AI Songs Pulled From Charts, Termination Rights Debated in US Courts, and TikTok Claims €1.8B Boost for EU Music - How The Music Business Works
How The Music Business Works - Issue #45
January 22, 2026
Welcome back to How The Music Business Works. This week’s stories sit at the intersection of creativity, technology, and control.
AI-generated tracks are challenging how charts define eligibility, US court rulings are testing the limits of artists’ termination rights, and new data from TikTok highlights its growing economic impact on the European music industry.
Alongside that, recent legal disputes are once again reminding brands and platforms that copyright and licensing rules still apply in the social media era.
Here’s what you need to know.
A song that briefly topped Spotify’s Swedish charts has been excluded from Sweden’s official rankings after being deemed primarily AI-generated. “Jag vet, du är inte min” by Jacub reached No. 1 on Spotify’s Swedish Top 50, but was removed from IFPI Sweden’s official chart, Sverigetopplistan, under rules barring mainly AI-created works. An investigation by journalist Emanuel Karlsten linked the track to Danish publisher Stellar, with registrations traced via STIM. While the song remains available on Spotify, IFPI Sweden said it does not qualify for official chart inclusion. Stellar defended the project as human-led, arguing AI was used only as a creative tool, highlighting growing tensions around AI, authorship, and chart eligibility.
Salt N Pepa Ruling Could “Pose a Threat” to Artists Seeking to Reclaim Rights in the Future
A recent US court ruling involving Salt-N-Pepa has raised new concerns about artists’ ability to reclaim rights to their sound recordings under the Copyright Act’s termination provisions. In the case, the judge sided with Universal Music Group, finding that the wording of the duo’s 1980s contract meant the producer and his company were the original copyright owners of the recordings, not the artists themselves. While the court did not formally rule on whether the recordings were created as works made for hire, its commentary suggested that interpretation could apply, a position that departs from long-standing assumptions in music law. Lawyers now advise artists to ensure future contracts clearly confirm ownership transfers, reject work-for-hire status, and explicitly preserve termination rights.
TikTok Generated €1.8 Billion for the EU Music Business in 2025
A new study commissioned by TikTok claims the platform generated €31 billion ($36 billion) in economic output across the EU in 2025, including €1.8 billion in added value for the European music industry. Conducted by independent research firm Public First, the report argues that TikTok plays a significant role in music discovery, driving revenue across streaming, live performances, and merchandise sales, particularly for emerging and independent artists building audiences on the platform. Beyond music, the study estimates €2.6 billion in value for the wider creative economy, supporting around 52,000 jobs linked to content creation, production, and advertising services. It also points to strong national impacts, with Germany, France, Italy, and Spain leading in overall economic output. The findings land at a sensitive moment, as ByteDance and TikTok continue to face regulatory scrutiny in both Europe and the United States.
Major Labels Are Suing Spotify-Scraper Anna’s Archive
The three major record labels, alongside Spotify USA, have filed a lawsuit against shadow library Anna’s Archive after the group claimed it had backed up large portions of Spotify’s catalog. Anna’s Archive said it held music metadata for around 256 million tracks, as well as 86 million audio files, with plans to make the material publicly available and enable others to build Spotify-like services. Filed just after Christmas, the case has already led to a preliminary injunction preventing the release of any sound recordings. In the complaint, the plaintiffs argue that the alleged scraping and distribution would cause serious and irreversible harm, interfering with rightsholders’ ability to control and license their catalogs and undermining the commercial value of licensed platforms such as Spotify.
Drew Barrymore Slapped With Copyright Infringement Suit Over Song Used In Instagram Post
Drew Barrymore is facing a copyright infringement lawsuit over the use of an uncleared song in a 2023 Instagram post promoting her Flower Beauty brand. The complaint, filed by German rights holder Instinct GmbH, alleges that neither Barrymore nor her company obtained the required sync license for “You Make Me Happy (Acoustic)” by My Sun and Stars. According to the filing, music made available through social media libraries is licensed for personal use only and does not extend to commercial brand promotion. The lawsuit is part of a broader wave of legal action against brands and celebrities over unlicensed music use on social platforms, highlighting the increasing scrutiny around sync licensing and the risks facing advertisers and influencers who assume platform licenses cover commercial content.