Legal Showdown: The Kennedy Center has been ordered to pay jazz musician Chuck Redd over $250,000 in legal fees after he canceled a Christmas Eve concert in protest of Trump’s name being added to the venue. Platform & Creator Economics: Spotify is testing a one-tap “skip ahead” button for Premium podcast listeners, and creators are pushing back over how it could reshape ad revenue. Labor & Music Careers: TC Phil musicians in Traverse City voted to unionize with AFM Local 56, aiming for a stronger collective voice in negotiations. Global Music Business: Exceleration Music struck a strategic partnership with Christian hip-hop label Reach Records, expanding global distribution while keeping Reach creatively independent. Streaming & AI Identity: Spotify will label “AI persona” profiles and adjust recommendations, adding new friction around AI-generated artists. Live Music & Culture: “Wicked” is in Kansas City with a major touring setup, while Theatre SilCo’s “Tenderly: The Rosemary Clooney Musical” brings Clooney’s story to the stage. Local Scene: Austin-area musicians get help paying insurance via a nonprofit model being tested elsewhere.