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Copyright Copyright Litigation Music Industry

A Copyright is an exclusive legal right granted to the creator of an original work to license, copy, sell, distribute, or otherwise exploit the work for his or her own benefit.
Irwin IP LLP

Whatever Will Be, Will Be: Sixth Circuit Approves Daughter’s Effort to Reclaim Copyrights Over Her Own Daughter’s Objection, But...

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In 1984, acclaimed composer Jay Livingston assigned his interests in numerous musical compositions, including the classics “Silver Bells” and “Que Sera, Sera” to a publishing company called Jay Livingston Music (“JLM”). In...more

Loeb & Loeb LLP

Tammy Livingston v. Jay Livingston Music, Inc.

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Sixth Circuit affirms dismissal of lawsuit brought by granddaughter of late composer Jay Livingston, holding that termination notices served and filed by Livingston’s daughter were valid and that granddaughter retained no...more

McDermott Will & Schulte

Que sera, sera: No declaratory relief after songwriter’s heir terminated copyright assignments

Addressing the intersection of a trust beneficiary’s rights to royalties and an heir’s copyright termination rights under 17 U.S.C. § 203, the US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit affirmed the district court’s order...more

Ervin Cohen & Jessup LLP

Timbaland & Suno Highlight The Legal Risks of AI Music Tools

Suno is a leading AI-powered music generation platform which transforms simple text prompts, images, videos, or audio clips into fully produced songs complete with vocals and instrumentation. Last week, renowned music...more

Arnall Golden Gregory LLP

If You Want It, Here It Is, Come and Get It: Preparing Your Music Catalog to Attract the Right Buyers

Mo Money, Mo Problems? In March 2025, music publishing giant Primary Wave acquired a substantial stake in the Notorious B.I.G. music catalog with an estimated value of $200 million....more

Falcon Rappaport & Berkman LLP

Getty Images vs. Stability AI: The Landmark Copyright Battle Shaping The Future of Generative AI

Getty Images, a well-known visual media company and supplier of stock images, is facing off against a London-based artificial intelligence company, Stability AI, in what is considered to be the first major copyright trial of...more

Vondran Legal

Who is the international intellectual property alliance?

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Who is the International Intellectual Property Alliance?  Here is some general information....more

Pillsbury - Internet & Social Media Law Blog

Taylor’s Version: A “Mastermind” in IP Ownership

After years of contractual entanglements, public disputes and strategic reinvention, Taylor Swift has achieved something few global recording artists have: She now owns the master recordings of her entire musical catalog....more

McDermott Will & Schulte

Plausibly Alleging Access Requires More Than Social Media Visibility

The US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit affirmed a district court’s dismissal of a copyright action, finding that the plaintiff failed to plausibly allege either that the defendant had “access” to the work in question...more

Kaufman & Canoles

K&C Sports & Entertainment Law Weekly Roundup - May 2025 #4

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The former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. has pushed back against efforts to force him to hand over documents relating to his alleged sexual misconduct and hush money payments in a class action over the company’s...more

Loeb & Loeb LLP

Woodland v. Hill

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Ninth Circuit affirms dismissal of copyright infringement claim against musician Lil Nas X, finding that mere availability of plaintiff influencer’s photographs on Instagram does not amount to access to those photographs and...more

Kaufman & Canoles

K&C Sports & Entertainment Law Weekly Roundup - May 2025 #3

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French cinema icon Gérard Depardieu was convicted of sexually assaulting two women on a film set in Paris in 2021 and handed an 18-month suspended sentence....more

Loeb & Loeb LLP

Sound and Color, LLC v. Samuel Smith

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Ninth Circuit reverses summary judgment in favor of pop singer Sam Smith in music copyright dispute, holding in unpublished opinion that hook in plaintiff’s song may be protectable as unique selection and arrangement of...more

Ervin Cohen & Jessup LLP

Ninth Circuit Revives Copyright Suit Over Sam Smith’s “Dancing with a Stranger” and Reaffirms the Jury’s Role

On April 29, 2025, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals revived the copyright infringement case filed by Sound and Color, LLC against Sam Smith, Normani, and related parties (collectively, “Defendants”) concerning the hit song...more

BakerHostetler

Celebrating World IP Day 2025: Music, Innovation, and Intellectual Property

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Another year, another celebration of intellectual property (IP) on World IP Day. This time, the World Intellectual Property Organization is focusing on IP and music: World Intellectual Property Day 2025 highlights how...more

Kaufman & Canoles

K&C Sports & Entertainment Law Weekly Roundup - April 2025 #4

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Jack Nicklaus just scored a $1 million win in a New York court, striking back against his former company’s attempt to control his personal brand....more

Smith Anderson

Copyright Liability Could Cost You and Your Business

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Businesses can unknowingly infringe others’ copyrights in all kinds of ways. It’s important for copyright holders to know their rights. It’s also important for those using copyrighted content to be aware of common pitfalls...more

Kaufman & Canoles

K&C Sports & Entertainment Law Weekly Roundup - April 2025

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A New York federal judge has tossed several school district lawsuits seeking to void a state law banning the use of Native American team mascots and names, throwing out individual board members’ free speech claims but saying...more

Arnall Golden Gregory LLP

The Pitch - March 2025

The Pitch newsletter is a monthly update of legal issues and news affecting or related to the music, film and television, fine arts, media, professional athletics, eSports, and gaming industries. The Pitch features a diverse...more

Arnall Golden Gregory LLP

Key Takeaways From the Copyright Office's Report on the Economic Impact of AI

In February 2025, the U.S. Copyright Office released a report titled “Identifying the Economic Implications of Artificial Intelligence for Copyright Policy.” Edited by Brent Lutes, the Office’s chief economist, the volume...more

ArentFox Schiff

USC Faces the Music: Sony Music Sues USC for Unauthorized Use of Sound Recordings in Social Media

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Sony Music Entertainment and its affiliate record labels have filed a lawsuit against the University of Southern California (USC) for copyright infringement....more

Arnall Golden Gregory LLP

The Pitch - February 2025

The Pitch newsletter is a monthly update of legal issues and news affecting or related to the music, film and television, fine arts, media, professional athletics, eSports, and gaming industries. The Pitch features a diverse...more

Irwin IP LLP

Bundle to Save: Spotify Avoids Royalties to Musicians 

Irwin IP LLP on

Mechanical Licensing Collective v. Spotify USA Inc., Case No. 24 Civ. 3809 (S.D.N.Y. Jan. 29, 2025) - On January 29, 2025, the Southern District of New York dismissed a lawsuit filed against Spotify for allegedly failing...more

ArentFox Schiff

Court Decision: Worldwide Rights Lost When a Songwriter Terminates Under US Copyright Law

ArentFox Schiff on

In its ruling in the case Cyril E. Vetter, Et Al. v. Robert Resnik, No. 23-1369-SDD-EWD (M.D. La. Jan. 29, 2025), the US District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana ruled that the US songwriter-plaintiff Vetter...more

Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP

Lyric or Leave It: Anthropic Tries to Strike a Chord with the Music Industry

The Northern District of California is overseeing an ongoing copyright lawsuit between Universal Music Corp., ABKCO Music Inc., Concord Music Group, and other music publishers (collectively, the “Publishers”) and AI company...more

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