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U.S. Senator Josh Hawley Introduces a Bill to Eliminate Disney’s ‘Unnecessarily Long’ Copyright Terms — Is This Bad News for the Music Business?

May 11, 2022

U.S. Senator Josh Hawley has introduced a new copyright bill that would shorten copyright lengths for corporations like Disney. Could this legislation impact the music industry? The Copyright Clause Restorat... Read More...

Pandora Fires Back With Countersuit Against Comedians: ‘There Is No Valid Justification for Moving Away From What Has Worked Well for Decades’

Dylan Smith

May 9, 2022

In February, following a much-publicized licensing dispute, multiple comedians (and Word Collections clients) sued Pandora for allegedly failing to license their comedy albums’ underlying compositions. Now, P... Read More...

RIAA Subpoenas Discord, Demands User Identities and Account Information

Dylan Smith

May 9, 2022

The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has officially subpoenaed Discord and called for personal information about the individuals who are allegedly responsible for infringing upon three songs v... Read More...

BMG Puts the Major Labels, RIAA, and NMPA On Blast Over Mechanical Royalties: ‘Music Companies Have a Duty to Stand Up for Artists and Songwriters’

Dylan Smith

May 6, 2022

BMG has officially put the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), the National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA), and the major labels themselves on blast for resisting a mechanical-royalty incr... Read More...

The RIAA (the major labels) and Yout are scheduled to begin settlement talks in May.

Federal Court Once Again Dismisses RCN’s Countersuit Against the RIAA and Rightscorp — This Time With Prejudice

Dylan Smith

May 5, 2022

Last June, a federal judge dismissed Princeton-based internet service provider (ISP) RCN’s countersuit against the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and copyright infringement monitor Rightscor... Read More...

SGA, SCL & MCNA ‘Extremely Pleased’ With Mechanical Royalty Rate Increase Decision In the US — Here’s Their Statement

Paul Resnikoff

May 5, 2022

Major label and publishing conglomerates Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, and Warner Music Group, as well as other publishers represented by the NMPA, have tentatively agreed to increase mecha... Read More...

Federal Court Orders ‘All’ ISPs to Block Film-Piracy Websites — Setting An Interesting Precedent for the Music Industry

Dylan Smith

May 2, 2022

In a ruling that could prove significant for the music industry, a federal court has officially ordered internet service providers (ISPs) to block access to multiple television- and film-piracy websites. U.... Read More...

European Union High Court Upholds Article 17 of Controversial Copyright Directive — Music Industry Organizations React

Dylan Smith

April 26, 2022

The Court of Justice has officially upheld Article 17 of the controversial EU Copyright Directive, which makes certain “online content-sharing service providers” (as opposed to users) liable for the unauthori... Read More...

Justin Bieber Dan Shay copyright infringement

Justin Bieber Faces Copyright Infringement Lawsuit Over Dan + Shay Collab, ‘10,000 Hours’

Ashley King

April 21, 2022

Justin Bieber is facing another copyright lawsuit over his Dan + Shay collab, "10,000 Hours." Here's what we know. According to newly filed documents, Bieber and the country-pop duo are accused of stealing p... Read More...

How the CRB Blew Out the NMPA’s Gaslight on Songwriters

Jody Dunitz

April 19, 2022

The National Music Publishers' Association (NMPA) tried valiantly to serve the labels, its real patrons, in the latest round of mechanical royalty rate proceedings before the Copyright Royalty Board. But, ala... Read More...

Universal Music Group Nashville has announced its new comedy-centered imprint for the label group with comedian Nate Bargatze.

Musicians Seek Class Action Certification In Lawsuit vs. UMG & Capitol Records

Ashley King

April 18, 2022

A group of nine musicians are suing UMG and Capitol Records to regain control of their masters. That group filed a motion on Friday in NY courts seeking class-action certification. Plaintiffs in the suit Wai... Read More...

Calvin Harris Faces Up to $1 Million ‘Slide’ Copyright Infringement Lawsuit In France

Dylan Smith

April 12, 2022

Calvin Harris is facing a copyright infringement lawsuit over “Slide” (2017), which two French musicians say borrows from their “How Is It Gonna Be” (2016) track. The case’s plaintiffs, 39-year-old Mickael ... Read More...

SRR Capital Launches With a VC-Style Approach to Music Investing

What Is Attribution?

So Busy With "The Quiet Time..."

Netflix Won the Streaming Wars. YouTube Changed the Rules.

Indonesia: One of the World’s Most Promising Digital Music Markets

What Politicians Could Learn from the Music Business: A Midterm Election Primer

Kroger Moves to Toss Sony Music-Led Infringement Lawsuit, Arguing Cox v. Sony Invalidates Everything

JYP Entertainment Sues Distributor OneSync Over the Alleged Infringement of Stray Kids Member Han’s ‘Back to Life’

The Music Industry Litigation Tracker — Cases Bubbling Right Now: Sony Music v. Kroger, SoundExchange v. Music Choice, Suno v. Apple (Round II), Penske Media v. Google, More

Billboard Owner Penske Media Officially Appeals AI-Focused Google Antitrust Lawsuit Dismissal

BTS Copyright Infringement Lawsuit Over ‘Swim’ Abruptly Dropped After a Few Months

U.S. Senator Josh Hawley Introduces a Bill to Eliminate Disney’s ‘Unnecessarily Long’ Copyright Terms — Is This Bad News for the Music Business?

Pandora Fires Back With Countersuit Against Comedians: ‘There Is No Valid Justification for Moving Away From What Has Worked Well for Decades’

RIAA Subpoenas Discord, Demands User Identities and Account Information

BMG Puts the Major Labels, RIAA, and NMPA On Blast Over Mechanical Royalties: ‘Music Companies Have a Duty to Stand Up for Artists and Songwriters’

Federal Court Once Again Dismisses RCN’s Countersuit Against the RIAA and Rightscorp — This Time With Prejudice

SGA, SCL & MCNA ‘Extremely Pleased’ With Mechanical Royalty Rate Increase Decision In the US — Here’s Their Statement

Federal Court Orders ‘All’ ISPs to Block Film-Piracy Websites — Setting An Interesting Precedent for the Music Industry

European Union High Court Upholds Article 17 of Controversial Copyright Directive — Music Industry Organizations React

Justin Bieber Faces Copyright Infringement Lawsuit Over Dan + Shay Collab, ‘10,000 Hours’

How the CRB Blew Out the NMPA’s Gaslight on Songwriters

Musicians Seek Class Action Certification In Lawsuit vs. UMG & Capitol Records

Calvin Harris Faces Up to $1 Million ‘Slide’ Copyright Infringement Lawsuit In France