By Andrew Boyce and Lewis Crofts ( June 13, 2025, 13:32 GMT | Insight) -- Universal Music Group’s takeover of Downtown Music has prompted concerns from former competition regulator Amelia Fletcher, who is also a musician and record label co-founder. In a letter to the EU's competition boss, seen by MLex, Fletcher said the $775 million deal risked stifling musicians' access to independent services, and further strengthening the major labels' negotiating position with streaming services, to the harm of independents. The European Commission is set to scrutinize the transaction following requests from the Netherlands and Austria.Universal Music Group’s takeover of Downtown Music needs “in-depth” EU scrutiny over concerns it would stifle artists’ access to independent services and further tip the streaming market in its favor, according to former regulator, musician and independent label founder Amelia Fletcher....
Prepare for tomorrow’s regulatory change, today
MLex identifies risk to business wherever it emerges, with specialist reporters across the globe providing exclusive news and deep-dive analysis on the proposals, probes, enforcement actions and rulings that matter to your organization and clients, now and in the longer term.
Know what others in the room don’t, with features including:
- Daily newsletters for Antitrust, M&A, Trade, Data Privacy & Security, Technology, AI and more
- Custom alerts on specific filters including geographies, industries, topics and companies to suit your practice needs
- Predictive analysis from expert journalists across North America, the UK and Europe, Latin America and Asia-Pacific
- Curated case files bringing together news, analysis and source documents in a single timeline
Experience MLex today with a 14-day free trial.