Entertainment Law Update Episode 160 – August/September 2023
District court dismisses SoundExchange’s suit against Sirius XM Radio seeking $150 million in alleged unpaid royalties, finding that “licensing and enforcement of rights” under Section 114 of Copyright Act is not synonymous...more
On August 7, 2025, a federal district court dismissed the complaint in a lawsuit brought by SoundExchange, Inc., an independent nonprofit representing owners of copyrighted sound recordings that sought underpaid royalties...more
Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York dismissed SoundExchange's $150 million lawsuit against SiriusXM, finding that the performance rights organization lacks legal...more
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) under new chair Brendan Carr has issued an enforcement advisory addressing complaints that radio stations are coercing musical artists to perform for free at station events by...more
The FCC has issued an Enforcement Advisory reminding radio broadcasters that manipulating airplay based on an artist’s willingness to participate in station promotions or events is illegal under the FCC’s payola rules unless...more
A third attorney team representing World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. stockholders has signaled a tag-in for a widening Delaware Court of Chancery rumble with founder Vincent McMahon and top company officials and directors...more
The Music Modernization Act (MMA) is headed to the President's desk for signature following unanimous approval from the House of Representatives and the Senate. The bill, now called the "Orrin G. Hatch Music Modernization...more
Last month in our Olympics edition, we provided a glimpse into the arcane world of licensing of musical works under the U.S. Copyright system. It’s actually crazier still. ...more
On July 19, 2017, the CLASSICS Act (H.R. 3301 – Compensating Legacy Artists for their Songs, Service, and Important Contributions to Society Act) was introduced into the House, the purpose of which is to provide copyright...more
On December 20, 2016, the New York Court of Appeals (New York’s highest court) issued a landmark state copyright law decision, holding in response to a certified question from the Second Circuit in Flo & Eddie, Inc. v. Sirius...more