Music industry legal news

Nine stream manipulation sites taken offline in Canada

public

Streaming Fraud • 2 min read

Nine stream manipulation sites taken offline in Canada

Nine stream manipulation websites have gone offline in Canada as a result of action prompted by a formal complaint from the country’s record industry to the Canadian Competition Bureau. Music Canada says this development sets an “important regulatory precedent that can be followed in other markets”…

Chris Cooke • 15 Mar 2024

Labour commits to UK ticket touting price cap, as Ed Sheeran's team welcomes guilty verdict in ticket tout court case

public

Ticket Touting • 4 min read

Labour commits to UK ticket touting price cap, as Ed Sheeran's team welcomes guilty verdict in ticket tout court case

The music industry has welcomed two big developments in relation to the battle against for-profit ticket touting in the UK. The Labour Party says it now supports a price cap for ticket resale, while two people connected to touting company TQ Tickets have been found guilty of fraudulent trading…

Chris Cooke • 14 Mar 2024

Epic returns to court in California over Apple's "blatant violation" of App Store injunction

public

Epic Games • 3 min read

Epic returns to court in California over Apple's "blatant violation" of App Store injunction

The Epic Games v Apple legal battle in the US courts continues. Apple changed its App Store rules on the back of an earlier judgement in that battle. But in a new legal filing, Epic says the rule changes are no good - in fact, they are a "blatant violation" of the judgement…

Chris Cooke • 14 Mar 2024

Selling TikTok would be last resort for ByteDance, sources say as House votes through sell-or-be-banned law

public

TikTok • 3 min read

Selling TikTok would be last resort for ByteDance, sources say as House votes through sell-or-be-banned law

American politicians in the House Of Representatives have voted in favour of proposals that would force ByteDance to sell TikTok or face a ban in the US. However, ByteDance will continue to fight the new laws in US Senate and the courts, seeing a sell-off as the last resort…

Chris Cooke • 13 Mar 2024

EU AI Act “world-first” say music trade bodies as European Parliament votes it into law

public

EU AI Act • 2 min read

EU AI Act “world-first” say music trade bodies as European Parliament votes it into law

The music industry has welcomed the passing of the EU AI Act, which, says a statement from various trade groups, “provides tools for rightsholders to enforce their rights”. However, quite how useful the new AI regulations prove to be for music companies will depend on how they are implemented…

Chris Cooke • 13 Mar 2024

Bad Bunny sues fan over unofficial concert recordings on YouTube

public

Bad Bunny • 2 min read

Bad Bunny sues fan over unofficial concert recordings on YouTube

A Bad Bunny fan who uploaded recordings of full songs from a recent US concert to YouTube has claimed his videos constitute fair use and therefore can’t be blocked by the rapper. That has prompted Bad Bunny’s team to sue the YouTuber for copyright and trademark infringement…

Chris Cooke • 12 Mar 2024

Drake asks to be removed from Astroworld lawsuits

public

Drake • 2 min read

Drake asks to be removed from Astroworld lawsuits

Drake was named as a defendant on some of the hundreds of lawsuits filed following the 2021 Astroworld tragedy, because he had a guest spot during festival founder Travis Scott’s headline set. In a new legal filing, he has asked the court to dismiss all the claims made against him personally…

Chris Cooke • 12 Mar 2024

Believe x WMG takeover dance warms up as financial regulator is called in

public

Believe • 10 min read

Believe x WMG takeover dance warms up as financial regulator is called in

We’re not calling it a takeover battle - yet. After Warner quietly threatened to get the French financial markets authority to step into its maybe/maybe-not bid for Believe the independent committee at the French indie giant has gone straight for the throat and called them in itself…

Sam Taylor • 12 Mar 2024

TikTok insists it isn't forcing Americans to phone politicians as ban proposal gets fast-tracked in Congress

public

TikTok • 3 min read

TikTok insists it isn't forcing Americans to phone politicians as ban proposal gets fast-tracked in Congress

Last week’s proposals in US Congress that could result in TikTok being banned are being fast-tracked through the House Of Representatives. Attempts by TikTok to rally its users to campaign against the proposals don’t seem to be working…

Chris Cooke • 11 Mar 2024

US appeals court lets Lizzo keep $5 million from festival that never happened

public

Lizzo • 2 min read

US appeals court lets Lizzo keep $5 million from festival that never happened

Lizzo was paid $5 million after committing to play the LA Virgin Fest in 2020. COVID then caused the festival to be cancelled, but Lizzo’s agent said that amendments made to her contract meant she didn’t have to return the fee. A US appeals court has concluded that the agents are right…

Chris Cooke • 11 Mar 2024

Epic declares DMA victory after EU intervention forces speedy change in Apple policy position

public

Epic Games • 2 min read

Epic declares DMA victory after EU intervention forces speedy change in Apple policy position

The EU Digital Markets Act went properly into effect last week impacting Apple’s App Store rules. App developers have criticised how Apple plans to comply with the act, although Epic Games says that it has already seen the benefit thanks to an intervention by the European Commission…

Chris Cooke • 11 Mar 2024

Cox again challenges the copyright claims of the major record companies, which in turn try to retain their billion dollar pay day

public

Cox Communications • 3 min read

Cox again challenges the copyright claims of the major record companies, which in turn try to retain their billion dollar pay day

Both Cox Communications and the major record companies have made filings with the Fourth Circuit Appeals Court in their ongoing copyright legal battle. The ISP again argues it isn’t liable for copyright infringement. The majors are trying to retain their billion dollars in damages.…

Chris Cooke • 08 Mar 2024

Music industry legal news coverage