Radio & Music News Weekly
Ten Court Cases That Might Reshape The Music Industry
DIGITAL MUSIC NEWS recently reported that there are over 140 active music industry lawsuits in the U.S. Most involve issues like unauthorized sampling, but ten cases could have long-term impacts on AI, statutory royalties, government regulation, and national security.
The 10 Cases:
• The RECORDING INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA (RIAA) V. SUNO and UDIO: RIAA has filed lawsuits against AI music services SUNO and UDIO for allegedly using copyrighted sound recordings to train their AI models without permission. The cases seek injunctions to prevent future infringement and damages for past infringements.
• The NATIONAL MUSIC PUBLISHERS’ ASSOCIATION (NMPA) v. X (Formerly TWITTER): The NMPA is suing X for copyright infringement related to the unlicensed use of music on the platform. This case focuses on how social media platforms manage and license music content.
• TIKTOK and BYTEDANCE v. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE: TIKTOK and its parent company, BYTEDANCE, are in a legal battle with the DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE over national security concerns and potential bans in the UNITED STATES. This case has significant implications for the app’s operation and its influence on the music industry.
• DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE v. LIVE NATION: The DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE is pursuing legal action against LIVE NATION, alleging antitrust violations. The outcome could affect how live music events are organized and promoted.
• MECHANICAL LICENSING COLLECTIVE (MLC) v. SPOTIFY: The MLC has filed a lawsuit against SPOTIFY, claiming that the streaming giant has failed to properly pay mechanical royalties to songwriters. This case will influence how streaming services handle royalty payments.
• MLC v. PANDORA: Similar to the case against SPOTIFY, the MLC is suing PANDORA over unpaid mechanical royalties. The resolution of this case will also impact the financial relationship between streaming services and songwriters.
• SOUNDEXCHANGE v. SIRIUSXM: SOUNDEXCHANGE is suing SIRIUSXM over unpaid royalties for digital performances of sound recordings. The case highlights issues around digital music broadcasting and fair compensation for artists.
• UMG RECORDINGS ET AL. v. INTERNET ARCHIVE ET AL.: UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP, along with other major record labels, is suing the INTERNET ARCHIVE for allegedly providing unauthorized access to copyrighted music. This case addresses the legality of digital archiving and access to music.
• RIAA v. VERIZON: RIAA is suing VERIZON for allegedly failing to address repeated instances of copyright infringement by its users. This case will set precedents for Internet service providers’ responsibilities in monitoring and mitigating copyright violations.
• EPIDEMIC SOUND v. META: EPIDEMIC SOUND has taken legal action against META, alleging unauthorized use of its music on FACEBOOK and INSTAGRAM. The lawsuit addresses issues of copyright infringement and the proper licensing of music on social media platforms.