Music Row Dealmakers presents

The Gavel Drop

Breaking legal developments on Music Row, explained. Barry Neil Shrum takes the cases, verdicts and new laws shaping the music business and tells you what they mean for songwriters, artists and the people who sign the deals.

Subscribe on YouTubeRead on Substack

The latest drop

Elvis's Publishers Sue Anthropic: What Music Row Should Know

AI & Music  ·  Oct 27, 2026

The companies and families behind 274 Elvis Presley songs have sued Anthropic in federal court in California. Barry walks through what they claim, what's missing from the complaint, and what it means for Music Row.

Read the breakdownWatch on YouTube

Every episode

The Docket

Pick a topic, or browse them all. Click any episode to watch it right here.

AI & Music

Elvis's Publishers Sue Anthropic: 274 Songs and the Missing ELVIS Act

Read the breakdown

AI & Music

Did Suno Copy 1,050 Songs? What It Means for Songwriters (Reservoir v. Suno)

Copyright & the Courts

5 Justices and a Double Shot: The Supreme Court, a $1 Song & Who Gets the World Rights

Read the breakdown

Deals & Royalties

Can You Quit a Record Deal After 7 Years? Summer Walker's $50M Fight + Ray-Ban's 427-Song Lawsuit

AI & Music

Who Owns an AI Song? What Songwriters Actually Own When They Use AI

Read the breakdown

Deals & Royalties

Not a Rubber Stamp: The Judge Pauses the Paramount–Warner Bros. Settlement

AI & Music

"Artist First, Always": UMG Sues DistroKid Over AI Slop and the Pipe That Knew

Deals & Royalties

Paramount's $110B Warner Bros. Deal: What the Merger Means for Artists & Creators

AI & Music

Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen & Rush in Suno's AI? Canada's Songwriters Sue (SOCAN v. Suno)

AI & Music

Music Publishers Sue Anthropic Over AI Lyrics: What It Means for Songwriter Royalties

Publicity, Trademark & Speech

Jack Daniel's Loses to a Dog Toy: Parody, Trademarks & Lessons for Artist Merch

AI & Music

Session Musicians Sue UMG & Warner Over AI Deals: Who Gets Paid When Labels License to AI?

AI & Music

AI & Song Lyrics: Why Europe and the U.S. Rule Differently on Copyright

AI & Music

German Court Rules Suno's AI Copied Hit Songs: Europe's First AI Music Verdict

AI & Music

AI Paid Authors $1.5 Billion. Are Songwriters Next?

Copyright & the Courts

How a Supreme Court Twist Killed Nashville's Biggest Music Copyright Case

Deals & Royalties

Songwriter Mechanical Royalties 2028–2032: The Proposed New Rates Explained

Copyright & the Courts

Supreme Court Overturns $1B Sony v. Cox Verdict: What It Means for Music Piracy

Copyright & the Courts

Kat Von D's Miles Davis Tattoo: When Does Copying Art Become Infringement?

AI & Music

Lawyer Sanctioned for Fake AI Citations: Why Musicians Shouldn't Let AI Write Their Contracts

Publicity, Trademark & Speech

NO FAKES Act & American Music Fairness Act: The Bills That Could Change Artist Pay

Publicity, Trademark & Speech

$18 Million Verdict Over Social Media Posts: Defamation Lessons for Artists & Creators

Publicity, Trademark & Speech

Can You Be Sued for What You Say About a Star? Defamation & "Actual Malice" Explained

Deals & Royalties

News Update: Gene Simmons Testifies About Artist Royalties

Have a question for the Gavel Drop?

Call 877-7-DEALMAKERS or email questions@musicrowdealmakers.com. Your question could be the next episode.
Subscribe on YouTubeFollow on Substack
Link to: Entry with Post Format “Video”

Any more questions? Feel free to drop us a line, or call 615.338.5130!

Schedule a Conference

Communication via this website or through email does not establish an attorney-client relationship, is not confidential, and does not grant you an attorney/client privilege. Do not send any confidential information regarding a legal problem until you have been accepted as a client. The first step in becoming a client of an attorney is to request a consultation.

CONTACT
Shrum & Associates PC, d/b/a Shrum Disney & Associates | 615.338.5130 | info@shrumdisney.com
54 Music Square East  •  Suite 350  •  Nashville, Tennessee 37203

Home | Contact | Legal

Copyright 1999-2026, Shrum & Associates PC| The Shrum & Associates PC logo and all registered trademarks, service marks and trade names are owned by Shrum & Associates PC | All Rights Reserved