Music industry legal news

Gamma - which released Kanye’s comeback album - sues to unmask whoever is behind “coordinated and malicious” anonymous smear campaign

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Gamma • 5 min read

Gamma - which released Kanye’s comeback album - sues to unmask whoever is behind “coordinated and malicious” anonymous smear campaign

Larry Jackson’s artist services company Gamma - which released Kanye’s ‘Bully’ comeback - is under attack by a anonymous hater who has used an orchestrated bot campaign to smear him and his company. He wants the US courts to unmask the perpetrator, but that might not be quite so straightforward…

Chris Cooke & Sam Taylor • 27 May 2026

Damages in major label lawsuit against Suno could top $9 billion after Sony and Universal add another 61,026 tracks

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Suno • 3 min read

Damages in major label lawsuit against Suno could top $9 billion after Sony and Universal add another 61,026 tracks

While there have been some legal settlements, both Suno and Udio are still fighting major label lawsuits. The majors now want to significantly expand the official list of recordings the AI companies have copied without licence, so that potential damages in the two cases go from millions to billions…

Chris Cooke • 26 May 2026

Live Nation should be forced to sell Ticketmaster and a bunch of amphitheaters, say the states that pursued antitrust litigation

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Live Nation • 2 min read

Live Nation should be forced to sell Ticketmaster and a bunch of amphitheaters, say the states that pursued antitrust litigation

The US states that successfully pursued that big antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation have filed a wishlist of sanctions they now want the judge to impose. It includes forcing a sale of Ticketmaster and various amphitheater venues. Live Nation says the requests are “performative and political”…

Chris Cooke • 22 May 2026

Music industry welcomes revised NO FAKES Act, but Spotify says “still work to do”

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Artificial Intelligence • 4 min read

Music industry welcomes revised NO FAKES Act, but Spotify says “still work to do”

A new version of the NO FAKES Act, which will help performers and creators protect their voice and likeness in the context of AI, has been introduced in Washington. Spotify, which previously expressed concerns about the act, says the latest draft is an improvement, but there’s “still work to do”…

Chris Cooke • 21 May 2026

Snoopy game developer and US government hit with copyright lawsuits by ‘Peanuts’ music publisher

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Lee Mendelson Film Productions • 2 min read

Snoopy game developer and US government hit with copyright lawsuits by ‘Peanuts’ music publisher

The company behind the classic ‘Peanuts’ TV specials has filed four lawsuits over the unlicensed use of music that appears in those programmes, the distinct compositions of Vince Guaraldi. Among those sued is the maker of a Snoopy video game and the US government’s Department Of The Interior…

Chris Cooke • 21 May 2026

Suno sued again - this time by production duo who claim generative AI has caused an 80% slump in sync licensing income

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Suno • 3 min read

Suno sued again - this time by production duo who claim generative AI has caused an 80% slump in sync licensing income

Another day another Suno lawsuit. The AI company has been sued by production duo The American Dollar. This lawsuit is particularly interesting because the duo have traditionally made a lot of money from sync deals, and they say AI music like that generated by Suno has caused that income to slump…

Chris Cooke • 20 May 2026

Live Nation and Ticketmaster should still be split up, lawmakers told, as US government’s antitrust settlement criticised in Congress

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Live Nation • 2 min read

Live Nation and Ticketmaster should still be split up, lawmakers told, as US government’s antitrust settlement criticised in Congress

The US Department Of Justice’s decision to settle antitrust claims against Live Nation was slammed in Congress yesterday, with President Trump accused of siding with an “illegal monopoly”. Congress members also said they still hope Live Nation and Ticketmaster will be split up by the courts…

Chris Cooke • 19 May 2026

Funk pioneer George Clinton sues Universal over $1.1 million in withheld royalties

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George Clinton • 1 min read

Funk pioneer George Clinton sues Universal over $1.1 million in withheld royalties

Universal Music has not been paying royalties to George Clinton for three years now, because he is involved in a legal dispute with the estate of a former collaborator over ownership of many of his recordings. But, a new lawsuit says, that dispute is no reason for UMG to withhold his money…

Chris Cooke • 19 May 2026

Shakira hits out at Spanish tax authorities after winning legal battle over allegedly unpaid taxes from 2011 tour

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Shakira • 2 min read

Shakira hits out at Spanish tax authorities after winning legal battle over allegedly unpaid taxes from 2011 tour

A Spanish court has ruled in favour of Shakira in the final of three disputes between the pop star and Spain’s tax authorities. She has accused tax officials of leaking information about the dispute, and using her name and public image, to send a threatening message to other Spanish tax payers…

Chris Cooke • 18 May 2026

UK government decision to delay live music touting law in favour of sports ticketing reforms dubbed “puzzling” and “bizarre” by music industry

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Ticket Touting • 3 min read

UK government decision to delay live music touting law in favour of sports ticketing reforms dubbed “puzzling” and “bizarre” by music industry

The UK government has set out in the King's Speech the laws it plans to pass in the next year. As expected, laws to introduce the promised ticket touting ban will only be drafted this year, not passed. Though new rules on the touting of tickets to sports events are likely to be voted on by MPs…

Chris Cooke • 13 May 2026

Kanye loses uncleared sample lawsuit, but warns “there’s a cost attached to thinking you can take advantage of Ye”

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Kanye West • 3 min read

Kanye loses uncleared sample lawsuit, but warns “there’s a cost attached to thinking you can take advantage of Ye”

Kanye West has lost his legal battle over an uncleared sample on a version of his ‘Donda’ track ‘Hurricane’ that was played at one of his 2021 listening parties. However, the rapper reckons the company that sued him has still made a loss when their legal costs are taken into account…

Chris Cooke • 13 May 2026

This may be the “moment” to rewrite copyright law, says US Copyright Office boss

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US Copyright Office • 2 min read

This may be the “moment” to rewrite copyright law, says US Copyright Office boss

The boss of the US Copyright Office was asked about the Supreme Court ruling in the major labels v Cox case in US Congress yesterday. She said it had reduced the “incentives” for internet companies to “take steps to curb infringement”, and lawmakers might want to amend copyright law as a result…

Chris Cooke • 13 May 2026

Music industry legal news coverage