Sony Music news

Sony sues Napster over $9.2 million in unpaid royalties

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Sony Music • 2 min read

Sony sues Napster over $9.2 million in unpaid royalties

Following reports earlier this year that Napster wasn’t paying all the royalties that were due to the music industry, Sony Music has now sued the streaming service. It says Napster hasn’t been paying its bills for over a year now and new owner Infinite Reality hasn’t fixed the problem…

Kaya Robertson • 05 Aug 2025

Did Sony’s Rob Stringer just hand regulators the case to tank Universal’s Downtown dreams?

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Sony Music • 6 min read

Did Sony’s Rob Stringer just hand regulators the case to tank Universal’s Downtown dreams?

Sony Music boss Rob Stringer couldn’t resist boasting about his company’s vast indie data empire at Friday’s investor day. By revealing exactly how majors use distribution intelligence to dominate the market, he may have just handed regulators the ammunition to kill Universal’s Downtown deal. Oops…

Sam Taylor • 16 Jun 2025

University Of Southern California sued over uncleared music in sporty TikTok posts

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Sony Music • 2 min read

University Of Southern California sued over uncleared music in sporty TikTok posts

Another lawsuit has been filed over the uncleared use of music in TikTok and Instagram videos, because brands are not covered by the platforms’ general music licences. This time Sony is suing the University Of Southern California which used unlicensed tracks in videos promoting its sports teams…

Chris Cooke • 13 Mar 2025

Ultra vs Sony row continues as Moxey says “this is not about revenge”

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Ultra Music Publishing • 3 min read

Ultra vs Sony row continues as Moxey says “this is not about revenge”

Sony’s copyright battle with Patrick Moxey’s Ultra Music Publishing continues. The major claims that Moxey’s copyright lawsuit was filed in revenge after it sued him for trademark infringement. In a new filing, Ultra doubles down on its copyright claims and insists revenge has nothing to do with it…

Chris Cooke • 11 Mar 2025

Ultra boss says “nothing changes but the name” as he downplays Sony trademark face-off defeat

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Ultra Music Publishing • 3 min read

Ultra boss says “nothing changes but the name” as he downplays Sony trademark face-off defeat

A judge has ruled on Sony’s legal battle with former business partner Patrick Moxey over his continued use of the Ultra brand. Sony now owns the Ultra label Moxey founded and insisted he can’t use the brand for his publishing company. The judge agreed, meaning Ultra Music Publishing needs a new name…

Chris Cooke • 27 Feb 2025

Sony Music says Ultra copyright lawsuit “an ill-conceived” and retaliatory ploy filed to “exact revenge” over trademark dispute

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Sony Music • 3 min read

Sony Music says Ultra copyright lawsuit “an ill-conceived” and retaliatory ploy filed to “exact revenge” over trademark dispute

Sony Music says that a copyright lawsuit filed against it by Ultra Music Publishing should be dismissed, because it fails to identify “any particular infringing acts”. Not only that, but the lawsuit was filed in retaliation after it sued the Ultra publisher for trademark infringement…

Chris Cooke • 19 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

Majors labels' primary physical distributor Utopia Distribution Services collapses

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Utopia Distribution Services • 6 min read

Majors labels' primary physical distributor Utopia Distribution Services collapses

Physical distribution business UDS has collapsed after its Swiss parent Utopia Music was forced into bankruptcy. UDS apparently owed millions to landlord DP World - which is now taking ownership of the company's assets. But why?…

Sam Taylor • 13 Dec 2024

Sony pulls catalogue from Boomplay as sources claim streaming platform has not paid royalties since April 2023

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Boomplay • 2 min read

Sony pulls catalogue from Boomplay as sources claim streaming platform has not paid royalties since April 2023

African streaming service Boomplay has lost access to Sony Music’s catalogue, seemingly in a dispute over unpaid royalties. It raises concerns about the the financial position of Boomplay, which is a key streaming service in a number of African markets…

Chris Cooke • 10 Dec 2024

Sony Music commits “blatant and massive piracy”, says a former business partner

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Sony Music • 2 min read

Sony Music commits “blatant and massive piracy”, says a former business partner

Ultra Music Publishing has sued Sony Music over allegations of copyright infringement. Sony now owns the Ultra record label, but not the publishing company. It says Sony has infringed rights in compositions it controls by uploading, selling and synchronising them without the necessary licences…

Chris Cooke • 03 Dec 2024

Sony Music shows off “next-generation immersive technologies”, trails upcoming Myles Smith Fortnite event

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Sony Music • 3 min read

Sony Music shows off “next-generation immersive technologies”, trails upcoming Myles Smith Fortnite event

Sony has loads of fancy toys, and that’s making it easier than ever to create content. In particular, the major is keen to talk up how quickly, easily and cheaply it can whack out immersive content for artists who want to dip their toes - or other virtual bodyparts - into the world of Fortnite…

Sam Taylor & Chris Cooke • 22 Oct 2024

Spotify should have put up prices long ago; TikTok not a promo platform; AI will be a great tool for making music; Sony will take “more organic” approach to working with artists beyond releases, says Rob Stringer

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Sony Music • 4 min read

Spotify should have put up prices long ago; TikTok not a promo platform; AI will be a great tool for making music; Sony will take “more organic” approach to working with artists beyond releases, says Rob Stringer

Sony Music CEO Rob Stringer spoke at a Bloomberg’s Screentime conference last week, about getting more money out of TikTok, streaming subscribers, and opportunities for Sony and its artists. Those opportunities are stronger for Sony, he said, because it’s part of a wider entertainment group…

Chris Cooke • 14 Oct 2024