Jared Brenner recently authored a four-part article series in Forbes exploring the broader implications of Drake’s lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG) for labels’ relationships with streaming platforms as well as artists. In his first piece, titled “Drake/UMG Dispute: Transparency In The Streaming Age,” Jared unpacks the accusations in the lawsuit, filed after Drake’s highly-profile rap battle with Kendrick Lamar, which accuses UMG of manipulating streams to favor Lamar’s music catalog over Drake’s, leading to worse performance and financial harm for Drake.
“These aren’t niche issues: global paid streaming subscribers are projected to reach 827 million in 2025, according to research by Goldman Sachs. With that kind of scale, small shifts in visibility or recommendation algorithms can have enormous financial implications,” Jared writes.
He goes on to explain that bots, algorithms, and playlist visibility each have a profound impact on an artist’s commercial success, or lack thereof – and backing from major labels play a significant role.
“This isn’t a new complaint,” he continues. “Artists, indie labels, and advocates have been calling for transparency for years. Groups across Europe and the U.S. have pushed for access to backend data and more clarity around algorithmic curation. Without it, the market remains tilted and opaque.”
In his second article, titled “Labels Are ‘Not Like Us’: Lessons From The Drake/UMG Lawsuit,” Jared unpacks the increasingly strained relationships between artists and their labels.
“Viewed against the backdrop of significant shifts in the music industry, from streaming revenue gaps to evolving representation deals, this feud feels less like an outlier and more like the result of longstanding tensions,” he writes. “The friction reflects deeper, systemic challenges that have strained artist-label relationships across the board.”
Jared explains that the issues raised by Drake’s suit are not isolated, and for new and emerging artists, the situation is even more dire, as they are “often forced to choose between retaining control or having any real chance at visibility.”
“Sheer volume now works against discovery,” he adds. “UMG’s dominant market share, combined with the daily flood of new content on DSPs, means that artists who aren’t plugged into major label systems face immense visibility challenges.”
In his third article, titled “Can The Music Industry Grow From The Drake/UMG Saga?,” Jared continues to analyze the lawsuit’s broader impact on the music industry at large.
“Beyond the headlines, Drake’s lawsuit could catalyze overdue legal scrutiny of digital-era misconduct, from streaming fraud and bot-driven royalties to modern payola practices hidden behind algorithmic promotion,” Jared opines. “If streaming manipulation is deemed a potential RICO violation, it could open the door to novel legal claims by artists who believe they’ve been suppressed, making this case one to watch closely.”
Jared continues that while Drake’s lawsuit does not challenge these practices at large specifically, its legal framework would help independent artists receive accountability and transparency should the court uphold his arguments.
In the series’ final installment, Jared further dissects the legal saga’s underlying call for transparency and regulation in the digital music world, particularly regarding persistent illegal payola practices.
“According to Drake’s lawsuit, New York radio DJ Funkmaster Flex allegedly published a payola price list in November 2024, including a $350,000 tag for pop radio airplay,” Jared writes. “Drake further alleges that whistleblowers confirmed the continued existence of pay-for-play schemes, and that UMG paid ‘at least one radio promoter’ to secure spins of his rival’s tracks on New York stations.”
Jared explains that in an ever-changing industry and given the rise of streaming, payola practices have evolved, but could pose just as much of a threat, especially to emerging artists.
“For unrepresented artists, these systems are nearly impossible to navigate, let alone challenge,” Jared adds. “Visibility can rise or fall without explanation, and without recourse. And because these tools increasingly determine who gets heard, access to them is critical, yet is often restricted to those inside the major label system.”
Read the full articles in Forbes.
Drake/UMG Dispute: Transparency In The Streaming Age
Labels Are "Not Like Us": Lessons From The Drake/UMG Lawsuit
