News

The pan-European trade group for the independent music community, IMPALA, has urged European countries seeking to address concerns around fair remuneration in the digital music sector to follow the French … Continue reading "IMPALA calls for French style agreements on fair digital remuneration instead of ER"

Domino Records has issued a statement following the news earlier this week that it had reached a settlement with Four Tet ending an on going legal battle over digital royalties. … Continue reading "Domino comments on Four Tet settlement, insists no precedent set"

Domino Records has settled its legal battle with Four Tet over what royalty rate he should be paid on streams. The label has agreed to pay a 50% royalty, which … Continue reading "Domino Records settles Four Tet dispute, commits to pay 50% royalty on digital"

Ed Sheeran and his ‘Shape Of You’ co-writers have been awarded more than £900,000 in legal costs following their win in the headline-grabbing song-theft case in the London high court … Continue reading "Ed Sheeran awarded £900,000+ costs following win in Shape Of You song-theft case"

Pioneering electronic artist Four Tet has reached a settlement in the legal battle against his former record label. The musician, whose real name is Kieran Hebden, sued Domino Records last … Continue reading "Four Tet wins royalty battle over streaming music"

Sony Music last week told the high court in London that a dispute over the rights in the Jimi Hendrix Experience recordings should be heard in the New York courts, … Continue reading "Jimi Hendrix Experience dispute should happen in New York, says Sony"

Two members of American rock band Orleans have sued Warner Music over a common gripe in the artist community: record companies allowing their foreign subsidiaries to make deductions on digital … Continue reading "Warner Music sued again over international deductions"

Belgium’s Parliament yesterday updated the country’s copyright laws to bring them in line with the 2019 European Copyright Directive and in doing so added a performer equitable remuneration right for … Continue reading "Belgium introduces ER right on streams"

Over one million music streaming subscriptions have been cancelled in the UK, with the cost of living crisis forcing households to make savings. Read More: https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-61825677

Some progress has been made on the legislative front in terms of South Africa’s journey to amend its copyright statute. On Friday last week (10 June 2022), South Africa’s Portfolio … Continue reading "Long walk to copyright reform #4: South Africa’s Parliamentary Committee approves a revised Copyright Amendment Bill"

Recently, I spoke in the PRS London Members’ Day panel about NFTs, alongside Cliff Fluet (Lewis Silkin) and Mike Walsh (Serenade). There has obviously been a considerable amount of excitement … Continue reading "Ten things to know about NFTs"

Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy built their reputations with a relationship-driven, filmmaker-friendly approach — but that style might be at odds with the imperative to save money. Read More: … Continue reading "As David Zaslav Reshapes Warner Bros., Are His New Film Execs on the Same Page?"

A Los Angeles Superior Court judge this morning set May 8, 2023 as the date the court battle between Justin Hurwitz and the Endeavor-owned talent agency and the now divested … Continue reading "WME Fraud Lawsuit From ‘La La Land’ Composer Gets 2023 Jury Trial Date – Update"

It became the speech heard around Hollywood — Jeff Sagansky’s blistering comments last week about the adverse impact the proliferation of the streaming-driven “cost plus” business model has had on … Continue reading "John Wells Says Industry “Will Have To Return To More Shared Rights Agreements” In Response To Jeff Sagansky’s Speech About Vanishing Backend – HRTS"

SCAPR – the global organisation for performer collecting societies – has a new board following an election at its General Assembly in Rome last week. Read More: https://completemusicupdate.com/article/new-board-and-chair-for-global-collecting-society-grouping-scapr/

Singer Mariah Carey is being sued for copyright infringement over her 1994 Christmas mega-hit, All I Want for Christmas is You. Songwriter Andy Stone says he co-wrote a song with … Continue reading "Mariah Carey sued for copyright over ‘All I want for Christmas is You’"

On the topic of unauthorized use of a celebrity’s image, readers might recall the IPKat post covering the high-profile Michael Jordan case in China in 2017. Regarding the monochrome red-coloured … Continue reading "After Michael Jordan: a new typical case on what is the right of likeness under the Civil Code of China"

Singer Robbie Williams has said fame “should come with a health warning” as he gears up for a homecoming gig. The star, who has had a string of hits since … Continue reading "Robbie Williams: Fame ‘intoxicating but isolating’"

Organizer Ben Speight discusses bringing production workers back into IATSE Local 839, expanding its jurisdiction beyond L.A. County for the first time and how workers today are showing they “are … Continue reading "Animation Guild Organizer Outlines Renewed Push to Build Labor Power"

Studios and streamers believe they’re saving money in the long run, but they could actually be hurting quality and the bottom line Read More: https://www.thewrap.com/hollywood-talent-compensation-streamers-analysis/

Readers may recall that the Government of Hong Kong launched a 3-month consultation on updating Hong Kong’s copyright regime on 24 November 2021. Following this consultation, the Government reported that … Continue reading "Hong Kong – Copyright (Amendment) Bill 2022 Gazetted"

While ticketing giants offer bullish forecasts for the return of concertgoers this year, indie operators who have relied on federal grants to stay afloat amid COVID-19 are more measured: “There’s … Continue reading "Live Concerts Are Back, But Small Venues Face Longer Road to Recovery"

The Scott Stuber-run division is adjusting to a new set of realities as it readies a $200 million-plus ‘The Gray Man’ from the ‘Avengers: Endgame’ helmers and a pricey set … Continue reading "Behind Netflix’s Leaner Movie Mandate: Bigger, Fewer and Better"

The Scott Stuber-run division is adjusting to a new set of realities as it readies a $200 million-plus ‘The Gray Man’ from the ‘Avengers: Endgame’ helmers and a pricey set … Continue reading "Behind Netflix’s Leaner Movie Mandate: Bigger, Fewer and Better"

Jeff Sagansky, a media investor and producer and former top entertainment executive, is sounding the alarm on the adverse impact the now prevalent “cost plus” business model has had on … Continue reading "Jeff Sagansky Slams Streaming-Driven TV Business Model: “We Are In A Golden Age Of Content Production And The Dark Age Of Creative Profit Sharing”"

The Austrian Supreme Court held that YouTube – as a host service provider – was not responsible for copyright infringements by its users as long as it was not put … Continue reading "Austrian Supreme Court finds YouTube not responsible for copyright infringements by users"

Anita Baker has publicly thanked Chance The Rapper for helping her regain control of her master recordings after spotting him in the audience at a show in Las Vegas this … Continue reading "Anita Baker thanks Chance The Rapper for helping out in her recent masters dispute"

Round Hill Music has sued the rapper B.o.B claiming that he owes them $3 million after reneging on a past royalty rights agreement. Read More: https://completemusicupdate.com/article/round-hill-sues-b-o-b-in-royalty-rights-dispute/

In a wide-ranging interview published today in the New York Times, Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos has doubled down on his prior defenses of artistic freedom, backing comedians Dave Chappelle and … Continue reading "Netflix Co-CEO Ted Sarandos Defends Dave Chappelle, Ricky Gervais Free Speech: “It Used To Be A Very Liberal Issue”"

The case highlights escalating tension between talent who stand to profit from theatrical releases and media companies seeking to draw viewers to their streaming services. Read More: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/village-roadshows-lawsuit-against-warner-bros-over-matrix-resurrections-sent-to-arbitration-1235155383/

UPDATED, 4:14 PM: A Superior Court judge in Los Angeles has ruled that Mamie Mitchell, the script supervisor who was standing next to cinematographer Halyna Hutchins when she was fatally … Continue reading "‘Rust’ Script Supervisor’s Lawsuit Can Seek Punitive Damages, Judge Rules – Update"

The Animation Guild, IATSE Local 839, and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers have drawn up a tentative agreement on a new film and television contract. The deal … Continue reading "Animation Guild & AMPTP Reach Tentative Deal On Film & TV Contract"

As I posted recently (“Google’s Shameful Bullying Tactics on Display Again in CRB“), Google has once again turned its lawyers loose to run roughshod over songwriters in their latest theater … Continue reading "#StopCRBAbuse: Can Songwriters stop Big Tech from demanding your contracts and royalty earnings be handed over to them in Copyright Royalty Board?"

Last week, the European Commission sent reasoned opinions to 13 Member States (Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Denmark, Greece, France, Latvia, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Slovakia, Finland and Sweden) for failure to notify … Continue reading "Commission sends reasoned opinions to 13 Member States for failure to transpose CDSM Directive into national law"

Books and magazine articles have long provided the IP Hollywood depends on, but until recently, authors played little role in the process. Now, lit agencies and publishers are changing the … Continue reading "How the Publishing World Is Muscling In on Hollywood Deals: For Authors, “The Future Is Multihyphenate”"

Books and magazine articles have long provided the IP Hollywood depends on, but until recently, authors played little role in the process. Now, lit agencies and publishers are changing the … Continue reading "How the Publishing World Is Muscling In on Hollywood Deals: For Authors, “The Future Is Multihyphenate”"

Pursuant to Title I of the Orrin G. Hatch–Bob Goodlatte Music Modernization Act, the Copyright Office has issued a supplemental interim rule updating certain reporting requirements for digital music providers. … Continue reading "U.S. Copyright Office Issues a Supplemental Interim Rule Related to the Music Modernization Act Reports of Usage and Payment"

Tyler Colon played college basketball. He won an MTV reality show. He’s tried podcasting, modeling, and acting. But in 2019, he got serious about pursuing music. Read More: https://www.npr.org/2022/05/22/1080632810/tiktok-music-industry-gayle-abcdefu-sia-tai-verdes-celine-dion?t=1654534934706

From Blockchain to Web 3.0 and DAOs, there are a lot of new buzzwords out there — and plenty of skepticism — but supporters say these new technologies can make … Continue reading "Cannes: Is the Film Industry Really Ready to Embrace NFTs?"

Last year, the Financial Times captured an amazing detail in its profile of Lucian Grainge, the CEO of Universal Music Group. The story closed with Grainge on the Zoom call … Continue reading "The Unheard Battle Over Social Media Licensing"

File this under News from the Goolag. In case you had any illusions that Google has fully lost whatever shred of human decency they may have had, we just got … Continue reading "Google’s Shameful Bullying Tactics on Display Again in Copyright Royalty Board"

The Ninth Circuit appeals court in the US last week ruled that Toni Basil is the sole owner of the recording copyright in her hit song ‘Mickey’ as part of … Continue reading "US court says Toni Basil is sole owner of Mickey masters"

A US court last week awarded Alan Parsons nearly $5 million in damages as part of a dispute with his former manager, John Regna of World Entertainment Associates Of America. … Continue reading "Alan Parsons awarded nearly $5 million in dispute with former manager"

Various organisations representing French artists, performers and labels have welcomed an agreement finalised last week regarding the sharing of streaming monies. Read More: https://completemusicupdate.com/article/french-performer-and-label-groups-reach-voluntary-agreement-regarding-digital-remuneration/

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) followed up on his attack on Disney last week with an op-ed on FoxNews.com in which he argued that corporations were attacking American values by weighing … Continue reading "Josh Hawley And Other Republicans Want To End Special “Handouts” To Disney And Other Corporations, But As Punishment Not Policy (Analysis)"

The streamer’s financial woes have inspired schadenfreude from its competitors and even some of its own showrunners. Here’s where the ill will comes from—and what insiders say the streamer must … Continue reading "Netflix Stumbles and Hollywood Gloats: “The Days of the Blank Check Are Over”"

Against a backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, the last two years have placed a renewed focus on many of the recorded music market’s glaring dysfunctions. Read More: https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/what-is-currently-an-opaque-black-box-of-song-royalties-needs-to-be-transformed-into-a-glass-box/

In its landmark 1994 decision Campbell v. Acuff-Rose Music, Inc., 510 U.S. 569 (1994), the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruled that Campbell’s creation of a rap parody version of a popular … Continue reading "Andy Warhol Foundation v. Goldsmith: The Supreme Court Revisits Transformative Fair Uses"

Concert promotion giant Live Nation should be broken up, according to New Jersey Democratic Congressman Bill Pascrell, who claims its safety record is disturbing. Pascrell cited the recent attack on … Continue reading "Live Nation Should Be Broken Up, Says New Jersey Congressman, Citing Safety Record"

The WGA is gearing up for a showdown with the major companies next year. In his annual report, WGA East executive director Lowell Peterson told his members that the WGA … Continue reading "WGA East Executive Director Lowell Peterson Sets Stage For Showdown With Studios Next Year"

A plethora of organisations from across the US music industry have welcomed a new proposed settlement regarding the mechanical royalty rate paid on discs and downloads Stateside, after an initial … Continue reading "New inflation matching settlement on US disc and download song royalty rate welcomed"

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

Verifi Media recently announced the launch of the Verifi Rights Data Alliance (“VRDA”), with partnerships in place with Warner Music Group, Warner Chappell, FUGA, Unison Rights and Deezer. Together, these … Continue reading "‘If the music industry wants to continue its exponential growth, its data backbone needs to become significantly more efficient.’"

TikTok wants to keep its massive influx of new users. It has announced plans to share ad revenue with creators. Read More: https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2022/05/05/tiktok-share-ad-revenue-creators/?mc_cid=26099a340b&mc_eid=6746066f83

The ticketing giant recorded first quarter revenue of $1.8 billion, up from $290 million in the year-earlier quarter impacted by COVID-19. Read More: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/live-nation-revenue-soars-as-concert-ticket-sales-recover-1235141653/

A Spotify playlist study has found that the Big Three labels (UMG, Warner, Sony) benefit most from curated playlists. In many cases, they practically control them. Consultancy firm Music Tomorrow … Continue reading "A New Study Confirms the Obvious: Major Labels Control Spotify Playlists"

Kanye West has been sued by a Texas-based pastor who claims that a track on the rapper’s ‘Donda’ album samples one of his sermons without licence. That copyright infringement, the … Continue reading "Kanye West sued over sermon sample on Donda"

More than a decade after U.S. lawmakers scuttled the controversial SOPA legislation that would’ve required ISPs to block pirate sites, a US court has demonstrated that the ability to block … Continue reading "US Court Orders Every ISP in the United States to Block Illegal Streaming Sites"

Endeavor’s Ari Emanuel is in (to the tune of $300 million) and Warner Bros. Discovery chief David Zaslav returns in THR’s annual look at executive compensation. Read More: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/hollywood-ceo-pay-the-year-of-the-nine-figure-club-1235136814/

Endeavor’s Ari Emanuel is in (to the tune of $300 million) and Warner Bros. Discovery chief David Zaslav returns in THR’s annual look at executive compensation. Read More: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/hollywood-ceo-pay-the-year-of-the-nine-figure-club-1235136814/

As rivals toggle between schadenfreude and fear, top creators and insiders are increasingly becoming vocal about what’s gone wrong with the streaming giant’s culture. Read More: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/digital/netflixs-big-wake-up-call-the-power-clash-behind-the-crash-1235136004/

A white paper says the government will move ahead with plans for a sale of Channel 4 and promises “a new golden age of programming” for TV and radio lovers … Continue reading "U.K. Eyes Regulation of Streaming Services, Protections for “Distinctly British” Content"

The songwriters who have accused Chris Brown and Drake of ripping off one of their tracks on the 2019 hit ‘No Guidance’ have dismissed their legal claims against the latter, … Continue reading "Drake dismissed from song-theft lawsuit over his Chris Brown collab"

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 unauthorized … Continue reading "European Union High Court Upholds Article 17 of Controversial Copyright Directive — Music Industry Organizations React"

As The IPKat reported earlier today, nearly 3 years after the Republic of Poland lodged its action (C-401/19) against the European Parliament and the Council requesting that the Court of … Continue reading "Article 17 of the DSM Directive is valid: an early take on today’s Grand Chamber ruling"

The US Supreme Court has declined to hear a song-theft dispute in relation to ‘You Raise Me Up’, the song made famous by Josh Groban or Westlife depending on where … Continue reading "US Supreme Court declines to answer key question for dealing with song-theft disputes"

The widow of Sonny Bono has urged a Californian court to throw out a recent legal claim made by Cher, which centres on how the pesky termination right in US … Continue reading "Cher’s dispute with Sonny Bono estate over termination right continues"

It turns out that Jay-Z may as yet get millions of dollars in allegedly unpaid royalties from the perfume company he collaborated with back in 2013. Read More: https://completemusicupdate.com/article/appeal-court-judges-say-jay-z-is-owed-royalties-for-former-perfume-partner/  

Roger Daltrey has said he believes that the music industry has been “stolen” from artists during a recent interview. Speaking to The Independent, the frontman of The Who claimed that … Continue reading "Roger Daltrey says the music industry has been “stolen” from artists"

Royalties from live performances of music fell almost 30% in 2021, despite concerts resuming in the summer. Concert revenues were just £8m, down from £11.3m in 2020 and £54m in … Continue reading "Live music revenue fell again in 2021, despite gigs returning"

SAG-AFTRA, the Writers Guild and Actors’ Equity use the missives to try to keep projects they find problematic in line over financing and labor issues — a tactic that may … Continue reading "How Hollywood Unions Wield “Do Not Work” Orders Against Employers"

Actors’ livelihoods are at risk from artificial intelligence (AI) unless the law changes, a union warns. Equity, the performing arts workers union, has launched a new campaign, “Stop AI Stealing … Continue reading "Actors launch campaign against AI ‘show stealers’"

The producers of a film whose cinematographer was accidentally shot dead on set by Alec Baldwin have been fined and strongly criticised by authorities for failing to follow safety guidelines. … Continue reading "Alec Baldwin: Rust film producers were indifferent to gun safety – report"

A group of artists suing Universal Music in the US in a dispute over the termination right in American copyright law filed new papers with the court on Friday seeking … Continue reading "New filing in Universal Music’s termination rights litigation"

The issue of predatory recording contracts, which can tie a musician up for longer than seven years, will be considered separately from its counterpart in the acting world, it was … Continue reading "California’s Fair Act, Addressing Seven-Year Rule, Will Separate Issues of Musicians From Actors"

The frozen mechanicals crisis points up one of the key problems in administering the statutory mechanical license in the US: Songwriters are a fragmented group. Merely chanting to courts that … Continue reading "@RIAA Chief’s Proposal to Settle the Frozen Mechanicals Crisis by Expanding the Songwriters at the Table"

Whenever we are presented with exciting new technological ideas and advancements, whether it’s self-driving cars, VR or blockchain technology, we often overestimate the effect it may have on our lives … Continue reading "Yes, Blockchain might well revolutionise music royalties. No, it’s not going to happen anytime soon."

It’s a process awash with legalese – to the point of tedium. But there’s a very important debate going on in the US over certain types of mechanical royalty rates … Continue reading "Judges in the US have hinted that the mechanical royalty rate paid to publishers and songwriters for vinyl sales should rise. The major labels’ lawyers have come out swinging."

Australian producer and sound engineer Chris ‘Tek’ O’Ryan has sued Justin Bieber’s manager Scooter Braun and the company JRC Entertainment over allegations promises were broken regarding producer royalties on a … Continue reading "Bieber producer sues over points dispute"

SAG-AFTRA’s national board voted today to approve a tentative agreement on a new $1 billion-a-year commercials contract and to recommend its ratification to the guild’s members. The deal, which was … Continue reading "SAG-AFTRA Board Overwhelmingly Approves New $1 Billion-A-Year Commercials Contract, Urges Membership Ratification"

Ed Sheeran says his recent High Court copyright case over one of his songs was not about money but honesty and standing up for what was right. The singer-songwriter told … Continue reading "Ed Sheeran: Copyright case was about honesty, not money"

An LA court has dismissed a lawsuit filed by a former member of the Beach Boys which took issue with the way Universal Music accounts and reports artist royalties for … Continue reading "LA court dismisses foreign royalties lawsuit filed against Universal by former Beach Boy"

Discovery and AT&T’s WarnerMedia have officially closed their merger on Friday, creating a new media and entertainment giant titled Warner Bros. Discovery. The completion comes about 11 months after the … Continue reading "Warner Bros. Discovery Megadeal Closes, Creating Scripted and Unscripted Content Giant"

DGA president Lesli Linka Glatter has appointed a new safety committee “to ensure that safety concerns remain at the forefront of our guild.” Director Karen Gaviola is the chair of … Continue reading "DGA Forms New Committee To Tackle Set Safety"

An appeals court in New York has upheld a lower court ruling in the dispute between Bob Dylan and the estate of one of his former collaborators, which reckons it … Continue reading "Appeals court upholds decision in dispute over Bob Dylan’s mega-bucks song catalogue sale"

After the ruling, Sheeran spoke out about the “pain” he’d felt at having someone “publicly, and aggressively, challenge [his] integrity.” Read More: https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/ed-sheeran-shape-of-you-plagiarism-case-ruling_n_624d5fdee4b068157f7e44d7

A few days ago the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) rendered its judgment in C-433/20 Austro-Mechana, ruling that the notion of reproduction ‘on any medium’ extends to … Continue reading "CJEU rules that private copying also applies in the cloud and warns against thinking that everything is communication to the public"

Welcome to the first trimester of the 2022 round up of EU copyright law! We started this rubric back in 2021. In this series, we update readers every three months … Continue reading "EU copyright law round up – first trimester of 2022"

On March 30, 2022, the Copyright Royalty Judges published in the Federal Register a notice withdrawing from consideration under Section 801(b)(7)(A) of the Copyright Act a settlement among certain participants … Continue reading "JOINT RECORD COMPANY PARTICIPANTS’ EMERGENCY MOTION FOR CLARIFICATION AND REQUEST FOR EXTENSION"

As an independent artist, you want to make sure you’re earning revenue everywhere you can. You put a lot of effort into your projects. Don’t let that hard work go … Continue reading "How To Make Money On SoundCloud"

The move comes as the Canadian union says yearlong negotiations are at an impasse after the AMPTP resisted the latest contract offer. Read More: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/directors-guild-of-canada-b-c-calls-strike-authorization-vote-1235124868/#recipient_hashed=3a259dd7948fa5cf81748fd59fbfdb0cdc19448cf6f4bf505f19cde98578e9d3

The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) has ruled in the Austro-Mechana case that cloud service providers can be subject to the payment of “private copying” royalties. Read … Continue reading "EU Court of Justice rules cloud service providers can be subject to the remuneration for private copying"

Universal Music has, as expected, confirmed it is following the lead of its major label rivals, who in turn followed the lead of certain independent labels, in committing to pay … Continue reading "Universal Music confirms it will start paying royalties to unrecouped heritage artists"

A court in the US has ordered VPN provider LiquidVPN to pay a group of independent movie producers over $14 million in damages for facilitating copyright infringement. Read More: https://completemusicupdate.com/article/vpn-ordered-to-pay-14-million-in-damages-to-movie-producers-in-copyright-dispute/

The various comedians who have sued Pandora over unlicensed jokes have consolidated their lawsuits into one action, while arguing that the fact the streaming firm has removed their comedy routines … Continue reading "Comedy copyright claims against Pandora consolidated into one lawsuit"

The US Copyright Royalty Board has published a statement on its review of what royalty rate should be paid to songwriters and music publishers when discs and downloads are sold … Continue reading "US Copyright Royalty Board rejects proposal to keep mechanical royalty on discs and downloads unchanged"

Driven by machine learning and a technical algorithm, TikTok thrives on data and metrics. If you want to improve your content’s performance, understanding your profile’s detailed analytics is the first … Continue reading "How To Interpret Your TikTok Analytics"

Yesterday, Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter (DN) reported that Firefly Entertainment was allegedly associated with an array of “fake” artist profiles on Spotify – and that the indie label had cashed … Continue reading "Swedish Musicians’ Union Calls On Spotify to Investigate ‘Fake Artists’ Amid Playlist Controversy"

The Supreme Court announced Monday it will take up a case involving a copyright dispute between the famous late pop artist Andy Warhol and prolific rock photographer Lynn Goldsmith, who … Continue reading "Supreme Court Takes Up Copyright Case Involving Andy Warhol’s Prints Of Singer Prince"

The Strategic Organizing Center, a coalition of unions that includes the Teamsters and CWA, and WGA West sent a letter to the regulatory agency over the $8.45 billion buy. They … Continue reading "Writers Guild West, Labor Coalition Push FTC to Challenge Amazon’s MGM Buy (Exclusive)"

The collecting society that represents performers in Belgium has welcomed proposals by the country’s Council Of Ministers to introduce a new digital remuneration right for artists as part of the … Continue reading "Belgian performer society welcomes proposed new digital remuneration right"

The music industry has welcomed proposed copyright reforms in the US that would basically increase the obligations of safe harbour dwelling digital platforms, mainly by empowering the country’s Copyright Office … Continue reading "US music industry welcomes proposed SMART Copyright Act"

Lizzo has settled her legal battle with former collaborators Justin Raisen, Jeremiah Raisen and Justin ‘Yves’ Rothman over their claim that they contributed to the creation of her hit ‘Truth … Continue reading "Lizzo settles Truth Hurts copyright battle with former collaborators"

Several hundred Animation Guild members and their supporters rallied today in Burbank, loudly demanding a fair contract from the Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers. Carrying signs that say … Continue reading "Animation Guild Members Rally For Fair Contract In Burbank"

The “SMART Copyright Act” has officially been introduced into the U.S. Senate, and the bipartisan legislation “would hold tech accountable by developing effective, widely-available measures to combat copyright theft,” according … Continue reading "Senators Introduce the Bipartisan ‘SMART Copyright Act,’ Claiming That the Bill ‘Would Hold Tech Accountable’"

Each year, royalties worth an estimated $655 million (£500m) globally are not paid to the correct rightsholders due to bad data. To address the issue of hundreds of millions of … Continue reading "Max Martin, ABBA’s Björn Ulvaeus, and songwriter and producer Niclas Molinder say they’ve invented the solution to the music industry’s ‘black box’. And it’s free."

One might think that, just weeks after his company scraped through the biggest crisis of its existence — its stubborn defense of giving a gigantic international platform, not to mention … Continue reading "The Ineffable Tone-Deafness of Spotify’s Daniel Ek"

A pair of Tennessee songwriters say the bass riff to the iconic 1966 hit was lifted from their 1965 song. Read More: https://www.billboard.com/pro/spencer-davis-group-beats-gimme-some-lovin-copyright-lawsuit/#recipient_hashed=3a259dd7948fa5cf81748fd59fbfdb0cdc19448cf6f4bf505f19cde98578e9d3

Future. Choreographer JaQuel Knight (Beyoncé, Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion) and attorney David L. Hecht are stepping out how and why dances deserve copyright, showing that the TikTok era is … Continue reading "Dancers move to copyright choreography online"

Katy Perry prevailed again over a lawsuit alleging copyright infringement in her song “Dark Horse,” after the Ninth Circuit said Thursday that a trial judge was right to set aside … Continue reading "Katy Perry Gets Appeal Win in ‘Dark Horse’ Copyright Case"

Content creators these days have a lot of choices in where to build their business, but it’s not always about the money for some of them. While YouTube has historically … Continue reading "Why YouTube – With Its Deep Pockets – Isn’t the Perfect Fit for All Creators"

Ninety-five percent of eligible voting members supported the deal, while voter turnout was 75 percent, “the highest in the Local’s recent history” for the contract, the union says. Read More: … Continue reading "Film and TV Location Managers Vote to Ratify New Contract"

The National Association of Theatre Owners today announced the creation of The Cinema Foundation, a new, donor-supported non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the cinema exhibition industry by developing future diverse … Continue reading "NATO Launches New Non-Profit The Cinema Foundation Dedicated To Advancing Exhibition Industry"

Because the artists who would form part of the class had entered into licensing agreements with varying terms, individual issues would prevail over common questions. Read More: http://copyrightblog.kluweriplaw.com/2022/03/09/copyright-case-kihn-v-bill-graham-archives-llc-usa/

TikTok is officially a music distributor now. The ByteDance-owned viral video app has just launched its own promotion and music distribution platform, called SoundOn. SoundOn is already Live in the … Continue reading "TikTok just launched its own music distribution platform, SoundOn"

Ed Sheeran has serenaded London’s High Court in an attempt to prove he did not copy portions of his 2017 hit Shape of You from another artist. The star is … Continue reading "Ed Sheeran sings Nina Simone during Shape of You copyright case"

Bandcamp has been a safe haven for independent artists for years and throughout the pandemic. When asked by fans where fans can go to engage in fair commerce with artists … Continue reading "Another One Bites the Dust: Bandcamp acquired by Tencent’s Epic Games and still no fairness for session musicians"

Post Malone is having another go at dismissing a legal claim made by a former collaborator who reckons he co-wrote the 2019 hit ‘Circles’. This time the rapper is arguing … Continue reading "Post Malone has another go at dismissing Circles song theft claim"

Dua Lipa is facing a second song theft lawsuit over her 2020 hit ‘Levitating’ which, it’s alleged, rips off not one but two songs. Well, three if you also count … Continue reading "Dua Lipa sued a second time over Levitating"

Ed Sheeran is a musical “genius” but also a musical “magpie” who borrows from other people’s work when he’s writing his pop songs. Sometimes he borrows from the work of … Continue reading "Musical “magpie” Ed Sheeran in court over Shape Of You song theft claims"

Jordi Puy had a plan. He knew Europe was ripe for a new type of music rights society, one that would be a digital native, and would work with transparency … Continue reading "Jordi Puy (Unison): ‘ In two years, we have managed to get into the full international digital landscape of authors’ rights’"

BMI has hired Goldman Sachs to consult on potential growth opportunities for its business as one of the US’s largest performance rights organizations (PRO). In a letter obtained by Variety, … Continue reading "BMI Hires Goldman Sachs to Explore New Ways to Make Boatloads of Money on Songs"

A curtain closing look at the era and moguls that defined the iconic brand as the e-commerce giant aims to seal a $8.5 billion deal to gobble up the studio … Continue reading "When MGM Ruled Hollywood: The Rise (and Fall) of Amazon’s Next Prize"

Music Workers Alliance (MWA), a labor empowerment organization for independent musicians, DJs, and sound engineers, has launched a campaign for streaming justice. They are lobbying congress to change a law … Continue reading "Musicians Organize Around DMCA Law, Time’s Up for Spotify"

At what point, if any, can Artificial Intelligence be considered “human?” Who is responsible for the art that’s created by technology? Who owns art predominately created by computers? The U.S. … Continue reading "Copyright Office Ruling Exposes Artificial Intelligence and NFT Issues"

When and how a creator can remove music from a streaming service varies based on a number of factors — though performers will generally have an easier time than songwriters. … Continue reading "Guest Column: How Easy Is It to Take Down Music From Streaming Platforms?"

If you’ve been pitched to lend your name to an NFT platform or promotion, or if you are an NFT promoter who wants to attract artists to your program, there … Continue reading "20 Questions: An artist’s checklist for an NFT pitch"

David Israelite, President and CEO of the National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA), has claimed that digital streaming services are proposing the “lowest rates in history” in the current Copyright Royalty … Continue reading "David Israelite (NMPA): ‘DSPs are proposing the lowest rates in history’"

Future. As the entertainment industry pushes all the chips in on streaming, it’s important to note that none of these companies are actually making any real money… yet. But in … Continue reading "The film and TV streaming war empties the coffers"

The court found additional evidence is necessary to determine whether M. Night Shyamalan’s AppleTV+ series infringed on Francesca Gregorini’s 2013 movie ‘The Truth About Emanuel.’ It’s the latest in a … Continue reading "Appeals Court Revives Copyright Lawsuit Over ‘Servant’"

The streaming revolution is changing the way film composers get paid and exposing the flaws of a system where big names farm their scores out to uncredited “ghost composers.” Now, … Continue reading "“The Minions Do the Actual Writing”: The Ugly Truth of How Movie Scores Are Made"

Spotify is one of the top music streaming services, offering free and paid access to more than 82 million songs online at last count. A paid plan adds several useful … Continue reading "How to Cancel Your Spotify Account"

The Radio Music License Committee says it has reached an interim licensing agreement with ASCAP while it works on a long-term deal with the performance rights organization. The radio industry’s … Continue reading "Radio Industry Strikes Interim Licensing Deal With ASCAP."

Crosby’s advice to aspiring musicians: “Don’t become a musician.” In recent weeks, there has been an ongoing controversy surrounding Spotify and Joe Rogan. First it was about Rogan’s insistence on … Continue reading "David Crosby On The “Scummy People” At Spotify And His Lack Of Hope For The Music Industry"

The UK TV skills crisis has been laid bare by research from ScreenSkills showing the vast majority of production companies struggling immensely to find key roles such as Production Manager … Continue reading "UK TV Skills Crisis Laid Bare By ScreenSkills Report; Production Managers And Co-Ordinators Almost Impossible To Find"

Universal Music Group has officially inked a partnership agreement with non-fungible token marketplace Curio, which is set to release NFTs from UMG artists moving forward. Read More: https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2022/02/17/curio-umg-partnership/?utm_source=Daily+Snapshot&utm_campaign=78facf4291-Daily_Snapshot_February_18_2022&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_2fb43ebd24-78facf4291-21259337&mc_cid=78facf4291&mc_eid=3d7da4c48d

Can a work entirely created by a machine be protected by copyright? Read More: https://ipkitten.blogspot.com/2022/02/us-copyright-office-refuses-to-register.html

Hollywood’s Covid safety protocols have been extended to April 30 and updated to redefine “fully vaccinated” to include booster shots, effective March 15. The updated rules also upgrade mask requirements … Continue reading "Hollywood’s Return-To-Work Covid Protocols Extended Again; “Fully Vaccinated” Redefined To Include Booster Shots"

YouTube‘s ads business is a money-making machine. According to stats published by the video platform’s (and Google‘s) parent company Alphabet last week, YouTube made $8.63 billion from advertising in Q4 … Continue reading "YouTube is making close to $100m from advertising revenues every day"

YouTube is getting into NFTs, according to a new blog post on the platform’s future for creator tools. YouTube’s Chief Product Officer Neal Mohan detailed some of what to expect. … Continue reading "YouTube Is Officially Getting Into NFTs — New Creator Tools Coming Soon"

If screwups were Easter eggs, Daniel Ek would be the Easter bunny. Right in the middle of Spotify’s crashing stock price, billion-dollar stock buy backs, shenanigans at the Copyright Royalty … Continue reading "Daniel Ek’s Edifice Complex: Millions for tribute, but not one red cent for royalties as Spotify buys naming rights to biggest football stadium in Europe — Artist Rights Watch"

Sources expect an extension to the agreement with potential revisions as the clock ticks down to the Feb. 13 expiration date. Read More: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/covid-safety-agreement-studios-guilds-expire-sunday-1235091928/

The widow of Ol Dirty Bastard – Icelene Jones – is suing Wu-Tang Productions, claiming that it has “wilfully refused” to pay the ODB estate at least $1 million in … Continue reading "ODB estate sues Wu-Tang Productions over unpaid royalties"

Yes, TikTok will pay you money, thanks to a recently-created $200 million fund for creators. You probably won’t get rich, but here’s exactly how much you’ll get paid from TikTok’s … Continue reading "How Much Does TikTok Pay You? Unfortunately Not Very Much (Updated for 2022)"

The deal with the division of Vivendi’s Universal Music Group includes songs like “Roxanne,” “Every Breath You Take” and “Message in a Bottle.” Read More: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/sting-song-catalog-universal-music-publishing-1235090695/  

The Mechanical Licensing Collective (The MLC) is now seeking suggestions for songwriter candidates to be considered for seats on its Board of Directors, Unclaimed Royalties Oversight Committee and Dispute Resolution … Continue reading "The MLC Seeking Suggestions for Songwriter Candidates for Seats on Board of Directors and Pair of Advisory Committees"

To our Warner Chappell songwriting family, As your partners and your champions, we wanted to let you know about a crucial fight that will determine what you make from streaming … Continue reading "Letter to Songwriters On U.S. Streaming Rates"

The creative industries around the world lost 10 million jobs in 2020, a UNESCO report estimates, with artists’ incomes collapsing even as digital consumption of culture rises. Read More: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/art-and-architecture/article-digital-culture-fails-to-pay-artists-says-new-unesco-report/?symbol=print-msg

The US Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) is currently conducting proceedings to determine the mechanical royalty rate that music streaming services will pay songwriters for the five years between 2023 and … Continue reading "Warner Chappell: Spotify, Google and Amazon are paying songwriters an ‘appallingly low’ rate in the US"

The Radio Music Licensing Committee (RMLC) and Irving Azoff’s performing rights society Global Music Rights (GMR) have reached a final agreement to settle their long-running legal dispute. Read More: https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/irving-azoffs-global-music-rights-and-commercial-radio-body-reach-final-settlement-agreement123/

Spotify’s recent Joe Rogan controversy has also deepened a rift between the platform and artists over pay. Read More: https://thehustle.co/the-economics-of-spotify/

As the media industry continues to rebound from the pandemic, it’s more important than ever we have correct information to accurately assess your union dues. Remember, dues are based on … Continue reading "2021 Income Statements Available"

There has been widespread press coverage of Meghan Markle’s (the Duchess of Sussex) recent success in a claim which she brought against the publishers of the Daily Mail, Mail on … Continue reading "The Duchess and the tabloid: copyright, fair dealing and freedom of expression in personal letters"

As Ottawa revives legislation to regulate foreign media players in the local market, IATSE says global studios and video giants already employ most Canadian creative workers, while local actors and … Continue reading "Film/TV Labor Unions Rift in Canada Widens Over Streaming Wars"

Broadcasters say they have not had a willing dance partner with which to negotiate a deal to end the long-running battle over a performance royalty for radio. And while a … Continue reading "Broadcasters Tell Congress: We Want To Negotiate ‘Holistic’ Royalties Deal."

The dispute between Alf Clausen and Fox over his firing as the show’s lead musical composer is officially over as two courts issue dismissals following a settlement. Read More: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/simpsons-composer-settles-dispute-with-fox-1235085719/

As welcome as the recent protests are, they do not address the fundamental injustice of the streaming economy. It is good to see Spotify suffer, at least in the short … Continue reading "Reasons to Abandon Spotify That Have Nothing to Do with Joe Rogan"

Amazon-owned livestreaming platform Twitch has struck a new agreement with independent label agency Merlin. Merlin says that the partnership “recognizes the power of independent artists and their impact in the … Continue reading "Twitch strikes strategic partnership with indie label agency Merlin"

5-years after the transposition deadline, the European Commission has concluded that the application of the Collective Rights Management Directive has had a positive effect on rightsholders and the licensing market. … Continue reading "The Collective Rights Management Directive: a positive assessment of the action of CMOs"

Last summer, Sony Music Group shocked the global music industry by doing something historic: announcing it was disregarding unrecouped balances for thousands of heritage artists and songwriters who had signed … Continue reading "Now Warner scraps unrecouped balances for heritage artists. Will Universal be next?"

UPDATED, with information on delayed vote: The Directors Guild of America is urging the Senate Commerce Committee to reject Joe Biden’s nominee to the FCC, citing Gigi Sohn’s past stances … Continue reading "DGA Urges Senators To Reject Joe Biden’s FCC Nominee Gigi Sohn; Vote Will Be Delayed Because Of Absence Of Sen. Ben Ray Luján"

On December 17, 2021, in a big win for electronic dance music (EDM) artists, the Dutch Supreme Court held that DJs own phonographic rights (neighbouring rights) in their home-produced recordings … Continue reading "DJs are Phonogram Producers, says Dutch Supreme Court"

While Congress may have expressed enthusiasm for joint rate setting proposals being developed through arms-length, independent negotiations among the parties to a CRB rate-setting proceeding (which clearly may not have … Continue reading "Frozen Mechanicals Crisis: Twelve Songwriter Groups Reject Majors Position that Copyright Royalty Board MUST Ignore Songwriter Objections"

Dear [DGA] Members: We have made it easy and convenient to securely report your earnings and pay your dues online. To learn more, please visit our step by step tutorial … Continue reading "How to Report Earnings and Pay Dues Online"

Singer Joni Mitchell has joined Neil Young in asking for her music to be removed from Spotify over Covid misinformation concerns. “Irresponsible people are spreading lies that are costing people … Continue reading "Joni Mitchell wants songs off Spotify in Covid row"

The undersigned organisations representing the creative and business communities of the film and audiovisual sector in Europe regret that the European Parliament plenary vote on the Digital Services Act failed … Continue reading "Joint statement: DSA – Missed opportunity to make the Internet safer"

The Future. TikTok is facing the heat for its creator payment model. Although its $1 billion Creator Fund sounds generous, it’s a static fund, meaning that platform growth actually undermines … Continue reading "TikTok under fire for how it pays creators"

Federal antitrust enforcers are signaling they will increasingly challenge mergers, jeopardizing proposed deals between major media companies, studios and talent firms. Read More: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/worrying-signs-for-hollywood-mega-deals-1235081282/#recipient_hashed=3a259dd7948fa5cf81748fd59fbfdb0cdc19448cf6f4bf505f19cde98578e9d3

Cardi B has been awarded over £2 million in damages after winning a defamation lawsuit against a YouTuber. The rapper and songwriter, known for songs including I Like It, Money … Continue reading "Cardi B awarded over £2m in damages in defamation case win"

John Lennon’s eldest son Julian is selling several pieces of music history from his personal collection. However, he will keep the physical items as each piece of memorabilia will be … Continue reading "The Beatles and John Lennon memorabilia to be sold as NFTs"

After months of heated debates and clashes, the French film industry has set new windowing rules for movies that are released in local theaters. The rules will apply to exhibitors, … Continue reading "France’s Revamped Windowing Gives Netflix Earlier Access to Fresh Movies"

In US, the mechanical royalty rate that music streaming services including Spotify and Apple Music pay songwriters, is set by the Copyright Royalty Board. The CRB is currently in the … Continue reading "Three judges decide what Spotify, Apple, and YouTube Music pay songwriters in the US. One of those roles is now up for grabs."

The Spanish competition regulator, the CNMC, has launched new proceedings against the country’s big song rights collecting society SGAE following another complaint submitted by rival rights management organisation Unison. Read … Continue reading "Spanish competition regulator launches new investigation into collecting society SGAE"

The European Parliament last week approved a version of the new EU Digital Services Act, which will bring in a bunch of new regulations in relation to digital platforms across … Continue reading "European Parliament approves draft of Digital Services Act which is a mixed bag for the music industry"

A coalition of entertainment industry unions and associations is urging Congress to include the Performing Artist Tax Parity Act in any omnibus legislation that may come before the House and … Continue reading "Entertainment Industry Coalition Urges Congress To Approve Tax Break For Performing Artists & Creative Professionals"

The Jimi Hendrix estate and Sony Music have filed legal papers with the courts in New York seeking a declaratory judgement that agreements reached with other members of the Jimi … Continue reading "Jimi Hendrix estate goes to court following royalty claim from former Experience collaborators"

Advocates for the creative economy — from the head of a performing arts center to a venue owner, an actor and an Actors’ Equity exec — lobbied Congress today to … Continue reading "Performing Arts Reps Warn House Hearing Not To Let “Creative Infrastructure Of Our Economy Vanish” As Covid Continues But Aid Doesn’t"

Following a routine investigation, the U.S. Department of Labor has found no basis to overturn last year’s election of Fran Drescher as president of SAG-AFTRA. In rejecting protesters’ claims, the … Continue reading "Department Of Labor Finds No Basis To Overturn SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher’s Election"

Britney Spears may be free of the restrictive conservatorship that ruled her life for 13 years, but the Toxic singer’s ongoing battle with her father is about to go to … Continue reading "Britney Spears’ Fight Against Her Father Allegedly Feathering His Nest & Spying On Her Going To Mini-Trial"

Walt Disney’s chief executive Bob Chapek’s compensation totaled $34.46 million in fiscal 2021, up from $14.16 million the year before. Disney’s fiscal year ends in September. Chapek succeeded Bob Iger … Continue reading "Disney CEO Bob Chapek Earned $32M In FY2021; Former Chief Bob Iger’s Package At $46M"

Talent agency CAA’s acquisition of rival ICM Partners has reportedly been delayed due to an investigation by the US Department Of Justice’s competition law division. Read More: https://completemusicupdate.com/article/caas-icm-takeover-on-hold-due-to-antitrust-investigation/

The back and forth continues in the ‘Shake It Off’ song-theft legal battle, with the songwriters who accuse Taylor Swift of ripping off their work insisting their litigation should now … Continue reading "Yet another legal filing in the long-running Shake It Off song-theft legal battle"

The man who appeared, as a baby, on the famous cover of Nirvana’s ‘Nevermind’ album has re-filed his litigation in relation to the artwork. And with the band arguing that … Continue reading "Nevermind baby re-files child pornography lawsuit against Nirvana"

Chris Brown and Drake have hit back at a song-theft claim which, they say, is “baseless”. Not only is there no credible explanation for how the two stars would have … Continue reading "Chris Brown and Drake hit back over No Guidance song-theft claim"

As Travis Scott’s legal team continue to plough through the plethora of litigation in relation to last year’s Astroworld festival, another entirely unrelated lawsuit has landed in their in tray. … Continue reading "Travis Scott sued over artwork used on unofficial compilation"

Following Nicole Scherzinger’s announcement last week that the Pussycat Dolls reunion tour was cancelled, the singer has now filed new court documents in the ongoing legal battle over her involvement … Continue reading "Nicole Scherzinger brands Pussycat Dolls lawsuit “meritless”"

The screenwriters behind the original 1987 movie and Disney’s 20th Century Studios have agreed to drop dueling copyright lawsuits over the rights to the script in a confidential settlement. Read … Continue reading "Disney, ‘Predator’ Screenwriters Settle Copyright Dispute"

The police investigation into what really went down on the set of Rust in October 2021 when Alec Baldwin shot and killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins is still ongoing, but today … Continue reading "‘Rust’ Armorer Sues Ammo Supplier Over Live Rounds That Killed Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins"

Elvis Costello has said that he will no longer perform his song ‘Oliver’s Army’ live, due to controversy over use of the N-word in the song’s lyrics. He has also … Continue reading "Elvis Costello to stop performing Oliver’s Army due to lyric controversy"

Judges in the US Ninth Circuit appeals court maintained their skeptical position yesterday regarding extending copyright protection to short segments of music. Or at least that’s how it seemed as … Continue reading "Dark Horse litigation back in court, but judges cautious of over-extending copyright"

It’s no secret that governments are actively trying to manage internet content. Committees of the Congress, the EU, as well as democratic and authoritarian governments everywhere have been seeking new … Continue reading "Is it time to go back to the future on internet content regulation?"

For internet creators, the year 2021 brought a wide range of legal issues and opportunities, many of which will have a lasting impact into 2022 and beyond. Read More: https://www.tubefilter.com/2022/01/11/content-creators-legal-cases-copyright-infringement/

The RADIO MUSIC LICENSE COMMITTEE (RMLC) has reached a conditional settlement agreement with IRVING AZOFF’s GLOBAL MUSIC RIGHTS (GMR), ending long-running lawsuits between the parties. GMR will send each broadcaster … Continue reading "Radio Music License Committee Reaches ‘Conditional’ Settlement With Global Music Rights"

EXCLUSIVE: A stinging lawsuit filed Monday by the composer of La La Land may leave WME wishing they’d been slipped the wrong envelope. However, unlike the Academy Awards’ Best Picture … Continue reading "WME Hit With Fraud Suit By ‘La La Land’ Composer Over Concert Packaging Deal; Agency Says Claims “Without Merit”"

Bob Dylan would like it to be known that judge Barry Ostrager was dead right when he dismissed a lawsuit filed by the estate of one of his former collaborators. … Continue reading "Bob Dylan urges court to uphold ruling in dispute with former collaborator’s estate"

About four months after Tencent Music (NYSE: TME) officially canceled its exclusive-music deals to comply with an order from the Chinese government, a copyright-oversight agency has barred all domestic streaming … Continue reading "China Prohibits All Music Platforms From Inking Exclusive Copyright Deals Following Tencent Music Crackdown"

A LANDMARK YEAR FOR STREAMING MUSIC — The Copyright Royalty Board is set to return to the spotlight as it decides the rates that digital music services like Apple Music … Continue reading "The streaming royalty wars return"

Grammy and Oscar-winning singer/songwriter John Legend is the latest to cash in and has sold his music catalog to record label BMG and investment firm KKR, according to an insider … Continue reading "John Legend Sells Music Catalog to BMG and Investment Firm KKR"

People at the Copyright Office seem to get mad at me every time I suggest that the Copyright Office is captured by Hollywood, and pointing out how top officials there … Continue reading "Top Disney Lawyer To Become Top Copyright Office Lawyer, Because Who Cares About The Public Interest?"

Fans of chronology will almost certainly have noticed by now that it is a new year. This is traditionally a time for ablution, scouring the past and treating the calendar … Continue reading "Catch ’22: A Complete* List Of Absolutely Everything The Music Business Needs To Fix Or Get Rid Of In 2022 (*Almost)"

Back in September, the estate of Nipsey Hussle filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against a number of merchandisers for allegedly selling unauthorized products bearing the late rapper’s name and likeness. … Continue reading "Nipsey Hussle Estate Wins Restraining Order Against Counterfeit Merchandisers"

DGA Members, Start the new year off right by making sure the Guild has your updated contact information in order to keep you fully informed about the latest Guild news … Continue reading "Are You Up To Date Online?"

2022 figures to be another year of massive change in Hollywood. Three major deals — Amazon’s purchase of MGM, CAA’s merger with ICM, Discovery’s takeover of WarnerMedia — all are … Continue reading "Will Streaming Peak and 10 More Questions for Hollywood in 2022"

David Bowie’s estate has sold the publishing rights to his “entire body of work” to Warner Chappell Music, including hundreds of songs such as Space Oddity, Changes and Let’s Dance. … Continue reading "David Bowie: Singer’s estate sells rights to his entire body of work to WCM"

The Israeli startup DeepDub claims that it can dub films, television shows, and video games while retaining the pitch and tone of the original actors in any given process. This … Continue reading "Now the voice dubbing industry is being disrupted by AI"

The lawsuit over Nevermind’s album art that Spencer Elden lobbied against Nirvana was dismissed by a judge on Monday (Jan. 3) after Elden, the 30-year-old man photographed for the album … Continue reading "Nirvana ‘Nevermind’ Baby Album Cover Lawsuit Dismissed by Judge"

A 17-track album of Lou Reed demos dropped in Europe right before Christmas — before disappearing days later. The album was titled “I’m So Free: The 1971 RCA Demos” and … Continue reading "Lou Reed Album Stealthily Dropped Before Christmas — Then Quickly Withdrawn"

A federal judge concludes that Wolfgang’s Vault lacked requisite license to stream hundreds of iconic songs. The Wall Street Journal once called Wolfgang’s Vault, a collection of thousands of live concert … Continue reading "Music Publishers Win Major Copyright Fight Over Streaming of Legendary Rock Concerts"

Numbers, those longtime pillars of the entertainment business, determiners of pay scale and quantifiers of the hot and the not, are vanishing from public view. Read More: https://deadline.com/2022/01/streaming-tv-ratings-movie-box-office-measurement-outlook-1234903058/

Hollywood’s guilds and unions saved the film and TV business in 2021. Working cooperatively with the industry’s companies, they adopted Covid-19 protocols that got production booming and their members safely … Continue reading "How Unions Saved Hollywood During The Pandemic And What’s In Store For 2022"

I don’t know about you, but my 2021 actually made 2020 look pretty, prettay, prettaay good by comparison. This was the year we actually had to try to pretend everything … Continue reading "The 5 Worst Copyright Decisions of 2021"

This week, Hammond and McCarthy get into a heavy topic these days in terms of the way we have viewed movies in the past, present and inevitably the future. It … Continue reading "Two Shot: Streaming Vs Theatrical – Can The Moviegoing Experience Still Be Saved?"

SAG-AFTRA and the Actors’ Equity Association have agreed to a six-month extension of an agreement they reached last year that settled a bitter jurisdictional dispute over the taping or streaming … Continue reading "SAG-AFTRA & Actors’ Equity Extend Agreement Over Taping Of Live Stage Shows During Pandemic"

LOS ANGELES & NEW YORK – Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) and Actors’ Equity Association today announced an extension to their 2020 agreement addressing the … Continue reading "SAG-AFTRA, Actors’ Equity Association Extend Pandemic Agreement"

The DGA membership overwhelmingly ratified the new collective bargaining agreement between the DGA and the Association of Independent Commercial Producers, Inc. (AICP). Read More: https://www.dga.org/News/Guild-News/2022/Feb2022/122116_DGAMembershipRatifiesNewCommercialContract.aspx

2021 was many things for the music business – where everything throughout the year was sharpened and heightened because of the pandemic – but it was most certainly never boring. … Continue reading "The Valued Gap: 2021 in Review"

While the debate continues about how the good old digital pie is split between different stakeholders in the music industry, the spotlight fell on how another artist revenue stream is … Continue reading "Spotlight put on the merch commissions charged by venues"

A US judge has again declined to dismiss the long-running ‘Shake It Off’ song theft lawsuit, meaning that the songwriters who allege that Taylor Swift’s 2014 hit rips off a … Continue reading "Judge again refuses to dismiss Shake It Off song-theft lawsuit against Taylor Swift"

A court in Hamburg has basically banned often controversial secondary ticketing website Viagogo from selling tickets to Ed Sheeran’s 2022 tour dates. In Germany, at least. Read More: https://completemusicupdate.com/article/ed-sheeran-secures-injunction-against-viagogo-over-touted-tickets-in-germany/

Abba have sued a UK-based company that stages tribute shows under the brand Abba Mania. That activity, the actual Abba say, is “parasitic” and constitutes trademark infringement. Read More: https://completemusicupdate.com/article/abba-sues-abba-mania-for-trademark-infringement/

Comedians and other spoken word authors are seeking the same streaming royalties paid to songwriters, but an impasse has led to the removal of their works from Spotify. Read More: … Continue reading "It’s No Laughing Matter As Spotify Removes Comedy Tracks"

What does the future hold for the Film Musicians Secondary Markets Fund? Like so many aspects of a rapidly changing media business, that’s hard to predict. Read More: https://variety.com/2021/artisans/news/streaming-issues-residuals-american-musicians-1235125275/

The Film Musicians Secondary Markets Fund every year pays thousands of musicians for their movie and TV work when it appears on cable, free TV, streaming services or home video. … Continue reading "Millions in Musicians’ Residuals Going Unclaimed, FMSMF Says"

In talks with producers through Dec. 2, TAG, through the #PayAnimationWriters hashtag, has called for parity between its members and their counterparts repped by the Writers Guild. Read More: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/animation-guild-wages-contract-iatse-1235055746/#recipient_hashed=3a259dd7948fa5cf81748fd59fbfdb0cdc19448cf6f4bf505f19cde98578e9d3f

The former boss of EMI UK and former Chair of record industry trade group BPI, Tony Wadsworth, has criticised the copyright reforms set out in Kevin Brennan MP’s Copyright (Rights … Continue reading "Former EMI boss says Kevin Brennan MP’s proposed copyright reforms will “obliterate” the label investment model"

Trade groups representing various copyright industries – including music industry groups like AEPO ARTIS, ECSA, FIM, GESAC, IAO, ICMP, IFPI, IMPALA and IMPF – all signed a letter last week … Continue reading "Copyright groups criticise EU Council’s ‘general approach’ to Digital Services Act"

Article 17 has been a (the) leading buzzword of the copyright reforms of the European Union in recent years (at least half a decade already). The transposition deadline has now … Continue reading "What’s the buzz? Tell me what’s a-happening (around Article 17)? Tales from Hungary, Germany, Italy and Sweden"

A little over a year ago I started sharing my music with the world. At that point, I had been playing the piano for a few years and I felt … Continue reading "This Is What Music Streaming Services Pay Artists"

The public comments on the majors’ proposed settlement at the Copyright Royalty Board that freezes mechanical royalties on vinyl and CDs are again attracting first rate reporting and arguments. Public … Continue reading "#FrozenMechanicals Take 2: @sealeinthedeal Finds Some Facts on the NMPA Tax Return and MOU FAQ"

An assortment of organisations representing songwriters in America and beyond – led by the Songwriters Guild Of America, the Society Of Composers & Lyricists and Music Creators North America – … Continue reading "Songwriter groups make final submission to review of US royalty rates on discs and downloads"

Record companies, both majors and indies, are up in arms over suggestions from a British politician that signed artists should see a portion of their UK streaming royalties bypass the … Continue reading "Record labels really, really don’t like a new Bill that could – eventually – change how artists get paid in the UK"

Termination rights give authors and their heirs the opportunity to recapture ownership of their copyrights, though the process is often complex and arduous. In the following extract from his new … Continue reading "The Lucrative Afterlife of Music Estates – Heirs and Their Struggle Over Termination Rights"

The draft text has been published for Kevin Brennan MP’s Copyright (Rights And Remuneration Of Musicians etc) Bill which, among other things, sets out to apply performer equitable remuneration to … Continue reading "Kevin Brennan MP publishes copyright reforming bill he reckons will fix streaming"

The UK’s Music Managers Forum and Featured Artists Coalition have called on Domino Records to reconsider its decision to remove three Four Tet albums from streaming services as part of … Continue reading "MMF and FAC criticise Domino over Four Tet dispute, call for an end to life of copyright record deals"

The tech titans couldn’t have built their empires without songs—and now they are destroying the cultural ecosystem that made them rich Songs created Silicon Valley. Without music, it wouldn’t exist. … Continue reading "How Music Created Silicon Valley"

Adele has persuaded Spotify to take the shuffle button off all album pages so tracks play in the artist’s own order. The singer tweeted: “We don’t create albums with so … Continue reading "Adele gets Spotify to take shuffle button off all album pages"

Kieran Hebden – aka Four Tet – has hit out at Domino Records for removing three of his albums from streaming services, allegedly because of the ongoing legal battle between … Continue reading "Four Tet hits out at Domino for removing his albums from streaming services as legal battle over digital royalties continues"

Social media conglomerate Meta continues its tactic of buying buzz, after CEO Mark Zuckerberg promised in July that the company would pay $1 billion to creators by the end of … Continue reading "Facebook is paying musicians and creators up to $50,000 to use its live audio features"

“Pulp Fiction owner Miramax contends that Tarantino violated their agreements and copyrights when he decided to provide access to a part of his handwritten scripts. Are those physical scripts still … Continue reading "Tarantino Pulp Fiction Dispute Spotlights the Contentious Relationship between NFTs and IP Rights"

Back in 2019, WarnerMedia struck a deal for its soon-to-launch streaming platform HBO Max that secured exclusive domestic streaming rights to The Big Bang Theory for five years. The pact, … Continue reading "Why Streamers Are Stalling on Sharing Data"

Looking ahead at his schedule for the next year, MGM’s Mike DeLuca knows his Channing Tatum movie is in a tricky spot. “Dog,” which doubles as Tatum’s directorial debut, is … Continue reading "When Amazon Buys MGM, Hollywood Fears the Loss of Another Studio"

Britney Spears has described the termination of a legal arrangement that controlled many aspects of her life for 13 years as “the best day ever”. “I think I’m gonna cry,” … Continue reading "Britney Spears released from 13-year conservatorship"

“I Got You Babe.” That’s what Cher and Sonny Bono were singing to each other in the 1960s when they were married musical superstars. The following decade, however, the two … Continue reading "Divorce in the Digital Age: What Counts as Community Property?"

The interests of songwriters and their publishers aren’t aligned. So why is the most vocal songwriter advocate working for the music publishers? The rate hearings for “streaming mechanicals” are in … Continue reading "Why Songwriter Royalty Rates Won’t Be Changing Much — No Matter How Many Copyright Hearings Take Place"

MPs and music industry bodies have criticised the pay of Sir Lucian Grainge, chairman and CEO of Universal Music Group (UMG), who is set to earn more in 2021 than … Continue reading "MPs and music industry bodies criticise pay of Universal head Lucian Grainge"

A dispute over the fees charged by American performer unions AFM and SAG-AFTRA in relation to the payment of equitable remuneration royalties to session musicians in the US is seemingly … Continue reading "Legal dispute over US unions’ performer ER fees close to $8 million settlement"

While some countries have already adopted the DSM Directive into their own laws (last week it was the turn of Spain and Italy: see here and here), many are still … Continue reading "Transposing the DSM Directive: the draft Swedish implementation of Article 17"

In the first of what promises to be many lawsuits connected to the Astroworld Festival tragedy, a Texas man is suing festival backer Travis Scott, recording artist Drake, and show … Continue reading "Astroworld Tragedy Triggers Lawsuit Against Travis Scott, Drake & Live Nation"

Together with Spain, this week it has been Italy’s turn to transpose the DSM Directive into its own law. Next week, the Legislative Decree approved by the Council of Ministers … Continue reading "Italy has transposed the DSM Directive"

Spain has finally transposed the DSM Directive (DMSD), by means of a Royal Decree-law (RD-law), which was published in the Official Gazette on the 3rd of November. The same also … Continue reading "At last Spain transposes the DSM Directive"

A tax break for recording artists managed to make the cut in House Democrats’ latest version of President Biden’s $1.75 trillion-plus social spending bill — allowing music producers to deduct … Continue reading "Record scratch: Tax break for recording artists in Biden’s $1.75T spending bill"

UPDATED with more details from the proposed agreement: Almost a month after IATSE and the AMPTP said that they had reached a deal on a new film and TV contract … Continue reading "Read The Full IATSE-AMPTP Deal Memo Agreement Here"

The Chair of the European Parliament’s culture committee has asked the European Commission for clarity on when it will launch its study into the impact of a copyright ruling in … Continue reading "European Parliament’s culture committee demands action from European Commission on “reciprocity” approach to international royalties"

Anderson .Paak has announced that he is launching his own record label, Apeshit Inc, in partnership with Universal Music. “I wanted to start a label that sets fire to a … Continue reading "Anderson .Paak launches label for artists who can actually play"

Although the author worked under the terms of a collective bargaining agreement when he penned the movie, the right to ownership was governed by copyright law and not labor law. … Continue reading "Copyright case: Horror Inc. v. Miller, USA"

Obviously, the major music companies are doing very well for themselves. Warner Music Group has seen a $10bn growth in its valuation over the past 12 months. Sony Music just … Continue reading "YouTube’s ads business is now bigger than the entire global record business"

Jay-Z was yesterday given a chance to expand on why working with perfume company Parlux back in 2013 was so “frustrating”. Back to provide a second day of testimony in … Continue reading "Jay-Z lays into perfume company’s “crappy, lazy work” in ongoing legal battle"

Music royalties are confusing. Most of us are not trained music lawyers. We’re musicians trying to make a living. And you probably just want to know how to earn the … Continue reading "What Are Music Royalties (and How Can You Collect Yours)?"

The WGA has told its members not to work for Constantin Film Development, the powerhouse German production company behind such films as the Resident Evil franchise, Downfall and The Baader … Continue reading "WGA Tells Members To Stop Working For Constantin Film “Effective Immediately”"

Amazon Music has officially launched a pitching tool for artists, and in a stark contrast to some competing streaming services’ promotional programs, this tool doesn’t encompass a payola component. Read … Continue reading "Amazon Music Unveils Pitching and Promotion Tool for New Releases — But Unlike Spotify, Artists Can’t Pay for Placement"

IATSE leaders are urging their members to “stay united” and vote “yes” to ratify the tentative agreement for a new film and TV contract. In the latest message to their … Continue reading "IATSE Leaders Urge Members To “Stay United” & Ratify Proposed New Contract"

On the same week that it was reported that Netflix tweaked its search algorithms a year ago to hide French film Cuties and quash a controversy surrounding the movie, it’s … Continue reading "Netflix Says Its Algorithms Are Protected Under the First Amendment"

Earlier this month, we reported on news of a “new music & audio company inside Amazon” being led by former Techstars Music director Jen Hall. Now there may be more … Continue reading "Report: Amazon is making a user-generated music radio platform"

Like so many kids at the dawn of the new millennium, Michelle Maalouf knew the best place to get music was the internet. The then-teenager’s platform of choice was Kazaa, … Continue reading "Music’s Whac-A-Mole Menace: How the Moldy, Lopsided DMCA is Hurting Artists"

Disgraced Hollywood film producer and convicted sex offender Harvey Weinstein cut short the theater run of Oscar sensation Good Will Hunting in 1997 to mess with Robin WIlliams’ career, according … Continue reading "Greedy Harvey Weinstein pulled Good Will Hunting from theaters early despite Oscar buzz to cut Robin Williams’ share of the profits, producer claims"

Inefficient cue sheet administration is a huge legacy problem for the music industry, but major steps are being taken to modernise the process for the digital age. Eamonn Forde examines … Continue reading "Cue Jumpers: The Moves to Get Cue Sheets Ready for the Digital Age"

The MBW Review is where we aim our microscope towards some of the music biz’s biggest recent goings-on. This time, we delve into documents filed by music streaming services with … Continue reading "Here’s exactly what Spotify, Apple and other streaming services want to pay songwriters from 2023 onwards."

The Rust production team released a letter to the crew of the Alec Baldwin feature tonight saying that they’ve “made the decision to wrap the set at least until investigations … Continue reading "‘Rust’ Production Wrapping Set “Until The Investigations Are Complete” In Wake Of Tragedy On Alec Baldwin Movie"

In an unusual–if not historic–move, the Copyright Royalty Board has decided to re-open public comments in the controversial “frozen mechanicals” rate hearing to set the government rate for mechanical royalties … Continue reading "Copyright Royalty Board Reopens Public Comments in Controversial #FrozenMechanicals Hearings"

Last week, National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA) president and CEO David Israelite claimed that streaming services were demanding “the lowest royalty rates in history” ahead of the Copyright Royalty Board’s … Continue reading "Streaming Services Officially Publish Their 2023-2027 Mechanical Rate Proposals — This Is Gonna Be an Uphill Battle for Publishers"

We’re pleased to say that — thanks to our dedicated distribution team — we were able to pay out one of our largest distributions ever. Find out what that means … Continue reading "Directors UK foreign distributions grow by over £1m year on year"

Direct-to-Consumer chief Andy Forssell is, however, closely watching Netflix’s numbers: “we pay attention to the numbers Netflix puts out because that’s the scoreboard for us to matter in that.” Read … Continue reading "Don’t Expect HBO Max to Release Viewership Figures Anytime Soon"

Spotify (NYSE: SPOT) has officially unveiled a merch-store partnership with e-commerce platform Shopify (NYSE: SHOP), and the deal will allow artists to feature up to three products on their Spotify … Continue reading "Spotify Announces Shopify-Powered Merch Options — Including Integration On Artist Profiles"

The KLF’s music publisher is seeking to block the screening of a documentary about the duo on the basis that tracks which feature in the film have not been licensed. … Continue reading "KLF publisher seeking to block documentary on copyright grounds"

The major music companies will not be fond of this news. Last month, the UK government responded to a major label-bashing report about the economics of streaming with a notably … Continue reading "Major record companies feel the heat as UK competition watchdog launches new study into music streaming"

This guest column was written by David Israelite, president & CEO of the National Music Publishers’ Association, the trade association representing American music publishers and their songwriting partners. Variety welcomes … Continue reading "The Problem With Digital Radio’s Payment System (Guest Column)"

The UK’s competition regulator, the Competition & Markets Authority, has this morning announced that it plans to launch a market study into music streaming. Read More: https://completemusicupdate.com/article/uk-competition-regulator-announces-market-study-into-music-streaming/

A British motion picture studio is suing a director for allegedly reneging on his promise to shoot the upcoming fourth installment of the “The Expendables” film franchise. Read More: https://mynewsla.com/orange-county/2021/10/19/film-studio-sues-alleges-director-walked-out-on-action-thriller-film/

CAA co-chair Richard Lovett said the agency’s battle with Warner Bros. and Walt Disney over client compensation – conflicts that in the past have rarely spilled into view publicly – … Continue reading "CAA’s Richard Lovett On Fighting For Client Pay When “Streamers Are Not Anxious To Share Their Data”"

If you don’t know the history, you may think that songwriters are paid so little because somehow they don’t deserve more. That’s not true. The reason that songwriters are paid … Continue reading "Two Is the Loneliest Number: Why are songwriters punished for 1909?"

A lawsuit filed against Lil Wayne by his former manager and legal advisor has been dismissed on jurisdiction grounds, although new litigation could as yet be filed in another US … Continue reading "Lil Wayne’s legal battle with former manager dismissed on jurisdiction grounds"

Heather Fink has spent her working life on film and TV sets. But years of frustration with the long hours and stagnant pay had made her reach her tipping point. … Continue reading "After IATSE Strike is Averted, Hollywood Workers are Split Over Agreement: ‘It’s Not Enough’"

EXCLUSIVE: With Hollywood on edge and picket signs at the ready, IATSE and the AMPTP have reached an agreement on a new film and TV contract, averting a threatened nationwide … Continue reading "Hollywood Strike Averted As IATSE & AMPTP Reach Deal On New Film & TV Contract"

Among those walking back or contextualizing their initial reactions was Adam McKay, who copped to deleting a Tweet congratulating IATSE on their new deal. “I posted it an hour after … Continue reading "Hollywood Weighs Pros And Cons Of New IATSE Contract As More Details Emerge – Update"

Late yesterday (October 14), the National Music Publishers’ Association made the claim that a number of digital service owners – including Spotify, Apple, Amazon, and Google – are trying to … Continue reading "Most people agree that Spotify should pay songwriters more. But where’s this money going to come from?"

In an “FAQs” document sent to Local members on Thursday, the union offered guidance around “scabbing,” health care, unemployment benefits and travel if it calls a mass work stoppage in … Continue reading "IATSE Strike Plan Details: How the Picket Line Would Work"

75-year-old singer and actress Cher is officially suing Mary Bono, the fourth wife of Sonny Bono and trustee of the Bono Collection Trust, for allegedly attempting to terminate components of … Continue reading "Cher Sues Mary Bono, Trustee of Sonny Bono’s Estate, Over Royalty-Termination Notice"

You might want to sit down for this one, songwriters. Music streaming service owners including Spotify, Apple, Amazon, Pandora and Google have all filed documents with the US Copyright Royalty … Continue reading "Spotify and other streaming services propose ‘lowest royalty rates in history’ for songwriters"

On 7 October, the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC), the Society of Audiovisual Authors (SAA) and Writers & Directors Worldwide (W&DW) co-hosted a virtual panel entitled … Continue reading "During an online talk, screenwriters and directors call for fair rights and remuneration"

Richard Finch – a founder member of KC & The Sunshine Band who co-wrote some of the group’s biggest hits – has sued EMI Longitude Music, part of Sony Music … Continue reading "Former KC & The Sunshine Band member Richard Finch sues Sony Music Publishing in termination right dispute"

The Ninth Circuit appeals court in the US has declined to overturn a judgement in a lower court that dismissed a song-theft claim against The Weeknd by British songwriters Brian … Continue reading "US appeals court backs The Weeknd in song-theft dispute with British songwriters"

IATSE and the AMPTP have ended their fifth day of do-or-die contract talks and will resume bargaining for a new film and TV pact on Monday. But if a deal … Continue reading "Fifth Day Of Do-Or-Die IATSE Contract Talks Wrap; Will Resume Monday"

In a word: Stagflation. Maybe. In more words, classic stagflation occurs when supply side shocks lead to the costs of goods increasing while the real economy declines. We certainly have … Continue reading "Why Songwriters Should Care About Inflation Protection for Mechanical Licenses"

Chris Brown and Drake ripped off an earlier track when they wrote their 2019 collaborative song ‘No Guidance’, according to singer Braindon Cooper and producer Timothy Valentine. Not only that, … Continue reading "Chris Brown and Drake accused of song-theft on No Guidance"

It’s typical for Hollywood’s labor unions to support for each other during labor disputes, but the support for IATSE during its current contract dispute with film and TV producers goes … Continue reading "How IATSE’s Strike Threat Sets the Stage for Hollywood Guilds’ Coming Fight Over Streaming"

The IATSE, the union for production crew members working on movies, TV, and live stage events (you’ve absolutely seen the group’s logo, even if you’ve never considered what its members … Continue reading "Here’s how the IATSE’s strike vote over unfair wages and unsafe conditions could shut down Hollywood"

In the 1930s and ’40s, five major Hollywood studios dominated the film industry and tried to lock up distribution and exhibition channels as well by taking over movie theaters across … Continue reading "Don’t Let Amazon Eat the Film Industry"

Spotify is cracking down on fake streams with promises to withhold royalties and remove content. Fake streams are plays of music by bots, hijacked accounts, or other inauthentic listening methods. … Continue reading "Spotify Issues Stern Warning on Fake Streams — Promises to Withhold Royalties and Remove Content"

With the streaming revolution breathing new life into a once-moribund music industry collapsing under plummeting CD sales and rampant piracy, the world’s biggest record companies – Universal Music, Sony Music … Continue reading "‘Odds are against you’: the problem with the music streaming boom"

Speaking in the context of the ongoing streaming rates for musicians and writers, Ulvaeus said the industry placed little value on songwriters thanks to the low returns streaming brings. Speaking … Continue reading "ABBA’s Björn Ulvaeus says music industry places “very little” value on songwriters"

A judge has suspended Britney Spears’ father from the legal arrangement that gave him control of her life after Spears accused him of years of abuse. Jamie Spears was appointed … Continue reading "Britney Spears’ father suspended as conservator"

Scarlett Johansson and Disney quickly buried the hatchet over the online release of Black Widow, settling a lawsuit between the star and the studio on Thursday. Johansson, 36, filed her … Continue reading "Disney settles with Scarlett Johansson after she sued for $50million in lost earnings after Marvel’s Black Widow was released online"

new study has revealed that only approximately 720 of musicians in the U.K. earn enough money from music streaming to sustain a living. Analyzing data from 2014-2020—along with focus groups … Continue reading "New Study Reveals Fewer Than 800 U.K. Musicians Make Livable Wage From Music Streaming"

The long-running legal battle over the players playing and the haters hating in Taylor Swift’s ‘Shake It Off’ could still end up before a jury, with the judge overseeing the … Continue reading "Long-running Shake It Off song-theft case still likely to head to a jury"

A judge in New York has declined to dismiss Eddy Grant’s copyright infringement lawsuit against Donald Trump over the use of the former’s track ‘Electric Avenue’ in one of the … Continue reading "New York judge declines to dismiss Eddy Grant’s copyright case against Donald Trump"

In July this year, the Federal Court of Australia handed down a decision in Stephen L. Thaler [2021] APO 5, which allowed listing AI system DABUS as an inventor in … Continue reading "Australian court says that AI can be an inventor: what does it mean for authors?"

Disney has stepped up its fight to retain control of the copyright on several of its Marvel heroes including Iron Man, Spider-Man and Thor. The entertainment giant has been locked … Continue reading "Disney steps up fight to protect Marvel franchise as firm’s lawyers file slew of lawsuits to hold on to copyright on several superheroes including Iron Man, Spider-Man and Thor"

During this year’s Code conference, Netflix co-CEO and chief content officer Ted Sarandos shared a significant haul of data about some of the streaming giant’s top titles — a rare … Continue reading "Netflix reveals how many accounts are actually watching its top titles"

Directors UK is pleased to announce the launch of Creating Positive Collaborations: Writers & Directors, in partnership with The Writers’ Guild of Great Britain (WGGB). With 87% of people working … Continue reading "Creating Positive Collaborations: guidelines for writers and directors published"

Spotify is cooking up even more ways to pay artists less — while charging them more. Now, Spotify wants artists to pay to reach fans they already have via a … Continue reading "Spotify’s New “Marquee” Promotion Feature Is Forcing Artists to Pay to Reach Fans They Already Have — As Much as $0.50 Per Click"

The daughter of the couple who created Thunderbirds is threatening legal action against ITV over millions of pounds in lost royalties. Dee Anderson claims her stepfather Gerry Anderson woefully undervalued … Continue reading "EXCLUSIVE: Thunderbirds are go…ing to court! Daughter of couple behind hit puppet series threatens legal action against ITV over millions of pounds she claims her mother was owed in royalties"

The guild, which represents an estimated 8,000 picture and sound editors as well as additional postproduction workers, is among the largest of the 13 Hollywood Locals that are currently in … Continue reading "Editors Guild Board Votes Unanimously to Recommend Members Back Strike Authorization"

“We still want to deal. That’s our goal. And the best way to get a deal is to have a strong strike authorization vote. We can avoid a strike if … Continue reading "Cinematographers Guild Urges Members to Back IATSE Strike Authorization Vote"

IATSE’s strike-authorization vote will be getting underway soon. Grips Local 80 said that it will hold its vote from October 1-3, and Prop Local 44 told its members at a … Continue reading "IATSE Strike-Authorization Vote Will Begin October 1"

NEW YORK, Sept. 23, 2021 — As more and more consumers subscribe to online, direct-to-consumer audio-visual platforms, ASCAP is immediately expanding its existing TV Premium payment plan to include eligibility … Continue reading "ASCAP Expands Royalty Premium Payment Plan for Music in Top Streamed Shows on Online Streaming Services"

SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher has joined the chorus of actors voicing their support for IATSE’s demands for a fair contract as IATSE prepares to take a strike-authorization vote. “Standing in … Continue reading "Fran Drescher & Other SAG-AFTRA Leaders Join Chorus Of Actors Supporting IATSE’s Demands For Fair Contract"

Everywhere you look these days, the signs are hard to miss that the growth of streaming is driving an economic restructuring of the entertainment business. While that’s disruptive enough to … Continue reading "The Rights & Royalties Revolution in Music and Media: A VIP+ Special Report"

Abba star Bjorn Ulvaeus has launched a campaign to ensure musicians don’t miss out on millions of pounds in royalties. Called Credits Due, the scheme aims to ensure all songwriters … Continue reading "Abba’s Bjorn Ulvaeus launches campaign to fix £500m music royalty problem"

September 22nd, 2021 – Music authors societies and publishers have completed a global project to harmonise the reporting of data for musical works used in commercials. The initiative will make … Continue reading "Societies and publishers complete global project to harmonise data reporting for music in commercials"

There aren’t many in the business who now aren’t aware of – or even disagree with – Merck Mercuriadis‘ belief that songwriters deserve to get paid a bigger percentage of … Continue reading "Merck Mercuriadis: ‘None of us should be able to sleep in good conscience at night until the true value of the songwriters’ contributions to this business are recognized.’"

It’s been a long time coming, but the U.K. Government’s response to the recent report into the economics of music streaming has finally arrived. However, anyone hoping for a neat … Continue reading "U.K. Government Calls for Further Research Into Music Streaming Sector; Keeps Options Open"

The vote, which would allow international union president Matthew D. Loeb to order a strike if members authorize it, will be “nationwide,” according to the union. Read More: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/iatse-strike-authorization-vote-amid-stalled-contract-talks-1235015756/#recipient_hashed=3a259dd7948fa5cf81748fd59fbfdb0cdc19448cf6f4bf505f19cde98578e9d3

The streaming giant, which already has a long-term lease at Shepperton Studios and has reaffirmed its pledge to spend $1 billion in the U.K. in 2021, will “operate and significantly … Continue reading "Netflix Expands U.K. Presence With Lease at U.K.’s Longcross Studios, Home to ‘Star Wars,’ Bond"

Hipgnosis founder Merck Mercuriadis has been leading the demands for songs (as opposed to recordings) to get a bigger share of streaming royalties. It’s a campaign that led to criticism … Continue reading "Hipgnosis is launching a new songwriters guild in the US"

If anyone connected to The Mechanical Licensing Collective, Inc. quango brings up the $424,000,000 black box payment that the MLC received in February as part of services claiming their safe … Continue reading "Songwriters and Publishers Ask the MLC: Where’s my money?"

Sir Elton John has requested an urgent meeting with new Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries over post-Brexit rules which have hit the ability of musicians to tour the EU. The rock … Continue reading "Sir Elton John requests urgent meeting with new Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries over post-Brexit visa rules that have hit musicians trying to tour EU"

Los Angeles — Director Lesli Linka Glatter was elected President of the Directors Guild of America by acclamation by the delegates at the Guild’s National Biennial Convention held today at … Continue reading "Lesli Linka Glatter Elected DGA President; Officers and Board of Directors Also Elected"

A California federal judge says established precedent supports the app’s argument that third parties embedding Instagram posts aren’t committing copyright infringement, so the social giant can’t be liable for enabling … Continue reading "Instagram Beats Photographers’ Suit Over Embed Feature"

Streaming continues to grow strongly, as evidenced by the 28% growth reported by the RIAA for H1 2021 in the US. Everything looks great for the build-up to the impeding … Continue reading "‘Middle class’ artists need niche, not scale"

SoundCloud says that an Abba cover posted to its platform by Portishead received six times more royalties because the company employs a user-centric system for distributing monies to its community … Continue reading "SoundCloud says user-centric boosted the royalties for Portishead’s SOS by 500%"

Universal Music’s stock market debut next week it set to land its boss Lucian Grainge an around $150m pay out, while he also cashes in on his Tencent investment. Read … Continue reading "Universal Music boss Lucian Grainge locks eyes on $150m IPO pay out"

The Copyright Royalty Board has released an edited version of its decision which set the royalty rates that radio stations will pay for online streaming in the coming years. Despite … Continue reading "CRB Rejected Move To Create Separate Streaming Rate For Simulcasts. Now We Know Why."

US boy band Why Don’t We have accused one of their managers of “mental, emotional and financial abuse” by making them “hostages in our own home” and restricting their food. … Continue reading "Why Don’t We: US boy band accuse manager of mental and financial abuse"

Hollywood giant Walt Disney Co said the rest of its 2021 films will screen exclusively in cinemas before being made available for streaming. The decision is a boost to struggling … Continue reading "All of Disney’s 2021 movies to debut exclusively in cinemas"

For two decades, New Zealand’s vertiginous mountain ranges and sweeping valleys have been synonymous with big-screen versions of The Hobbit and The Lord Of The Rings. The movies have raked … Continue reading "Hooray for Blightywood! Movie-makers and stars flock to the UK as wokery and Covid bring Tinseltown to a standstill (as one LA insider exclaims: ‘You guys are eating us for breakfast’)"

Disney announced on Friday that upcoming 2021 films “Eternals,” “The Last Duel,” “West Side Story,” “Ron’s Gone Wrong” and “The King’s Man” will get exclusive, 45-day theatrical windows before moving … Continue reading "Disney Releasing ‘Eternals,’ ‘Encanto’ Exclusively in Theaters"

Actor Zachary Joseph Horwitz has agreed to plead guilty to running a massive Hollywood Ponzi scheme that promised nonexistent film rights to investors. Horwitz will plead guilty to one count … Continue reading "Actor to plead guilty in $650 million Hollywood Ponzi scheme involving fake HBO, Netflix deals"

The new singing competition show from FOX, Alter Ego, features a unique twist on the old formula: rather than performing songs in front of the judges, the amateur contestants are … Continue reading "Virtual artists are an opportunity for the music business – not an enemy"

Spotify playlist curators say the platform isn’t doing enough to combat bad faith copyright abuse complaints. Curators say playlists are being reported for a variety of reasons, though oversight is … Continue reading "Spotify Playlist Curators Says Copyright Abuse Is On the Rise — And Spotify Isn’t Doing Much About It"

Apple Music announced today that it’s created a process to properly identify and compensate all of the individual creators involved in making a DJ mix. Using technology from the audio-recognition … Continue reading "Apple Music is using Shazam to solve the streaming industry’s problem with DJ mixes"

Although the contract between a makeup artist and her publisher described the artist as the author of the book, the dispute still arose under the Copyright Act because “author” is … Continue reading "Copyright case: Di Angelo Publications Inc. v. Kelley, USA"