Music industry legal news

Tony Buzbee’s Jay-Z lawsuit dismissal shows “system has failed” as “no repercussions” for lawyer, says rapper

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Jay-Z • 2 min read

Tony Buzbee’s Jay-Z lawsuit dismissal shows “system has failed” as “no repercussions” for lawyer, says rapper

Jay-Z has declared “victory” after a Diddy lawsuit that also accused him of rape was dismissed by the women who filed it. However, he said, the trauma his family have endured since he was named as a co-defendant can’t be dismissed, stressing again that the lawsuit should never have been filed…

Chris Cooke • 17 Feb 2025

MLC asks judge to reconsider Spotify ruling, otherwise the “injustice will be manifest”

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Spotify • 2 min read

MLC asks judge to reconsider Spotify ruling, otherwise the “injustice will be manifest”

Last month a US judge dismissed the lawsuit filed by The MLC against Spotify over its decision to reclassify its premium subscription product as a music + audiobooks bundle, reducing what it has to pay to songwriters and publishers. The MLC now wants the judge to reconsider that ruling…

Chris Cooke • 14 Feb 2025

TikTok back in Apple and Google US app stores, as Trump says he may further postpone the ban

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TikTok • 3 min read

TikTok back in Apple and Google US app stores, as Trump says he may further postpone the ban

TikTok is back in the Apple and Google app stores in the US. They both removed the app when a ban went into effect in January, even though Donald Trump immediately paused the ban. Meanwhile, Trump says he’s confident he can still negotiate a deal that means the TikTok ban never needs to happen…

Chris Cooke • 14 Feb 2025

MPs urge government to maintain AI and copyright amendments in Data Bill to “protect our creative industries”

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Artificial Intelligence • 4 min read

MPs urge government to maintain AI and copyright amendments in Data Bill to “protect our creative industries”

Last month the House Of Lords amended the UK government's Data Bill to add some copyright obligations for AI companies. The bill was debated in the House Of Commons yesterday, where some MPs urged the government to retain those amendments in order to “protect our creative industries”…

Chris Cooke • 13 Feb 2025

Diddy sues NBC for defamation over murder and child abuse claims in ‘Making Of A Bad Boy’ documentary

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Diddy • 3 min read

Diddy sues NBC for defamation over murder and child abuse claims in ‘Making Of A Bad Boy’ documentary

Last month NBC aired a documentary all about the scandals surrounding Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs. In a new lawsuit, Combs says that allegations in the programme - and especially its claims accusing him of murder and child abuse - were defamatory, with those claims based on mere hearsay and speculation…

Chris Cooke • 13 Feb 2025

US judge demolishes fair use defence in what could be landmark AI lawsuit

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Artificial Intelligence • 3 min read

US judge demolishes fair use defence in what could be landmark AI lawsuit

An AI company’s fair use defence in a copyright legal battle filed by Thomson Reuters has been rejected by an American judge. It’s a significant ruling because of the numerous US lawsuits against AI companies, including those filed by the music industry, that centre on the fair use defence…

Chris Cooke • 12 Feb 2025

What next for TikTok in the US as April deadline looms on the horizon?

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TikTok • 4 min read

What next for TikTok in the US as April deadline looms on the horizon?

While the US TikTok ban was postponed for 75 days by Donald Trump, the app’s future in the country remains uncertain, despite lots of speculation about which American billionaires want to buy it. Meanwhile the UK government is now on TikTok, despite the app being banned on government devices…

Chris Cooke • 11 Feb 2025

Ozzy Osbourne sued for posting photos of himself on social media

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Ozzy Osbourne • 2 min read

Ozzy Osbourne sued for posting photos of himself on social media

Ozzy Osbourne is the latest artist to be sued for posting photos of himself on social media. The copyrights in the images are owned by the photographer, who says no permission was granted to use the photos on social platforms that are “key components” of Osbourne’s “lucrative commercial enterprise”…

Chris Cooke • 11 Feb 2025

Web-blocks fail to “address the root causes of piracy”, VPN trade body tells copyright owners

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Piracy • 2 min read

Web-blocks fail to “address the root causes of piracy”, VPN trade body tells copyright owners

French broadcaster Canal+ is trying to get web-blocking orders against a number of VPNs in a bid to block football piracy sites. However, VPN operators argue that forcing web-blocking onto their networks won’t stop piracy but will undermine “digital freedom for millions of French residents”…

Chris Cooke • 10 Feb 2025

NewJeans are now NJZ, as court dates set for Ador legal battle

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NewJeans • 2 min read

NewJeans are now NJZ, as court dates set for Ador legal battle

K-pop group NewJeans have announced a rebrand as NJZ as a result of their legal dispute with former label Ador. They will start performing under the new name next month, just as legal action by Ador - which is seeking to enforce its contract with the group - arrives in court…

Chris Cooke • 07 Feb 2025

Court Of Appeal rejects Sony Music’s arguments for dismissing Jimi Hendrix Experience copyright case

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Jimi Hendrix • 3 min read

Court Of Appeal rejects Sony Music’s arguments for dismissing Jimi Hendrix Experience copyright case

In 2022, the estates of Jimi Hendrix’s bandmates in the Jimi Hendrix Experience sued Sony Music claiming their rights were being infringed. Sony has been trying to get the lawsuit dismissed, but the Court Of Appeal in London has knocked back those efforts, meaning the case will now proceed to trial…

Chris Cooke • 07 Feb 2025

Notorious BIG estate sues art print company over infringement of image “heralded” as the ‘Mona Lisa of hip hop’

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Notorious BIG • 2 min read

Notorious BIG estate sues art print company over infringement of image “heralded” as the ‘Mona Lisa of hip hop’

Notorious BIG’s estate has filed a lawsuit against iCanvas, Home Depot, Nordstrom and Target over the sale of canvas prints that featured an iconic photo of the late rapper dubbed the ‘Mona Lisa of hiphop’, which allegedly infringing the copyright in the photo and the late rapper’s publicity rights…

Chris Cooke • 06 Feb 2025

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