Music industry legal news

Hong Kong eyes AI boost with proposed copyright shake-up

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AI • 4 min read

Hong Kong eyes AI boost with proposed copyright shake-up

Hong Kong is considering introducing a new copyright exception that would allow AI companies to train their models with existing content without getting permission from copyright owners. The proposal is likely to be opposed by the music industry…

Chris Cooke • 11 Jul 2024

⚖️ One Liners: Legal round-up including Spotify, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Kakao and ADOR

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One Liners - quickfire news from the music business • 2 min read

⚖️ One Liners: Legal round-up including Spotify, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Kakao and ADOR

Spotify Car Thing legal action dropped; former Chilli Pepper Klinghoffer facing wrongful death lawsuit; Kakao share manipulation drama + ADOR label boss quizzed by police over HYBE breach of trust allegations…

CMU • 11 Jul 2024

Songwriters welcome Copyright Office clarity on termination rights and streaming royalties

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US Copyright Office • 3 min read

Songwriters welcome Copyright Office clarity on termination rights and streaming royalties

The US Copyright Office has issued a final ruling regarding how collecting society MLC handles the payment of digital royalties when songwriters exercise the termination right and end old publishing deals. Previously publishers continued to get those royalties, but that shouldn’t have been the case…

Chris Cooke • 10 Jul 2024

Court rules against Prince family members in dispute over running of estate

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Prince • 2 min read

Court rules against Prince family members in dispute over running of estate

A Delaware court has backed two executives involved in the Prince estate after a dispute with family members over the running of Prince Legacy LLC, which manages the musician’s lucrative legacy. That centered on an operating agreement which, a judge said, was “unambiguous” and favoured the execs…

Chris Cooke • 08 Jul 2024

Coldplay pays former manager seven figure sum to settle dispute

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Coldplay • 2 min read

Coldplay pays former manager seven figure sum to settle dispute

Coldplay have forked out millions to settle their dispute with ex-manager Dave Holmes, avoiding public scrutiny of their business affairs. The legal battle stemmed from conflicting claims over contract renewal and alleged mismanagement. The settlement avoids a potentially explosive court case…

Chris Cooke • 08 Jul 2024

Diddy faces new sexual assault lawsuit from former White Party dancer

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Diddy • 2 min read

Diddy faces new sexual assault lawsuit from former White Party dancer

An explosive new lawsuit alleges that Diddy’s White Parties were a front for sex trafficking. A dancer who worked at the events in the 2000s claims that she was coerced into having sex with guests. The musician’s lawyer dismisses the allegations as baseless, confident of court victory.…

Chris Cooke • 05 Jul 2024

New York Times rejects Open AI’s unreasonable demand for journalists’ sources in copyright case

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Open AI • 2 min read

New York Times rejects Open AI’s unreasonable demand for journalists’ sources in copyright case

OpenAI wants to peek behind the curtain of NYT journalism, demanding reporters' sources in a heated copyright battle. The Times isn't having it, calling the move a threat to press freedom. As AI and media giants clash, the outcome could reshape how tech companies use content to train their models…

Chris Cooke • 05 Jul 2024

Cardi B hit with beat theft lawsuit over ‘Enough (Miami)’

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Cardi B • 2 min read

Cardi B hit with beat theft lawsuit over ‘Enough (Miami)’

Two Texas musicians are suing Cardi B claiming her single ‘Enough (Miami)’ uses the beat from their 2021 track ‘Greasy Frybread’. The lawsuit also seeks to clarify ownership of the original song, amid conflicting credits…

Chris Cooke • 04 Jul 2024

Warner Music fires AI warning shot: ‘Get a licence or face the consequences’

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Warner Music • 2 min read

Warner Music fires AI warning shot: ‘Get a licence or face the consequences’

Warner Music has written to AI companies setting out its position that licences must be secured before its music is used to train AI models. The stern letter, which follows Sony’s lead, extends to artist likeness and voice, and formally opts out of the EU data mining exception…

Chris Cooke • 04 Jul 2024

Rapper BG told to allow US officials to review his songs prior to release

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BG • 2 min read

Rapper BG told to allow US officials to review his songs prior to release

A judge has told rapper BG that he must share new songs with the US authorities before releasing them so that they can check if the lyrics create any concerns under the terms of his supervised release from prison. Prosecutors had asked for an order banning him from rapping about certain topics…

Chris Cooke • 04 Jul 2024

Sony Music Japan hunts pirate site operators through US courts

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Sony Music • 1 min read

Sony Music Japan hunts pirate site operators through US courts

The people behind a piracy service that specialises in Japanese music could be about to run into some legal challenges. Sony Music Japan has secured a US court order which forces Cloudflare to provide info about the site’s operators, with the aim that Sony can identify and pursue the individuals…

Chris Cooke • 04 Jul 2024

Young Thug trial derailed as judge’s controversial private meeting causes indefinite delay

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Young Thug • 2 min read

Young Thug trial derailed as judge’s controversial private meeting causes indefinite delay

Rapper Young Thug’s trial faces uncertainty as defence lawyers continue to call for the judge to be removed from the case over a private meeting with prosecutors and a key witness. The trial has been paused to allow another judge to consider those demands…

Chris Cooke • 03 Jul 2024

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