Music industry legal news

TikTok ban added to aid bill in US House Of Representatives, which could speed up approval in the Senate

public

TikTok • 3 min read

TikTok ban added to aid bill in US House Of Representatives, which could speed up approval in the Senate

The TikTok-targeting sell-or-be-banned law that has already been passed by the US House Of Representatives is now also included in a new bill to be considered by the House alongside proposed aid for Ukraine and Israel. It is seen as a move to get the TikTok ban discussed in US Senate quicker.…

Chris Cooke • 18 Apr 2024

MLC lawsuit is “wild overreach” says Pandora, accusing US mechanicals society of “legal frolics”

public

Pandora • 3 min read

MLC lawsuit is “wild overreach” says Pandora, accusing US mechanicals society of “legal frolics”

Pandora has responded to a lawsuit filed by collecting society MLC in a dispute over whether or not the streaming platform’s personalised radio service should be classified as interactive or non-interactive. Pandora says not only is the MLC’s position on this wrong, it shouldn’t even have a position…

Chris Cooke • 17 Apr 2024

Russell Simmons says 1997 agreement bars new sexual assault lawsuit

public

Russell Simmons • 2 min read

Russell Simmons says 1997 agreement bars new sexual assault lawsuit

A lawyer for Russell Simmons has argued that a former Def Jam employee who accused him of sexual assault cannot sue him due to a 1997 settlement. His accuser’s legal rep said that they were not aware of any such agreement…

Chris Cooke • 17 Apr 2024

Astroworld lawyers argue “this event was Travis Scott’s festival” as judge considers musician’s motion for dismissal

public

Astroworld • 2 min read

Astroworld lawyers argue “this event was Travis Scott’s festival” as judge considers musician’s motion for dismissal

The judge overseeing the Astroworld litigation yesterday considered more motions for dismissal from defendants that want to be removed from the lawsuits that were filed in the wake of the crowd surge tragedy at the festival’s 2021 edition. That includes festival founder and headliner Travis Scott…

Chris Cooke • 16 Apr 2024

Apple says it is compliant with App Store injunction, judge should reject Epic's latest objections

public

Apple • 2 min read

Apple says it is compliant with App Store injunction, judge should reject Epic's latest objections

The US legal battle led by Epic Games over Apple’s App Store rules continues. Epic argues that Apple has failed to properly comply with a court order that forced it to change its rules around sign-posting alternative payment options within an app. In a new filing, Apple denies that claim…

Chris Cooke • 16 Apr 2024

Universal seeks dismissal from another Diddy lawsuit

public

Universal Music • 2 min read

Universal seeks dismissal from another Diddy lawsuit

A lawsuit filed under New York’s Adult Survivors Act accusing Diddy of sexual assault named Universal Music as a defendant. In a new filing, the major disputes that it had the necessary connection to Diddy to be liable, and also argues that the lawsuit doesn’t even qualify under the ASA…

Chris Cooke • 15 Apr 2024

Live Nation sued over shooting at 2023 Beyond Wonderland festival

public

Live Nation • 1 min read

Live Nation sued over shooting at 2023 Beyond Wonderland festival

A lawsuit has been filed in relation to a shooting that occurred at the US music festival Beyond Wonderland last summer. Families of two festival-goers who were killed in the shooting incident accuse promoters Live Nation and Insomniac of having lax security protocols at the festival…

Chris Cooke • 12 Apr 2024

Apple and Travis Scott companies remain as defendants in Astroworld litigation

public

Astroworld • 3 min read

Apple and Travis Scott companies remain as defendants in Astroworld litigation

A number of companies have been removed as defendants on the Astroworld litigation, including Sony Music's Epic Records. However, Apple, two businesses owned by Astroworld founder Travis Scott and a number of security companies will remain as defendants as the first cases get to trial next month…

Chris Cooke • 11 Apr 2024

Hollywood movie studios aim to put web-blocking back on the agenda in US Congress

public

Piracy • 3 min read

Hollywood movie studios aim to put web-blocking back on the agenda in US Congress

Web-blocking is now the music industry’s anti-piracy tactic of choice in countries where it is available. However, web-blocking is still not an option in the US, where attempts to add it to copyright law in 2012 resulted in a major backlash. Hollywood thinks it is time for Congress to reconsider…

Chris Cooke • 11 Apr 2024

X responds to $250 million copyright lawsuit filed by music publishers

public

X • 2 min read

X responds to $250 million copyright lawsuit filed by music publishers

X last month got a copyright lawsuit filed by a group of music publishers cut back, although the core allegation of contributory infringement was allowed to proceed. With that in mind, X has now filed a formal response to the publishers' litigation…

Chris Cooke • 11 Apr 2024

Transparency obligation for AI companies proposed in US Congress

public

AI • 2 min read

Transparency obligation for AI companies proposed in US Congress

Organisations from across the music industry have welcomed proposals introduced into US Congress that would force AI companies to declare what content they have used as part of the training of any one generative AI model. The proposals have been made by Democrat Adam Schiff…

Chris Cooke • 10 Apr 2024

Blur’s Dave Rowntree leads class action lawsuit against PRS For Music seeking “hundreds of millions of pounds” for songwriters

public

Dave Rowntree • 3 min read

Blur’s Dave Rowntree leads class action lawsuit against PRS For Music seeking “hundreds of millions of pounds” for songwriters

Taking a breather from preparing to stand as an MP, Blur drummer Dave Rowntree has launched a class action lawsuit accusing UK collecting society PRS For Music of misallocating “hundreds of millions of pounds” in royalties…

Andy Malt • 09 Apr 2024

Music industry legal news coverage