)

Playliveartist // Paid Media Manager (London)

IDOL // DSP Editorial & Partnerships Manager (London)

Sentric Music // Revenue Optimisation Manager (London/Liverpool)

Horizon is CMU's new weekly newsletter - published each Friday - that brings you a hand-picked selection of early-stage career opportunities from across the music industry.

Whether you're looking for your first job in music or you're ready to take a step up, Horizon is here to help you find your dream job faster.

👉 Click through to see the current selection.

ONE LINERS

Deals

• Digital fitness company Fortë and fitness music streaming app Vibes Music have partnered to integrate Vibe’s library of over two million licensed songs into Fortë's fitness streaming platform. 
• United Talent Agency has launched a new Christian music division, led by Jonathan Roberts who joined the company in May 2024.
• Downtown Music has signed a content deal with Hook, an AI social music app that enables fans to create authorised remixes of popular music for use on social media.
• Saregama India has fully acquired digital entertainment firm Pocket Aces Pictures, paying in the region of $45 million over two transactions. 
• Music distributor Ditto Music has launched an AI-powered online mastering tool in collaboration with Masterchannel. 
• Indian food delivery giant Zomato has acquired the entertainment ticketing business of Paytm for $244.1 million, expanding its "going out" offerings. 
• Sony Music Entertainment Korea has signed a global distribution deal with Attrakt, the management company behind K-pop group FIFTY FIFTY.

Appointments

• Warner Music has appointed Oscar Scivier as Senior Director, A&R, Asia. 
• Stern Management has appointed Marisa Jeffries as General Manager. 

Legal

• The Michael Jackson  estate has won a final ruling from a California appeals court to proceed with a $600 million sale of the singer's catalogue to Sony Music. 
• Vans has settled a long-running trademark lawsuit with Brooklyn art collective MSCHF over rapper Tyga's 'Wavy Baby' sneakers, a parody of Vans' classic Old Skool design. 
• Chris Crisman, a photographer, has filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against the organisers of the Carolina Country Music Fest and marketing firm WhirlWind Designs in the North Carolina federal court. 

Other industry news & events

• BBC Music has announced details for the 2024 Mercury Prize 'Albums Of The Year' TV and radio programmes. 

Artist News

• US collecting society SoundExchange has awarded Billy Joel one of its Hall Of Fame Awards, recognising him as one of the most streamed creators in the organisation's history. 
• Radiohead music has been added to a rerelease of the classic silent horror film 'Nosferatu' as part of a new series of sync projects. 
• Janet Jackson has announced a new Las Vegas residency beginning in December 2024 at Resorts World Las Vegas. 
• Take That will be the subject of a major Netflix documentary produced by Fulwell 73. 

Releases & Tours

• Laura Marling has shared another single from her forthcoming album ‘Patterns In Repeat’ - it’s called ‘No One’s Gonna Love You Like I Can’.
• Nukuluk have posted a video for their single ‘Hand On The Hilt’, directed by HMLTD’s Henry Spychalski. 
• Singer-songwriter Anya Marina has shared new single ‘Waiting For A Difference’, released by Good Rope Records. 
• Izzy Reign has released new single ‘Pandora's Box’ via FiXT. 
• Joan As Police Woman has posted new track ‘Full Time Heist’, the third single from her forthcoming new album ‘Lemons, Limes & Orchids’.
• The Postal Service have shared a Sylvan Esso remix of their track ‘The District Sleeps Alone Tonight’.
• Josh Lovelace from the band NEEDTOBREATHE has announced that he will release solo album ‘Shelters’ on 25 Oct via Stonycroft Records and Missing Piece Records. Here is single ‘Miracles’.

UK competition regulator closes investigation but warns Apple and Google: we will use new powers to make app ecosystem fair

The UK’s Competition And Markets Authority has closed its investigations into Apple and Google’s App Store rules. Those investigations had a focus on the rules around in-app payments that have been widely criticised by Spotify and other app developers, and which have been subject to litigation and regulator interventions in multiple other countries. 

While the existing CMA investigations have been closed, it seems likely that new ones will be launched in the near future under the recently passed Digital Markets, Competition And Consumers Act, which increases the power of the regulator in the context of tech companies abusing their market dominance. Meanwhile, the CMA has confirmed that it has rejected proposals made by Google for addressing concerns raised during the now closed investigations. 

In a statement, the regulator says that, with the passing of the DMCCA, its existing investigations into Google and Apple are now in conflict with its “administrative priorities”. By instigating new investigations under the DMCCA, it adds, “the CMA will be able to use its new powers to consider the range of issues raised by parties more holistically”.

🎧 Approved: Fcukers

New York band Fcukers, the trio of Shanny Wise (vocals), Jackson Walker Lewis (bass/keys/production) and Ben Scharf (drums), are bringing new energy to a burgeoning scene revitalising early 2000s electro-indie. 

Although they’re not just tapping into nostalgia, they’re recharging it, combining old-school house, breakbeat and cutting-edge electronic production into a volatile, genre-blurring mix that feels refreshingly new.

Their latest single, ‘Tommy’, is built on a foundation of warped, pitched-down vocals, a thundering bassline and sharp, electro-tinged percussion. Wise’s vocals on top feel like a hand guiding you through the crowd of a club dancefloor, pulling in a new generation wanting to get lost in live dance music.

With only a few singles to their name, Fcukers move with the confidence of a band fully in command of their sound. ‘Tommy’ is a standout from their forthcoming EP ‘Baggy$$’, due on 6 Sep on Ninja Tune’s Technicolour imprint. 

🎧 Watch the video for ‘Tommy’ here