Music industry legal news coverage

Our round up of legal battles, courtroom drama, copyright disputes and everything else.

415 posts

TikTok sued by multiple US states over design features that damage the health of young users

public

TikTok • 2 min read

TikTok sued by multiple US states over design features that damage the health of young users

Multiple US states have been investigating the impact of TikTok on its users and, based on that investigation, more than a dozen states have now filed lawsuits claiming that addictive-by-design features manipulate young users in a way that damages their mental health…

Chris Cooke • 09 Oct 2024

Fred Durst sues Universal over systems that are “deliberately designed to conceal artists’ royalties and keep those profits for itself”

public

Limp Bizkit • 4 min read

Fred Durst sues Universal over systems that are “deliberately designed to conceal artists’ royalties and keep those profits for itself”

Fred Durst has sued Universal Music over its alleged failure to report and pay royalties he was due from Limp Bizkit’s records and a former label joint venture. He claims the major’s systems are deliberately set up in a way that means artists don’t necessarily know they are owed money…

Chris Cooke • 09 Oct 2024

Naxos sues Chinese classical music platform Kuke

public

Naxos • 2 min read

Naxos sues Chinese classical music platform Kuke

Chinese classical platform Kuke Music entered into an eight year deal with Naxos in 2018, giving it access to a large catalogue of classical recordings. However, Naxos says Kuke stopped making payments under that deal at the end of 2021 and, with nearly $2 million owing, it has now filed a lawsuit…

Chris Cooke • 08 Oct 2024

Judge refuses to move Live Nation’s antitrust litigation to a Washington DC court

public

Live Nation • 3 min read

Judge refuses to move Live Nation’s antitrust litigation to a Washington DC court

The US government filed its big antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation with the courts in New York. Live Nation wanted the legal battle to be fought in Washington DC and presented arguments as to why the litigation should be moved. A New York judge has now rejected those arguments…

Chris Cooke • 07 Oct 2024

Fleetwood Mac producer says stage play about a fictional band rips off his memoir

public

Fleetwood Mac • 2 min read

Fleetwood Mac producer says stage play about a fictional band rips off his memoir

In 2012, producer Ken Caillat published a memoir about his work on Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Rumours’. He reckons that book formed the basis of the Broadway play ‘Stereophonic’, about a band working on a new album. The writer of the play denies that’s the case, but Caillat has sued for copyright infringement…

Chris Cooke • 03 Oct 2024

Free music app removed from Apple App Store, seemingly after YouTube intervention

public

Musi • 2 min read

Free music app removed from Apple App Store, seemingly after YouTube intervention

Apple has removed the free music app Musi from its App Store. IFPI has been calling for the app to be removed since last year, because Musi pulls in music from YouTube rather than negotiating licensing deals with labels. However, it is possible that an intervention by YouTube prompted Apple to act…

Chris Cooke • 27 Sep 2024

Beyoncé warns Trump off lemonade: Walz asks Neil Young for personal favour

public

Beyoncé • 3 min read

Beyoncé warns Trump off lemonade: Walz asks Neil Young for personal favour

Beyoncé’s people issued a cease and desist after the Donald Trump campaign used her track ‘Freedom’ in a campaign ad without permission. The Kamala Harris campaign has been using the same song, but with permission. It has also got the all clear from Neil Young to play ‘Rockin In The Free World’…

Chris Cooke • 22 Aug 2024

UK competition regulator closes investigation but warns Apple and Google: we will use new powers to make app ecosystem fair

public

Google • 3 min read

UK competition regulator closes investigation but warns Apple and Google: we will use new powers to make app ecosystem fair

UK competition regulator the CMA has closed ongoing investigations into Apple and Google’s rules around in-app payments. Though mainly because recently passed laws boost the power of the CMA and it therefore believes any investigation would be better done in the context of enforcing those new laws…

Chris Cooke • 22 Aug 2024

The majors also want the US Supreme Court to intervene in the Cox case

public

Cox Communications • 4 min read

The majors also want the US Supreme Court to intervene in the Cox case

The major record companies have asked the US Supreme Court to intervene in their dispute with Cox Communications. They had been set to receive a billion dollars in damages, but an appeals court ruling could see that figure slashed. The majors want the appeals ruling reversed…

Chris Cooke • 21 Aug 2024

Ten more states join US government’s Live Nation lawsuit, which now seeks treble damages

public

Live Nation • 2 min read

Ten more states join US government’s Live Nation lawsuit, which now seeks treble damages

The US government has filed an amended version of its lawsuit against Live Nation, which accuses the company of anticompetitive conduct. Attorneys General from ten more states have joined the litigation, which has been amended to say that states can claim ‘treble damages’ on behalf of their citizens…

Chris Cooke • 20 Aug 2024

Isaac Hayes estate sues Donald Trump for copyright infringement

public

Isaac Hayes • 4 min read

Isaac Hayes estate sues Donald Trump for copyright infringement

Donald Trump’s use of the Isaac Hayes song ‘Hold On, I’m Comin’ at rallies has resulted in a lawsuit from the musician’s estate, saying the Trump campaign has infringed its copyright. The campaign says it’s covered by a BMI licence, putting the spotlight back on the complexities of music licensing…

Chris Cooke • 20 Aug 2024

German record industry secures injunction against another stream manipulation site

public

Stream Manipulation • 2 min read

German record industry secures injunction against another stream manipulation site

The German record industry has secured another injunction against a stream manipulation service. Trade group BVMI has got injunctions against six such companies since 2020. The latest to be targeted with court action is Pimpyourfollower.de…

Chris Cooke • 19 Aug 2024