Prince sues over unofficial covers album
Prince is suing Norwegian company C&C Records over an unlicensed box set of 81 cover versions released to mark his fiftieth birthday, demanding remaining physical copies be destroyed.…
Music industry legal news coverage
Our round up of legal battles, courtroom drama, copyright disputes and everything else.
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BPI confirm BT sending out warning letters to illegal file sharers
The BPI has confirmed BT is sending warning letters to suspected file sharers, following Virgin Media, with Geoff Taylor saying partnerships with ISPs are the BPI's top priority.…
Devo sue McDonald's
Devo are suing McDonald's after discovering its American Idol-themed Happy Meal toys include a figure resembling the band, which was never licensed or consulted.…
XM and EMI Publishing settle over Inno
Satellite radio firm XM has settled its lawsuit with EMI Music Publishing over its Pioneer Inno device, which let subscribers store and replay radio tracks, with terms undisclosed.…
P2P-licensed ISP packages may be available this year
The Register reports a label-approved ISP package allowing licensed P2P file sharing could be available in the UK by the end of the year, with Warner reportedly open to such licensing arrangements.…
US retailers want digital and physical release dates to match
The NARM board is calling on US labels to release albums in digital and physical formats on the same Tuesday, arguing that early digital releases create marketing confusion and missed sales.…
MU object to use of music in interrogation
The Musicians' Union wants the Federation of International Musicians to condemn the use of recorded music in interrogations, which Amnesty International classifies as torture, saying it will table a motion.…
BT reportedly threatening to cut off file sharer
According to The Register, BT has sent a customer an email warning that she illegally downloaded a Girls Aloud song and could be disconnected, an unconfirmed report that follows Virgin Media's warning letters.…
Supreme Court refused to hear Spector's judge biased claim
The Californian Supreme Court has declined to hear Phil Spector's petition to remove Judge Larry Paul Fidler from his retrial over alleged bias, leaving a retrial scheduled for 29 September.…
Landlord cleared of taking bribe from Winehouse's man
Former pub landlord James King has been found not guilty of perverting the course of justice, after the case that Anthony Kelly and James Kennedy offered him a bribe to drop charges against Blake Fielder-Civil and Michael Brown.…
Kerry Katona facing bankruptcy
A high court registrar has given Kerry Katona six weeks to pay a £157,000 tax bill, with her representative saying she expects to earn enough by August, while HM Revenue & Customs pushes for bankruptcy.…
Ryan in court over cab driver assault
Former Blue member Lee Ryan appeared at Guildford Magistrates' Court accused of punching a taxi driver up to three times after a traffic dispute on New Year's Eve, which Ryan's defence denies was racially motivated.…