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Mar 6, 2026
They decode a 'wiseguy' court remark tied to Live Nation and Ticketmaster pressure. U.S. streaming subscriber figures and Universal Music Group's Q4 strategy get quick attention. A major funding round for Create Music Group and a $3 million tax lien problem for Quavo come up. There's also takeover drama around Reservoir and a highlighted Song of the Week.
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Live Nation's Threat Over Ticketing Switch
- Live Nation told Barclays it would be "tough to deliver concerts" if Barclays moved to SeatGeek.
- Lars Murray relays the Barclays Center testimony where Michael Rapino said that to Barclays CEO John Abbott in 2021, framed as a "wise guy" warning.
US Streaming Subscribers At 130 Million
- U.S. music streaming subscriptions reached 130 million, a key benchmark for market sizing.
- Murray cites Music Watch's annual report as the source and suggests it's useful for weekend back-of-envelope calculations.
UMG Is Monetizing Beyond Streaming
- Universal Music Group's growth is shifting from streaming to extractive areas like superfans, live and sync.
- Lars Murray notes UMG reported $4.19B in Q4 and calls out a one-time AI licensing payment and double-digit growth in non-streaming lines.