Music industry legal news

Music publishers’ lawsuit against Anthropic cut down by the judge, though core copyright complaints remain

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Anthropic • 4 min read

Music publishers’ lawsuit against Anthropic cut down by the judge, though core copyright complaints remain

A judge has dismissed various elements of the lawsuit that the Universal, Concord and ABKCO music publishing companies filed against AI business Anthropic, and declined to issue an injunction stopping it from using their lyrics. However, the publishers’ core copyright infringement claim will proceed…

Chris Cooke • 27 Mar 2025

Streaming fraud in the spotlight again as charges brought over scam using tracks stolen via WhatsApp

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Streaming Fraud • 2 min read

Streaming fraud in the spotlight again as charges brought over scam using tracks stolen via WhatsApp

A record industry-backed operation seeking to tackle streaming fraud in Brazil has resulted in charges being pressed against an individual who generated $65,000 in Spotify royalties by manipulating the streams on over 400 tracks, including music stolen from other artists via a WhatsApp group…

Chris Cooke • 26 Mar 2025

Lil Rod lawyer says “I know where the bodies are buried” as judge strips back Diddy lawsuit

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Diddy • 3 min read

Lil Rod lawyer says “I know where the bodies are buried” as judge strips back Diddy lawsuit

The Diddy lawsuit filed by a producer who worked on the musician’s ‘The Love Album’ has been stripped back by the judge, but core sexual assault allegations will proceed. The producer’s lawyer says the ruling is a win, adding “I know where all of the bodies are buried and I have a huge shovel”…

Chris Cooke • 26 Mar 2025

Lucian Grainge’s megabonus and Streaming 2.0 under scrutiny in Fred Durst’s latest lawsuit

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Universal Music • 4 min read

Lucian Grainge’s megabonus and Streaming 2.0 under scrutiny in Fred Durst’s latest lawsuit

Last week a federal judge in the US told Fred Durst that he needed to pursue his breach of contract claims against Universal Music in a state court. He has already done that, filing a new lawsuit in California which, like his earlier lawsuits, is scathing about Universal’s royalty payment practices…

Chris Cooke • 25 Mar 2025

NewJeans on enforced hiatus after court says no activity without Ador’s involvement

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NewJeans • 3 min read

NewJeans on enforced hiatus after court says no activity without Ador’s involvement

NewJeans are on hiatus after HYBE’s Ador secured an injunction from the courts last week preventing the group from pursuing any projects without its involvement. The hiatus was announced at a show in Hong Kong where the group performed under their new name NJZ, much to the annoyance of Ador…

Chris Cooke • 24 Mar 2025

Just show me Kendrick’s record contract says Drake as he accuses Universal of ignoring key claims in defamation lawsuit

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Drake • 3 min read

Just show me Kendrick’s record contract says Drake as he accuses Universal of ignoring key claims in defamation lawsuit

Earlier this week Universal filed a motion to dismiss Drake’s defamation lawsuit against the major and then asked the judge to pause the discovery process in that case. Drake’s team have responded, insisting that Universal has ignored key claims in his litigation and that discovery should proceed…

Chris Cooke • 21 Mar 2025

RIAA urges Donald Trump to instigate pro-copyright AI Action Plan

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Artificial Intelligence • 2 min read

RIAA urges Donald Trump to instigate pro-copyright AI Action Plan

The RIAA has set out its arguments regarding copyright and AI as part of the consultation that will inform Donald Trump’s AI Action Plan. It insists that AI innovation and strong copyright protection are not “mutually exclusive”, urging the US government to take a pro-copyright approach…

Chris Cooke • 21 Mar 2025

Leadmill team digs in and starts eviction appeal

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The Leadmill • 3 min read

Leadmill team digs in and starts eviction appeal

The never ending Leadmill saga rumbles on as Phil Mills and his team file an appeal against the recent eviction order secured by building owner The Electric Group. That appeal relies largely on a tactic already tested - albeit unsuccessfully - by team Mills…

Chris Cooke • 20 Mar 2025

Fred Durst’s bid to cancel old Universal deals will have to be fought out in state courts, says federal judge

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Limp Bizkit • 2 min read

Fred Durst’s bid to cancel old Universal deals will have to be fought out in state courts, says federal judge

Crucial elements of Fred Durst’s big legal battle with Universal Music over allegedly unpaid royalties will have to be fought out in state courts, not the federal court where he filed his lawsuit, a judge has ruled. That includes the musician’s attempt to cancel three old contracts with the major…

Chris Cooke • 20 Mar 2025

Let’s not take a wrecking ball to copyright, says judge in Miley Cyrus ‘Flowers’ song-theft case

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Miley Cyrus • 6 min read

Let’s not take a wrecking ball to copyright, says judge in Miley Cyrus ‘Flowers’ song-theft case

Miley Cyrus is trying to get a lawsuit dismissed which claims that her hit ‘Flowers’ rips off a Bruno Mars song. She argued that the investment company that sued her doesn’t have any exclusive rights in the Mars song, despite acquiring a share of the copyright. A judge has now rejected that argument…

Chris Cooke • 19 Mar 2025

Another big ISP wants the US Supreme Court to intervene in its piracy battle with the majors

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Grande Communications • 3 min read

Another big ISP wants the US Supreme Court to intervene in its piracy battle with the majors

US ISP Grande, which lost a $47 million legal battle with the major record companies over its failure to deal with its music pirating customers, wants the US Supreme Court to review the case. It’s the second ISP to ask the Supreme Court to intervene on the copyright liabilities of internet companies…

Chris Cooke • 19 Mar 2025

As the next TikTok ban approaches in the US, is a revamp of Oracle’s 2020 deal likely to save the app?

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TikTok • 3 min read

As the next TikTok ban approaches in the US, is a revamp of Oracle’s 2020 deal likely to save the app?

TikTok is set to be banned in the US on 5 Apr unless it is sold by China-based owner ByteDance. Negotiations for a sale are very much underway in the White House, including a deal involving Oracle, though it’s not clear that deal will be approved by China, or supported by Republicans in Congress…

Chris Cooke • 18 Mar 2025

Music industry legal news coverage