News

August 2024 Legal Music News

Spotify Asks Judge to Dismiss MLC Lawsuit Over Audiobook Royalty Rates

August 29, 2024 

Spotify has filed a motion to dismiss a lawsuit brought by the Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC) in the Southern District of New York. The MLC alleges that Spotify mischaracterized its Premium service as a Bundled Subscription Offering by adding audiobook access to reduce the amount of Service Provider Revenue reported, which would subsequently reduce the royalties paid. The MLC claims that despite the addition of audiobooks, the Premium service remains essentially the same and should not be classified as a Bundled Subscription Offering for royalty calculations.

Spotify argues that the lawsuit is “meritless” and asserts that the addition of audiobooks offers substantial value to subscribers, justifying a bundled royalty rate. The MLC alleges that Spotify’s actions could lead to significant financial losses for songwriters and publishers.

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Tags: Litigation, Royalties 

Journey Members Jonathan Cain and Neal Schon Agree to Appoint Neutral Party to Resolve Disputes 

August 28, 2024

The rock band Journey’s bandmates Jonathan Cain and Neal Schon are entangled in a legal dispute over financial matters. The band is notorious for engaging in legal battles between the bandmates. The lawsuit, filed in Delaware Court of Chancery on July 24, involves accusations of mismanagement and unauthorized spending related to the band’s finances. This is a second case after Schon claims that Cain has restricted his access to the band’s financial records and used funds for personal expenses back in 2022. Cain sued him back a few months later claiming that the restrictions were necessary to prevent Schon from exuberant spending on the company card. This case deals more specifically with the governance of Freedom 2020 Inc., which is the Delaware-based corporate entity that operates the band’s touring. Since both members, Cain and Schon each control exactly 50% of the company, the lawsuit alleges that both have reached an impasse that has now affected the band’s operations.

As of August 28, 2024, Cain and Schon have agreed to appoint a neutral third party, Joseph R. Slights, to resolve internal disputes that have been causing operational deadlock within the band. Slights, a former Chancery Court judge, will now have the power to cast tie-breaking votes in corporate disputes. Slights will also be able to “retain advisors or professionals, including music-industry advisors, attorneys, accountants, and other professionals,” when acting as custodian. 

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Tags: Litigation, Corporate Disputes, Band Disputes

Judge Rules Missy Elliott Must Face Trial Over Co-Writer Claims

August 28, 2024

Judge Nitza I. Quiñones Alejandro has ruled that the trial for a lawsuit brought by Terry Williams against Missy Elliott will proceed. Williams, a previous producer of Elliott’s claims to have co-written five of Elliott’s songs from her 1990 R&B group Sista without receiving credit. Elliott claims that four of the five allegedly co-written songs were produced and written before she had even met Williams. Judge Quiñones Alejandro dismissed claims related to the song “Heartbroken” due to the statute of limitations, noting that Williams waited until 2018 to sue, even though he claims he has known for decades that he wasn’t given credit for the co-writing. The Judge dismissed Elliott’s request for summary judgment and ordered a final pretrial conference by November 13, 2024.

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Tags: Litigation, Credit, Royalties 

Joey Ramone’s Brother Sues Johnny Ramone’s Widow Over Ramones’ Legacy

August 26, 2024

In a new lawsuit filed in the Eastern District of New York, Joey Ramone’s brother, Mickey Leigh, accuses Johnny Ramone’s widow, Linda Cummings-Ramone, of violating trademark law by falsely presenting herself as the key figure in the rock band Ramones’ legacy. Both parties hold exactly half of the band’s holding company and are executors of Joey’s and Johnny’s respective estates. The legal battle initially began in January 2024 when Cummings-Ramone sued Leigh over allegations of an unauthorized Netflix biopic (this case is still pending).

Leigh alleges that Cummings-Ramone has overstepped agreements and is misleading the public about her role in the band’s history. Despite previous legal proceedings and agreements that regulate Cummings-Ramone’s use of the Ramone name, Cummings-Ramone continues to violate them.

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Tags: Litigation, Estates, Reputation and Legacy  

Shaboozey Sues Warner Chappell for Breach of Contract Over Exit Clause Dispute and Ex-Label Sues Shaboozey Back for Fraud and Misrepresentation 

August 26, 2024 

Shaboozey, who recently gained attention with the song “A Bar Song (Tipsy)”, has filed a lawsuit against Warner Chappell in the California Superior Court, claiming the company is obstructing his efforts to exit his contract by refusing to provide necessary financial information. The case centers on an acceleration clause in his contract that allows early termination by repaying 110% of advances. Shaboozey also names his former label, Kreshendo Entertainment, as a defendant, alleging they are preventing Warner from disclosing the required details.

The dispute escalated with Kreshendo filing a countersuit in the same California Superior Court, accusing Shaboozey of using fraud and bad faith to avoid his contractual obligations after his song “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” began receiving massive public attention. The company admitted that it had released Shaboozey from his record deal in 2019 but argued that the release from the contract contained conditions, including Kreshendo owning a 50% stake in all of the singer’s compositions and retaining the right to be paid a percentage of profits from his master recordings, which Shaboozey has failed to pay.

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Tags: Litigation, Contracts

OutKast Sues EDM Duo ATLiens Over Trademark Infringement

August 23, 2024

The rapper duo, OutKast has filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against the EDM duo ATLiens in the Northern District of Georgia for trademark infringement and unfair competition. OutKast alleges that the duo’s name is identical to OutKast’s 1996 hit song and that it confuses consumers and infringes on their trademark. OutKast claims that the EDM duo chose the ATLiens name to capitalize on the mark’s fame and goodwill. They also note that the space and alien themes in the duo’s promotional materials and merchandise further infringe on OutKast’s trademark and reinforce the likelihood of consumer confusion.

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Tags: Trademark, Litigation 

Trump Campaign Deletes Video Using Beyoncé’s “Freedom” After Cease-and-Desist

August 21, 2024 

Beyoncé’s label sent a cease-and-desist to Donald Trump’s campaign for using her song “Freedom” in a campaign video without permission. The video was posted by Trump Campaign’s spokesperson on X and has since been deleted. The video featured the former President along with Beyoncé’s “Freedom” playing in the background. The song has also been featured in Kamala Harris’s campaign ads, but the use in those advertisements was authorized by Beyoncé. This incident follows similar unauthorized uses of songs by Trump, including a notice of copyright infringement over Isaac Hayes’s “Hold On I’m Coming”. This news comes right after a controversial photo retweeted by Trump that included AI-generated images of Taylor Swift appearing to endorse his campaign.

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Tags: Copyright Infringement, AI, Unauthorized Use

Vans and MSCHF Settle Trademark Lawsuit Over Tyga’s “Wavy Baby” Sneakers

August 21, 2024

Vans and Brooklyn art collective MSCHF have settled a trademark lawsuit filed in the Eastern District of New York over the Tyga “Wavy Baby” sneakers. MSCHF, which has faced several trademark lawsuits, released the sneakers in 2022 in collaboration with rapper Tyga. Vans claimed the shoes were a “blatant” infringement of their iconic Old Skool shoe style. MSCHF argued their shoes were a legal parody protected by the First Amendment, claiming their design was a critique of “sneakerhead” consumer culture. The parties reached a settlement agreement on August 20, with MSCHF agreeing to a permanent injunction from selling the sneakers.

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Tags: Litigation, Trademark, 

Kanye West Settles Sampling Lawsuit with Boogie Down Productions Over “Life of the Party”

August 20, 2024 

Rapper Kanye West (Ye) has settled a lawsuit filed in the Southern District of New York with Phase One Network, owners of Boogie Down Productions’ copyrights, over the use of an uncleared sample in his song “Life of the Party”. The lawsuit alleged that Ye used elements of the 1986 track “South Bronx” without proper licensing. While both sides have agreed to dismiss the case and cover their own legal costs, the lawsuit continues against other defendants involved with the song’s release on the Stem Player platform. This is one of several copyright suits filed against Ye in the last couple of months, amid rumors and claims of his erratic behavior while producing and releasing music.

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Tags: Litigation, Corporation, Copyright, Illegal Sampling

Adidas Wins Dismissal of Securities Fraud Lawsuit Over Kanye West Partnership

August 19, 2024

A federal judge in the District of Oregon dismissed a class-action lawsuit against Adidas, which claimed the company violated securities laws by not disclosing issues with rapper Kanye West (Ye) before their partnership ended in 2022. The case claimed that Adidas knew about serious issues with Kanye West in 2018 but failed to disclose them to investors who faced losses due to West’s public and erratic behavior in 2022.  Judge Karin Immergut who was overseeing the case noted that although the behavior was “troubling” that it had happened at Adidas, it did not rise to the level of securities fraud for Adidas to not disclose the behavior to investors.

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Tags: Litigation, Corporation, Investor Relations, Securities Fraud

Barry Manilow Sued by Hipgnosis for Alleged Breach of Catalog Deal

August 14, 2024

Iconic singer Barry Manilow has filed a lawsuit against Hipgnosis Song Fund over a dispute related to bonus payments from the acquisition of Manilow’s catalog. This case, which is filed in the Central District of California, comes in response to a case filed in London’s High Court by Hipgnosis where Hipgnosis accused Manilow of breach of contract. The California case involves allegations of breach of contract, fraudulent misrepresentation, and negligent misrepresentation. According to the complaint, Manilow alleges the original contract for the sale of his catalogue entitled him to a one-time payment of $7,500,000.00 and two additional bonuses of $750,000.00 if certain benchmarks were met. Manilow alleges despite these benchmarks being met, he has yet to receive his two additional bonuses. Hipgnosis’s public statement on the matter is that it is a routine commercial issue, emphasizing their respect for Manilow and confidence in a fair resolution. 

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Tags: Litigation, Corporation, Catalog Sales, Contracts 

Mariah Carey Sued for Copyright Infringement over song All I Want for Christmas Is You

August 13, 2024 

A lawsuit against pop singer Mariah Carey regarding her iconic holiday hit “All I Want for Christmas Is You” has been dismissed. Songwriter Andy Stone also known as Vince Vance filed a second lawsuit against Mariah Carey in the Central District of California for copyright infringement claiming that the infamous song “clones” half of his own 1989 song under the same name. The original lawsuit was filed in 2022 and then dropped without prejudice: this current lawsuit has Troy Powers who is a co-writer of the song. 

Carey has currently filed a motion for summary judgment arguing that Vance’s claims fail the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal’s “extrinsic test for substantial similarity in protectable expression”. She also claims that the similarities between the two songs are unprotectable elements because they are “fragmentary and commonplace building blocks of expression that Vance and Carey use differently in their overall different lyrics and music”

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Tags: Litigation, Copyright, 

Pitbull Faces Lawsuit Over Alleged Copying of I Feel Good Track

August 9, 2024 

Pop singer Pitbull is being sued for allegedly copying elements of an earlier track in his song I Feel Good. The case, filed in the Southern District of New York, claims that significant parts of the song were taken from All Surface Publishing’s song “Samir’s Theme” without permission. All Surface Publishing alleges both songs feature similarities in melody, harmony, melodic structure, tempo, musical arrangement and percussion. They also allege that Pitbull and the producer of the infringing track, DJ White Shadow had access to the track when All Surface Publishing sent the “Samir’s Theme”directly to DJ White Shadow in 2011. 

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Tags: Litigation, Copyright, Illegal sampling 

Beyoncé Cleared in “Break My Soul” Sample Lawsuit as Accusers Drop Case

August 8, 2024 

The lawsuit accusing Beyoncé of using an unauthorized sample in “Break My Soul” has been dropped by the plaintiffs. The case, filed in the Eastern District of Louisiana, was filed by the members of the Da Showstoppaz over the alleged infringement of their 2022 song “Release A Wiggle”. They claim that although Beyoncé had legally sampled from a different song called “Explode” by rapper Big Freedia, Big Freedia had actually illegally sampled several key lyrics from them. Da Showstoppaz argue these key lyrics were unique phrases that should be eligible to copyright protection. However, the case was voluntarily dismissed and did not end up going to trial. 

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Tags: Litigation, Copyright, Illegal sampling 

TikTok Sued by U.S. Justice Department Over Children’s Data Privacy

August 2, 2024

The U.S. Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission has filed a lawsuit against TikTok, alleging violations of children’s data privacy laws. The complaint was filed in the Central District of California. The lawsuit claims that TikTok collected personal information from minors without proper parental consent, contravening the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). The Justice Department is seeking penalties and measures to ensure compliance with privacy laws. This legal action highlights the growing scrutiny of social media platforms and their handling of user data, especially concerning minors.

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Tags: Litigation, DOJ, Social Media, FTC

Juice WRLD’s Estate Faces Lawsuit Over “Girl of My Dreams” Royalties

August 1, 2024 

The estate of Juice WRLD is being sued over unpaid royalties for the song “Girl of My Dreams”.  by the producer Joshua Jaramillo. The lawsuit was filed on July 31 in the California Superior Court where Jaramillo alleges he was promised a 5% ownership stake and an additional 1% producer royalty and has yet to be paid. The song was released on Juice WRLD’s posthumous 2021 album with collaboration of Suga from BTS. This is the second case against Juice’s estate in the last year. 

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Tags: Litigation, Royalties 

July 2024 Legal Music News

StubHub Sued Over “Junk Fees” in Ticket Prices by DC Attorney General. 

July 31, 2024 

StubHub is being sued by the District of Columbia over allegations of deceptive pricing practices, specifically the inclusion of “junk fees” that inflate ticket prices. The lawsuit claims StubHub misleads consumers by not disclosing the full price of tickets upfront, violating consumer protection laws. D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb accuses StubHub of violating the District’s consumer protection laws. This case emphasizes the growing scrutiny on transparency in ticket sales and consumer rights along with the DOJ’s case against Live Nation-Ticketmaster which highlights consumer harm through hidden fees.

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Tags: Litigation, Ticketing, StubHub

The 1975 Sued Over Onstage Kiss at Malaysian Music Festival

July 30, 2024 

The 1975 is facing a lawsuit following frontman Matty Healy’s onstage kiss with a bandmate at a Malaysian music festival, which led to the event being shut down. The festival organizers, Future Sound Asia, filed the lawsuit in a UK’s High Court, demanding $2.4 million over the July 2023 incident in Kuala Lumpur claiming the incident violated local laws and caused financial losses. The organizers seek damages for breach of contract and disruption caused by the band’s actions. According to Billboard, the case claims that local authorities initially refused to let The 1975 play at during the festival due to Healy’s drug problems. However, Future Sound claims that the band appealed and promised that Healy would adhere to “all local guidelines and regulations” in order to secure approval for being able to perform. They also claim that Future Sounds faced financial ruin because the festival was shut down in response to Healy’s actions. 

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Tags: Litigation, Contract Violation, International News, Artist Conduct 

SoundExchange Sues AccuRadio for Unpaid Royalties

July 22, 2024

SoundExchange has filed a lawsuit against AccuRadio, accusing the internet radio service of failing to pay royalties for music streamed on its platform. The complaint, lodged in the Northern District of Illinois, seeks to recover unpaid fees and enforce compliance with licensing agreements. SoundExchange alleges that AccuRadio has neglected its obligations under the statutory licensing regime, impacting artists’ and rights holders’ earnings starting in 2018. AccuRadio CEO responded to the lawsuit claiming the legal action was a “complete surprise” as he claims the company was in negotiations with SoundExchange. 

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Tags: Litigation, Royalties, Unauthorized Use 

NBA Teams Sued by Kobalt Over the Use of Copyrighted Music in Social Media Videos

July 22, 2024

Kobalt Music Publishing has filed a lawsuit against several NBA teams, alleging unauthorized use of copyrighted music in social media videos. The lawsuit, filed in the Southern District of New York, claims that teams used songs from Kobalt’s catalog without proper licensing, seeking damages and an injunction to prevent further infringement. The teams facing suits are the Knicks, 76ers, Hawks, Cleveland Cavaliers, the Denver Nuggets, the Indiana Pacers, the Miami Heat, the Minnesota Timberwolves, the New Orleans Pelicans, the Orlando Magic, the Phoenix Suns, the Portland Trail Blazers, the Sacramento Kings, and the San Antonio Spurs. Kobalt Music alleges the teams used copyrighted music in their social media posts for the purpose of commercial and promotion which would require a different sync license than the ones automatically provided through using music approved on Instagram or TikTok platforms. This case underscores the importance of securing appropriate permissions for music use in digital content and the ongoing legal challenges faced by sports organizations in managing intellectual property within advertising on social media. 

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Tags: Copyright, Litigation, Social Media, Unauthorized Use 

Estate of Michael Jackson Tentatively Wins Court Battle Over Music Catalog Sale

July 18, 2024

The Estate of Michael Jackson has secured a tentative legal victory in its fight to sell a portion of the late artist’s music catalog. A California State Appeals court ruled in favor of the estate, allowing the sale of $600 million to proceed despite objections from Katherine Jackson. The decision is expected to lead to a substantial financial transaction, with potential buyers interested in acquiring the rights to Jackson’s extensive catalog. This ruling marks a significant step in the ongoing management and monetization of the legendary artist’s legacy.

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Tags: Estate Dispute, Catalog Sale 

Kanye West Sued Over Alleged Uncleared Sample on Donda

July 17, 2024

Kanye West (Ye) is facing a lawsuit for allegedly using an uncleared sample on his album Donda. The complaint, filed in a Central District of California federal court, claims that West’s songs Hurricane and Moon contains a sample from the plaintiffs’ track without proper authorization. The complaint alleges that when Ye was refused a license to use elements from a song called MSD PT2 he opted to use the elements anyways. This is the second allegation of similar nature in the last several months against Ye, including a suit filed by the Estate of Donna Summer. The plaintiffs are seeking damages for copyright infringement and an injunction to halt the distribution of the infringing track. 

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Tags: Copyright, Unauthorized use, Sampling, Litigation 

Snoop Dogg Sued for Alleged Use of Uncleared Backing Tracks on BODR Album

July 17, 2024

Snoop Dogg is facing a lawsuit alleging he used uncleared backing tracks on his album BODR. The complaint, filed in the Central District of California, claims that two tracks on the album contain samples from songs owned by the plaintiff, who did not grant permission for their use. The plaintiff is a well-known studio musician, Trevor Lawrence Jr., who claims he created two backing tracks for Snoop to “experiment with” in the studio but specified that the use of the backing tracks on any published music would require a fee and ongoing royalties. Snoop used the backing tracks on his songs Pop Pop and Get This Dick, but no licensing deal was made for the use of the tracks.  Lawrence’s licensing requirements were a $10,000 flat fee producer advance and a 50% interest in the underlying musical composition. He has filed for copyright infringement and an injunction to prevent further distribution of the infringing tracks. 

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Tags: Copyright, Unauthorized use, Sampling, Litigation

Major Labels Sue Verizon Over Alleged Music Piracy

July 15, 2024 

Universal, Warner, and Sony have filed a lawsuit against Verizon, accusing the telecom giant of facilitating music piracy by failing to prevent illegal downloads.

Filed in the Southern District of New York federal court, the lawsuit claims Verizon’s inaction has resulted in substantial financial losses for the labels. The labels accuse Verizon of infringing more than 17,000 songs meaning a judge could award the maximum penalty for each of those songs which could total more than $2.5 billion of damages. The plaintiffs seek damages and an injunction to compel Verizon to implement more stringent anti-piracy measures. This case comes in the wake of a landmark case where a federal jury in Virginia awarded BMG $1 billion for Cox’s vicarious copyright infringement, although that case is currently under appeal for the calculation for damages. 

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Tags: Copyright, Royalties, DMCA, Litigation  

Beastie Boys Sue Chili’s Over Unauthorized Use of Sabotage in Ad

July 11, 2024

The Beastie Boys have filed a lawsuit against Chili’s Grill & Bar for allegedly using their song Sabotage in a commercial without permission. The lawsuit, filed in the Southern District of New York, claims that Chili’s used a modified version of the song, infringing on the band’s copyright and trademark rights. The Beastie Boys seek damages and an injunction to stop the ad.  

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Tags: Copyright, Unauthorized Use, Litigation 

Nirvana and Marc Jacobs Settle Smiley Face Logo Lawsuit

July 10, 2024 

Nirvana LLC and fashion designer Marc Jacobs have settled their lawsuit over the unauthorized use of Nirvana’s iconic smiley face logo. The dispute began in 2018 when Nirvana accused Marc Jacobs of infringing on their trademark by using the logo on a line of t-shirts. After the initial dispute began, the former art director of Geffen records joined the case claiming that the iconic smiley logo was not created by Kurt Cobain but instead by himself. Although Nirvana’s lawyer has continued to hold that Cobain was the original creator of the iconic logo, he notes that even if the formed art director did create the logo, it would still be considered a “work for hire” and thus the label would retain the right to the image. Judge John A. Kronstadt ruled against Fisher’s argument that he had rights within the creation of the logo which he later appealed. 

A notice was filed in the Central District of California, from the attorneys representing Nirvana, Geffen Records art designer, and Marc Jacobs accepting a mediator’s proposal to end the legal battle. Although details of the settlement have not been disclosed, the attorneys told Judge Kronstadt they would formalize the settlement agreement within 21 days. 

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Tags: Copyright, Logo Dispute, Settlement, Litigation 

UPDATE: Philadelphia Wedding Band Drops Trademark Lawsuit Against Jelly Roll

July 9, 2024

A Philadelphia wedding band has dropped its trademark lawsuit against country-rapper Jelly Roll. The band had claimed trademark infringement, alleging that Jelly Roll’s use of the name was causing confusion and harming their business. The case’s dismissal marks a resolution in favor of Jelly Roll, allowing him to continue using the name without legal hindrance. 

The Philadelphia band Jellyroll claimed they have been using the name since 1980 and the country-rapper notes that Jelly Roll was a nickname he was given as a child. Both musical acts peacefully co-existed until Jelly Roll’s break onto the Billboard Hot 100. 

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Tags: Trademark, Name Dispute 

New Copyright Rule Changes Impact Streaming Royalties and Termination Rights

July 9, 2024

A proposed rule change by the U.S. Copyright Office significantly affects streaming royalties and termination rights for artists. The new rule will overturn an early policy put in place by the Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC) which allowed streaming companies to continue to get money even if a songwriter recalled their ownership. 

The creation of MLC’s blanket license for streaming royalties enacted by the Music Modernization Act in 2018 caused significant confusion related to termination-rights. The exception of termination rights relating to derivative works that allowed publishers to collect fees for such works created under existing licenses created ambiguity in conjunction with the MLC. 

This means that if a songwriter terminated their publisher’s control of their music, anyone who had purchased a blanket license from the MLC technically had an existing license in place with the publishers and the copy of the song on the streaming platform would be considered a derivative work under the expectation. Thus, the streaming service could continue to collect fees despite the songwriter terminating the rights of the publisher. 

In October 2022, the Copyright Office highlighted the injustice to songwriters and proposed a new rule essentially stating that when a songwriter gets their rights back, they should also get the royalties that come along with it. 

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Tags: Legislation, Royalties, Songwriters, Copyright 

Indie Venues Mobilize for Ticketing Reform Legislation on July 9

July 8, 2024 

The National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) rallied fans and professionals to lobby Congress and the White House on July 9 for ticketing reform. This initiative, part of the Fix the Tix Coalition, supports the Transparency In Charges for Key Events Ticketing (TICKET) Act and the Senate’s Fans First Act. Both bills aim to ban speculative ticket listings, enforce all-in pricing, and enhance consumer protections. Additionally, the Fans First Act would also require resellers like StubHub and SeatGeek to disclose seat locations on their resale listings as well as ban scalpers from using fan clubs and include greater consumer protections for canceled events. The U.S. House passed the TICKET Act on May 15, and it is now before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. NIVA urges collective action to push for legislative changes by the end of 2024. 

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Tags: Ticketing, Legislation, Reform, Lobbying 

Cardi B Sued by Producer Duo Over Alleged Unauthorized Song Use

July 5, 2024 

Cardi B has been sued for copyright infringement by producers Joshua Fraustro and Miguel Aguilar, who produce under the name Kemika1956, in the Southern District of Texas. They allege that Cardi B used their track Greasy Frybread in her single Enough (Miami) without permission. The lawsuit also names producers OG Parker, DJ SwanQo, Celebrity Booking Agency, Atlantic Records, and Warner Music Group as defendants.

Enough (Miami) was released March 15, 2024, through Atlantic Records and Greasy Frybread was released November 9, 2021, via Tattoo Musik Group Studios. 

The producer plaintiffs are requesting statutory damages; a temporary restraining order and a preliminary injunction to prevent further infringement, followed by a permanent injunction; a court order requiring the defendants to recall and destroy all infringing copies of the work; and declaratory relief establishing the plaintiffs’ alleged ownership of the copyrighted material in question.

This is another major copyright case thrown Cardi B’s way, following the previous case against her and Megan Thee Stallion for their popular song WAP. In that case a federal judge in the Southern District of New York tossed the case ruling the lyrics the duo was accused of copying were not original enough to be covered by copyright law. 

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Tags: Litigation, Copyright, 

Warner Music Issues Legal Warning to AI Companies Over Data Scraping

July 3, 2024

Warner Music Group has warned AI companies against scraping its data without authorization, highlighting the legal implications of using its copyrighted material for training AI models. Following the example of Sony, both companies have sent letters to over 700 tech companies warning them to not use their respective labels’ music to train AI without their permission. 

The company is taking a proactive stance to protect its intellectual property and ensure compliance with copyright laws. This warning reflects the increasing tension between the music industry and AI developers, emphasizing the need for proper licensing agreements. Warner Music is prepared to pursue legal action to enforce its rights and safeguard its data.

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Tags: AI, Label, Company Statements 

Judge Orders U.S. Government Review of Rapper B.G.’s Future Lyrics:

July 2, 2024

U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan of Eastern District of Louisiana ruled that all future lyrics by rapper B.G. must be reviewed by the U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services before release, citing concerns over his criminal history and potential incitement of violence. Judge Morgan emphasized balancing First Amendment rights with security. This decision aligns with parole conditions that restrict speech to ensure public safety; B.G. is still allowed to release new music, but it must be reviewed by the U.S. Probation Office before promoting or producing them. 

Another restriction of B.G.’s parole is that he needs prior permission from the court before associating with fellow musical acts that also have felony convictions on their record. B.G. was arrested in March 2024 for performing alongside Lil Boosie, who also has a felony conviction and in December B.G. collaborated with Gucci Mane, who also has a felony conviction. Both incidents were cited in court by the U.S. Probation Office. 

This ruling has sparked significant debate within the legal and music communities, especially regarding the RAP ACT which hopes to prohibit courts from using rap lyrics as evidence against musicians themselves during criminal proceedings. 

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Tags: Censorship, Rap, RAP ACT, First Amendment