This week, Drake\u2019s defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group<\/a> over Kendrick Lamar\u2019s Not Like Us<\/em>\u00a0was dismissed by a US federal court.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, HYBE launched its US-based services arm with a global focus, and it\u2019s working with independent artists and labels.<\/p>\n Elsewhere, Universal Music Group quietly launched a creator marketing app called House of Carmen<\/strong> that pays influencers to post content on TikTok and Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n Also this week, Spotify<\/a> and BMG<\/a> struck a new direct multi-year US publishing licensing deal, while Isabel Garvey announced her exit as Chief Operating Officer of Warner Music UK<\/a>.<\/p>\n Here are some of the biggest headlines from the past few days\u2026<\/p>\n A US federal court has dismissed Drake\u2019s defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group, ruling that Kendrick Lamar\u2019s diss track Not Like Us<\/em> constitutes protected opinion rather than actionable defamation.<\/p>\n Judge Jeannette Vargas of the Southern District of New York granted UMG\u2019s motion to dismiss all claims on Thursday (October 9), finding that accusations made about Drake in the song\u2019s lyrics cannot reasonably be interpreted as statements of fact, given the context of the artists\u2019 heated rap battle.<\/p>\n A spokesperson for Universal Music Group told MBW: \u201cFrom the outset, this suit was an affront to all artists and their creative expression and never should have seen the light of day. \u201cWe\u2019re pleased with the court\u2019s dismissal and look forward to continuing our work successfully promoting Drake\u2019s music and investing in his career.\u201d\u2026 (MBW<\/a>)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n HLS will provide what it calls \u201cenhanced support\u201d for artists and labels across distribution, manufacturing, and marketing & promotion (M&P) services worldwide.<\/p>\n To lead HLS, Los Angeles-based Ryan Hyeong Woo Noh<\/strong> has been promoted to Chief Business Officer<\/strong> (CBO) of HYBE AMERICA, having previously served as Chief Strategy Officer of HYBE\u2019s US division.<\/p>\n According to HYBE, since joining in 2022, Noh has played a pivotal role as CSO and President of HYBE LABEL SERVICE, and was tasked with establishing what the company calls \u201cits first global organization dedicated to distribution and marketing partnerships\u201d.<\/p>\n A HYBE spokesperson confirmed that HLS is working on those partnerships with both HYBE artists, as well as independent artists and labels<\/strong>... (MBW<\/a>)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Creator marketing is big business. According to recent data published by Influencer Marketing Hub, the influencer marketing sector was estimated to be worth $32.55 billion in 2025, compared to $24 billion in 2024.<\/p>\n MBW<\/strong> has discovered that Universal Music Group<\/strong> has quietly launched an app that taps into this lucrative corner of the social media space, building its own network of social media influencers in the process.<\/p>\n The new platform, called House of Carmen<\/strong>, appears to have been developed by Universal\u2019s team in the UK\u2026 (MBW<\/a>)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Spotify and BMG<\/strong> have entered into a direct, multiyear US publishing licensing deal.<\/p>\n The companies said on Wednesday (October 8) that the deal is \u201cdesigned to deliver greater value to songwriters and their teams\u201d. The agreement marks<\/p>\n Spotify\u2019s latest direct deal with a prominent music publisher operating in the US, and moves its agreement with BMG<\/strong> beyond the traditional CRB model in the market.<\/p>\n Spotify also signed a direct licensing deal with Kobalt<\/a> covering the US last month and has inked direct publishing agreements with all three majors\u2026 (MBW<\/a>)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n In a note sent to Warner Music UK<\/strong> staff on Wednesday morning (October 8), and obtained by MBW, Garvey confirmed that she has decided \u201cto step down from [the] role and leave the company at the end of December\u201d.<\/p>\n Added Garvey: \u201cI\u2019m excited by the prospect of taking on new challenges and believe that this is the right decision for me and for the company\u201d. Garvey joined WMUK as COO in 2023 and was previously MD of London\u2019s legendary Abbey Road Studios.<\/p>\n Garvey\u2019s decision to stand down from her current role at the end of the year follows the news that Warner<\/a>\u2018s flagship Atlantic<\/a> and Warner Records<\/a> UK labels will be working more closely with their US counterparts, with UK label heads now reporting to US leadership\u2026 (MBW<\/a>)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n1. DRAKE LAWSUIT AGAINST UMG OVER KENDRICK LAMAR\u2019S \u2018NOT LIKE US\u2019 DISMISSED BY US COURT<\/a><\/span><\/h6>\n
2. HYBE TAKES WRAPS OFF US-BASED SERVICES ARM WITH A GLOBAL FOCUS\u2026 AND IT\u2019S WORKING WITH INDEPENDENT ARTISTS AND LABELS<\/a><\/span><\/h6>\n
3. UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP HAS QUIETLY LAUNCHED A CREATOR MARKETING APP THAT PAYS INFLUENCERS TO POST CONTENT ON TIKTOK AND INSTAGRAM. MEET \u2018HOUSE OF CARMEN\u2019<\/a><\/span><\/h6>\n
4. BMG AND SPOTIFY INK NEW US DIRECT PUBLISHING LICENSING DEAL<\/a><\/span><\/h6>\n
5. ISABEL GARVEY TO EXIT AS CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER OF WARNER MUSIC UK<\/a><\/span><\/h6>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.musicbusinessworldwide.com\/files\/2025\/07\/BMI_Logo_blackBlue-80x54.png){kind=logo}
<\/figure>\n