Music industry legal news

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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

Explicit AI-generated Taylor Swift images prompt renewed calls for new anti-deepfake laws

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Taylor Swift • 2 min read

Explicit AI-generated Taylor Swift images prompt renewed calls for new anti-deepfake laws

Sexually explicit AI-generated images of Taylor Swift circulated on X last week, putting the focus back on proposals in US Congress to introduce new laws to stop unapproved deepfakes. X said the Swift images broke its existing rules covering “non-consensual nudity” and were being removed…

Chris Cooke • 29 Jan 2024

StubHub accused of consistently underestimating its own fees in new lawsuit

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StubHub • 2 min read

StubHub accused of consistently underestimating its own fees in new lawsuit

Secondary ticketing website StubHub has been accused of misleading customers by consistently underestimating its own fees on its US website. That allegation has been made in a lawsuit that seeks to hold the resale site liable for fraud and unjust enrichment…

Chris Cooke • 29 Jan 2024

Precedent-setting Night & Day dispute back in court next week, with Manchester's music city credentials on the line

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Night & Day • 3 min read

Precedent-setting Night & Day dispute back in court next week, with Manchester's music city credentials on the line

Supporters of the Night & Day venue in Manchester say they hope a court hearing next week will finally resolve a legal dispute with the city’s council over a noise abatement order, with the Music Venue Trust stating that the case is “precedent-setting”…

Chris Cooke • 26 Jan 2024

US Copyright Office to investigate how to license AI companies to generate revenue for music creators

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Artificial Intelligence • 2 min read

US Copyright Office to investigate how to license AI companies to generate revenue for music creators

While the debate continues over whether or not tech companies need permission to use copyright protected works when training generative AI models, the US Copyright Office is looking into possible AI licensing models, including a compulsory licence which the music industry would likely oppose…

Chris Cooke • 26 Jan 2024

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