Music industry legal news

Russell Simmons sued over allegations of rape

public

Russell Simmons • 2 min read

Russell Simmons sued over allegations of rape

A former employee at Def Jam has filed a lawsuit accusing the label’s founder Russell Simmons of rape. It relates to an incident in the 1990s, with the plaintiff relying on a New York City law that allows the filing of lawsuits that would usually be prohibited by the statute of limitations…

Chris Cooke • 14 Feb 2024

public

Pandora • 3 min read

MLC sues Pandora over unpaid royalties

Pandora has been sued by collecting society MLC in a dispute over whether or not the US streaming service needs to pay mechanical royalties on all the revenues associated with its free tier…

Chris Cooke • 13 Feb 2024

Ticketmaster's arbitration dispute now with the Ninth Circuit appeals court

public

Ticketmaster • 2 min read

Ticketmaster's arbitration dispute now with the Ninth Circuit appeals court

Ticketmaster has told the Ninth Circuit Appeals Court that a lawsuit filed by ticket-buyers accusing it of anti-competitive conduct should be forced to arbitration - a lower court refused to do so because the Live Nation ticketing company changed its chosen arbitrator…

Chris Cooke • 13 Feb 2024

Ozzy Osbourne hits out at Kanye over ‘unauthorised’ sample saying rapper “has caused untold heartache to many”

public

Ozzy Osbourne • 2 min read

Ozzy Osbourne hits out at Kanye over ‘unauthorised’ sample saying rapper “has caused untold heartache to many”

A Black Sabbath sample has been removed from a track on Kanye West's new album after Ozzy Osbourne hit out when a version with the sample was played at a listening party. Osbourne said he'd refused to license the sample to the "antisemite" rapper.…

Chris Cooke • 12 Feb 2024

UK Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch’s decision to block MEGS funding for Kneecap “unlawful” says band as it prepares legal action

public

Kneecap • 3 min read

UK Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch’s decision to block MEGS funding for Kneecap “unlawful” says band as it prepares legal action

UK Business Secretary Kemi Badenock is facing both parliamentary questions and legal action after her department stopped Northern Irish rap group Kneecap from receiving MEGS funding because of the politics of their output…

Chris Cooke • 12 Feb 2024

“YouTube isn’t here”, says Yout lawyer in latest from legal battle with RIAA

public

Yout • 2 min read

“YouTube isn’t here”, says Yout lawyer in latest from legal battle with RIAA

A lawyer for stream-ripping site Yout argued in court last week that YouTube’s input was required to settle key questions in its ongoing legal battle with the Recording Industry Association Of America…

Chris Cooke • 12 Feb 2024

SeatGeek sued in multi-million class action over ticket price listings in New York

public

SeatGeek • 2 min read

SeatGeek sued in multi-million class action over ticket price listings in New York

Following proposals for a US-wide law forcing ticketing platforms to show the full price of every ticket upfront, including booking fees, SeatGeek has been sued in New York for allegedly failing to follow existing laws in that state regarding how ticket prices are displayed…

Chris Cooke • 09 Feb 2024

Warner Chappell urges Supreme Court to reject Copyright Office position in Flo Rida sample dispute

public

Warner Chappell • 2 min read

Warner Chappell urges Supreme Court to reject Copyright Office position in Flo Rida sample dispute

The US Supreme Court will this month consider a key question regarding damages claims in copyright infringement lawsuits which was posed as part of a dispute over a Flo Rida sample. Publisher Warner Chappell wants the court to reject the answer to that question given by the US Copyright Office…

Chris Cooke • 06 Feb 2024

US Justice Department requests more information in Live Nation investigation

public

Live Nation • 2 min read

US Justice Department requests more information in Live Nation investigation

Competition regulators at the US Department Of Justice continue to investigate allegations of anti-competitive conduct made against Live Nation and have reportedly sent new information requests as part of that investigation, which could still result in legal action…

Chris Cooke • 06 Feb 2024

AIF Sounds Alarm for VAT Reduction on Festival Tickets with '5% For Festivals' Campaign

public

Association Of Independent Festivals • 1 min read

AIF Sounds Alarm for VAT Reduction on Festival Tickets with '5% For Festivals' Campaign

The Association Of Independent Festivals is ramping up its calls for the UK government to reduce VAT on ticket sales with a new campaign launched at Festival Congress. Launching ‘5% For Festivals’, CEO John Rostron says that without urgent action we will see more festivals go out of business in 2024…

CMU • 02 Feb 2024

Misogyny remains “endemic” in “boys’ club” music industry says UK parliamentary report

public

Industry Issues • 4 min read

Misogyny remains “endemic” in “boys’ club” music industry says UK parliamentary report

UK Parliament’s Women And Equalities Committee has published a damning report on misogyny in the music industry. It found that harassment and abuse frequently go unreported, with some companies actively suppressing such claims, and makes numerous proposals for new legislation to tackle the issue…

Andy Malt • 30 Jan 2024

Sony fails to get Experience Hendrix lawsuit thrown out of UK court

public

Experience Hendrix • 2 min read

Sony fails to get Experience Hendrix lawsuit thrown out of UK court

A UK judge has said that a dispute over the rights in the Jimi Hendrix Experience catalogue can proceed to trial - the estates of two of Hendrix’s former bandmates, Mitch Mitchell and Noel Redding, claim they are due royalties from those recordings…

Chris Cooke • 30 Jan 2024

Music industry legal news coverage