Mark Cuban Investment, Coachella Producer’s New Music Festival & More

Cutting Edge Group acquired the royalty streams of composer John Paesano‘s catalog, which spans more than 80 scores across films including the Maze Runner trilogy and Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes; TV series including Invincible and Marvel’s Daredevil; and video games including Marvel’s Spider-Man series and Mass Effect: Andromeda.

“John’s music has defined some of the most moving and visceral works of entertainment of the last decade,” said Tara Finegan, COO of Cutting Edge Group, in a statement. “It is hard to imagine global hits like the Maze Runner trilogy or Daredevil series without the brilliant music that accompanied them, elevating their storytelling in ways that stick with viewers long after the credits roll. We are delighted to have this opportunity to invest in John’s remarkable catalog and are excited to see how these works can continue to reach new audiences in the years to come.”

Added Paesano, “I’ve been incredibly fortunate to come up in this business surrounded by great composers, directors, producers, and executives. I learned the craft by doing — absorbing everything I could and finding the language of storytelling through music. When I sat down with Cutting Edge Group, they really understood what I was seeking and showed great respect for the value of my work. This now allows me to move beyond momentum and focus on like-minded creators and projects that feel creatively aligned with who I am. I’ve learned that this is where I do my strongest and most satisfying creative work, and I’m deeply grateful to my team for making that possible.”

Musical AI, a rights management platform for generative AI, has raised $4.5 million in funding led by Heavybit, with participation from BDC and Build Ventures. The new capital will support team expansion, product development and additional industry partnerships. Musical AI’s proprietary attribution technology, already in use with partners such as Pro Sound Effects and Symphonic Distribution, identifies the sources behind AI-generated outputs to enable accurate licensing and royalty payments. CEO Sean Power said Musical AI has made attribution “simple and turnkey,” pushing back on the idea that AI and licensing are incompatible. — Marc Schneider

Live Nation has struck a deal to make AB InBev the exclusive beer and cider partner for the concert giant in the United Kingdom. Through the agreement, AB InBev brands including Budweiser, Corona and Stella Artois will be sold at festivals like Reading & Leeds, as well as Academy Music Group venues including O2 Academy Brixton and O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire.

LabelWorx, a distribution and label services provider for indie electronic music, will provide Australian electronic music company TMRW Music Group with global digital distribution and platform support under a new deal.

“TMRW Music Group has played an instrumental role in shaping electronic music culture for over two decades, both in Australia and globally,” said Matt Abbott, CEO of LabelWorx, in a statement. “Their commitment to artists, storytelling, and long-term development aligns perfectly with our mission at LabelWorx. We’re incredibly proud to partner with a company whose legacy and vision continue to push the genre forward, and we look forward to supporting their next chapter with the infrastructure and independence they deserve.”

“At TMRW, everything we do is rooted in championing the artists and communities that drive electronic music forward,” added Tim McGee, CEO of TMRW Music. “Partnering with LabelWorx gives us the independence to support our roster at the highest level while staying true to the culture that shaped us.”

The San Francisco Giants acquired the city’s historic Curran Theatre from Shorenstein Hays, which purchased the building in 2010 and assumed full operational control of the venue in 2015. Built in 1922, the Curran will continue to be operated by Broadway SF; the existing agreement with Broadway SF and the Ambassador Theater Group won’t be impacted by the sale. All programming will continue as scheduled.

Independent label collective Futures Music Group signed a strategic partnership with brand partnerships and strategy agency companyX to help Futures artists “develop long-term meaningful brand relationships” across fashion, lifestyle, culture, content and live events, according to a press release. The partnership has already resulted in brand partnerships for artists Mt. Joy (Coors Light), The Knocks (a performance on the Wells Fargo Stage at Hudson Yards) and Mollie Elizabeth (Visa and Sofar).

“Futures was built to empower artists with both independence and scale,” said Derek Davies, co-CEO of Futures Music Group, in a statement. “companyX understands how to translate culture into authentic partnerships with real longevity, critical in a time when there’s more noise for artists to cut through than ever before. Making this official was the natural next step to equip our mutual networks with brand strategies that make an imprint culturally and resonate with both existing fans and new audiences.”

Added Mara Frankel, CEO of companyX, “Futures represents the kind of artists and leadership we love collaborating with. Our work is rooted in championing talent and building brand relationships that are authentic and sustainable. We have already done exciting work together, and this partnership allows us to expand that across the Futures ecosystem intentionally and artist-first.”

SourceAudio, a sync and music rights platform for AI dataset licensing, signed a long-term partnership with Native Instruments, which develops music production software and hardware. Under the deal, SourceAudio will provide Native Instruments with access to a fully cleared audio dataset to support research and product innovation.

“Native Instruments is one of the most impactful and respected music technology companies in our industry,” said Drew Silverstein, president and head of AI strategy at SourceAudio, in a statement. “The belief that technology should empower human creators and not replace them is one we’re deeply aligned on, and through this partnership, we’ll be supporting Native Instruments’ long-term innovation efforts, and helping them deliver industry-leading tools and technologies to musicians who rely on them every day.”

“Native Instruments has a long history of applying advanced technology in service of musicians and their creative process,” added Andy Sarroff, head of applied AI at Native Instruments. “Access to SourceAudio’s fully cleared dataset allows us to responsibly accelerate our research and refine the technologies behind our instruments and effects. The goal is simple: remove obstacles to the creative flow, preserve artistic control, and give musicians better tools to shape their own sound.”

Montreal, Canada-based AI-powered music production company LANDR acquired Reason Studios, the Stockholm-based company behind the Reason digital audio workstation and Reason Rack. Under the pact, Reason Studios will continue operating as its own brand. LANDR, along with its subsidiary Synchro Arts, which created VocAlign and Revoice Pro, aims to bring new value to Reason users via integrations, enhanced tools for collaboration and AI-powered features. LANDR and Reason Studios will also establish an artist council, composed of well-known producers and longtime Reason users, to help steer the platform.