Music industry legal news

Upsetting the Apple cart: app developers including Spotify, Deezer, Qobuz welcome US Justice Department lawsuit

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Apple • 3 min read

Upsetting the Apple cart: app developers including Spotify, Deezer, Qobuz welcome US Justice Department lawsuit

Last week the US Department Of Justice announced that it is suing Apple over allegations of anticompetitive conduct, including in relation to its App Store rules. That litigation has been welcomed by an organisation representing numerous app developers, including Spotify, Deezer and Qobuz…

Chris Cooke • 25 Mar 2024

Mother of security guard killed in Brixton Academy crowd crush commences legal action against Academy Music Group saying “we will never let this rest”

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Brixton Academy • 2 min read

Mother of security guard killed in Brixton Academy crowd crush commences legal action against Academy Music Group saying “we will never let this rest”

Academy Music Group is facing legal action over the crowd crush that occurred during a sold out Asake show at the Brixton Academy in December 2022. The family of one of those who died, security guard Gaby Hutchinson, say they want answers about what caused the fatal incident at the London venue…

Chris Cooke • 22 Mar 2024

Tennessee passes ELVIS Act to help musicians stop unauthorised voice clones

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ELVIS ACT • 2 min read

Tennessee passes ELVIS Act to help musicians stop unauthorised voice clones

The US state of Tennessee has extended its publicity right law to give people more protection over the unauthorised use of their voice or likeness, especially in the context of AI-generated deep fakes or voice clones. The changes come via the passing of the ELVIS Act.…

Chris Cooke • 22 Mar 2024

TikTok data to be discussed in UK Parliament, as ‘be -sold-or-be-banned’ proposals continue to work their way through US Congress

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TikTok • 2 min read

TikTok data to be discussed in UK Parliament, as ‘be -sold-or-be-banned’ proposals continue to work their way through US Congress

The FT has spoken to British MPs about TikTok and its Chinese owner ByteDance following the passing in the US House Of Representatives of the ‘be-sold-or-be-banned’ bill. UK politicians have similar concerns about TikTok user data, and also the possible influence of China over the TikTok algorithm…

Chris Cooke • 21 Mar 2024

Michael Jackson’s son moves to block grandmother from funding legal battle from estate

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Michael Jackson • 2 min read

Michael Jackson’s son moves to block grandmother from funding legal battle from estate

Michael Jackson’s son Blanket has filed legal papers attempting to block his grandmother from drawing money out of the late musician’s estate to fund a legal battle over a catalogue deal. The family members previously teamed up, but Blanket now thinks Katherine Jackson’s appeal is doomed to failure…

Andy Malt • 21 Mar 2024

Astroworld planners feared overcrowding at festival's main stage, new legal filings show

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Astroworld • 2 min read

Astroworld planners feared overcrowding at festival's main stage, new legal filings show

Court papers filed as part of the Astroworld lawsuits reveal conversations that took place between people involved in the planning of the festival where ten people died during a crowd surge. Concerns were expressed prior to the event about possible overcrowding in the main stage area…

Chris Cooke • 21 Mar 2024

Fourth Circuit court declines to rehear billion dollar Cox copyright case

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Cox Communications • 2 min read

Fourth Circuit court declines to rehear billion dollar Cox copyright case

The dispute between Cox and the major record companies will not be considered for a second time by the Fourth Circuit Appeals court, meaning its previous ruling stands: The ISP is liable for copyright infringement but the billion dollars in damages it was told to pay the labels should be reviewed…

Chris Cooke • 20 Mar 2024

Night & Day ruling makes it “open season” on Manchester’s night-time economy says Music Venue Trust boss

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Night & Day • 4 min read

Night & Day ruling makes it “open season” on Manchester’s night-time economy says Music Venue Trust boss

The Night & Day venue will be able to continue to run club nights, following the ruling in its protracted legal battle with Manchester City Council over a noise complaint. However, the wording of the decision has raised concerns that other nearby venues may now face similar complaints…

Chris Cooke • 19 Mar 2024

BPI threatens to sue voice cloning site Voicify

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Voicify • 3 min read

BPI threatens to sue voice cloning site Voicify

After the US record industry raised concerns about UK-based voice cloning service Voicify in a piracy document last year, it has emerged that British trade group BPI is now threatening legal action against the platform, which makes “high quality AI covers in seconds”…

Chris Cooke • 18 Mar 2024

Black Eyed Peas sued for licensing interpolation but not sample of Scatman

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Black Eyed Peas • 2 min read

Black Eyed Peas sued for licensing interpolation but not sample of Scatman

The label that owns Scatman John's 'Scatman' has sued Black Eyed Peas over an uncleared sample. Iceberg Records provided a licence that allowed the interpolation of the ‘Scatman’ composition into their song 'Bailar Contigo', but says the original recording was also sampled, which was not licensed…

Chris Cooke • 18 Mar 2024

Spotify asks European Commission to force Apple to approve its app amends

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Spotify • 2 min read

Spotify asks European Commission to force Apple to approve its app amends

After the EU competition regulator ordered Apple to change its rules around the sign-posting of payment options within iOS apps, Spotify immediately updated its app within the EU. But Apple is yet to approve those updates and Spotify now wants to European Commission to intervene…

Chris Cooke • 15 Mar 2024

Spanish appeals court sides with Unison in SGAE dispute

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SGAE • 2 min read

Spanish appeals court sides with Unison in SGAE dispute

A court in Barcelona has ruled against Spanish collecting society SGAE, which was accused of anti-competitive conduct by putting barriers in place to stop members moving their rights to rival society Unison. A competition regulator previously fined SGAE and the court has now awarded Unison damages…

Chris Cooke • 15 Mar 2024

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