Rights

UMG, Concord Slap Quince with Major Lawsuit Over TikTok, Instagram Infringement Allegations

Universal Music Group (UMG) and Concord Music Group, along with Capitol Records and six Universal Music Publishing entities, have filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against popular direct-to-consumer fashion startup Quince. According to the filing, Quince has used over 130 copyrighted works—including 67 sound recordings and 71 musical compositions—that were allegedly used without authorization in TikTok and Instagram posts.

Source: UMG, Concord Slap Quince with Major Lawsuit Over TikTok, Instagram Infringement Allegations

NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani Earned Over $1,600 in Rap Royalties Last Year

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani saw renewed interest in his short-lived rap career after his mayoral candidacy. The music he recorded as Young Cardamom and Mr. Cardamom earned him $1,643 in royalties last year, according to The New York Times. But he actually had recent success as a rapper even before his mayoral run, reporting another $1,267 in royalties in 2024, while he was a member of the New York State Assembly.

Source: NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani Earned Over $1,600 in Rap Royalties Last Year

Anthropic Settlement Hearing Comes into Focus

On Friday, the Authors Guild took a dive into how the numbers break down. According to papers filed by attorneys for the authors, 440,490, or 91.3%, of the eligible works had been claimed by last month’s deadline, compared to what the Guild says is a typical 10% rate in most class action lawsuits. That 91% rate is a huge increase over 54% of claims attorneys for the class reported on March 19.

Source: Anthropic Settlement Hearing Comes into Focus

Musicians Respond to Calls For PRS to Reduce License Fees

The U.K.’s main musician and songwriter trade associations have responded to calls for PRS to reduce its blanket license fees for grassroots music venues. On Tuesday (April 14), the Music Venue Trust launched a campaign titled Set The Record Straight: Fair Licensing Fees, aimed at examining how PRS For Music’s licensing charges are calculated, applied and enforced across the U.K.’s grassroots live music circuit.

Source: Musicians Respond to Calls For PRS to Reduce License Fees

As Blockbuster Catalog Sales Slow, Dealmaking Volume Holds Steady

High-profile sales haven’t ceased; Miranda Lambert recently sold her catalog to Sony Music Publishing (plus Domain Capital), and the Quincy Jones estate partnered with HarbourView, for instance. Meanwhile, Warner Music’s poised to announce some presumably huge purchases, and DMN’s picked up on a couple noteworthy transactions that should soon receive public announcements. But in general, growing list of IP-heavy company buyouts aside, smaller-scale purchases are taking center stage.

Source: As Blockbuster Catalog Sales Slow, Dealmaking Volume Holds Steady

The Licensing Mirage: Why Collective Models Won’t Save the Visual Industry from AI

The EU’s framework for collective licensing rests on Extended Collective Licensing, or ECL. Under ECL, a CMO is authorized by law to license works on behalf of all rightsholders in a given category — even those who never signed up. The idea is elegant: one blanket license, one payment stream, universal coverage. The trouble starts with what happens after the money is collected.

Source: The Licensing Mirage: Why Collective Models Won’t Save the Visual Industry from AI

Yout.com Hopes Supreme Court’s Cox Ruling Helps Its Case; RIAA Disagrees

The Supreme Court’s recent reversal of the billion-dollar Cox Communications verdict also makes an appearance in the long-running legal battle between Yout.com and the RIAA. The streamripper’s counsel argues that the ruling’s treatment of noninfringing uses is relevant to its case against the RIAA. The music group disagrees, suggesting that it is not relevant.

Source: Yout.com Hopes Supreme Court’s Cox Ruling Helps Its Case; RIAA Disagrees

Copyright in AI Prompts: Chinese Court Ruling on Generative AI and Originality

On the facts of the case, the Chinese court, in a case of first impression, held that copyright did not subsist in six sets of prompts submitted to Midjourney and hence the copying of those prompts could not infringe copyright. However, the court suggested that there could be copyright in a more elaborate and specific set of prompts that meets copyright’s standard for originality.

Source: Copyright in AI Prompts: Chinese Court Ruling on Generative AI and Originality

Publishers Back Concord Music Group’s AI Suit

Four organizations representing various publishers and content creators have filed an amicus brief supporting Concord Music Group in its copyright infringement lawsuit against AI giant Anthropic. According to a joint statement from the leaders of the four organizations involved, “This case illuminates the critical, collaborative licensing markets that are developing among copyright owners and technology companies for consumer-facing AI products, driving better, safer, and fairer outcomes for all involved.”

Source: Publishers Back Concord Music Group’s AI Suit

RIAA, NMPA file amicus brief backing UMG, Concord and ABKCO in original Anthropic case

The coalition, which also includes A2IM, SoundExchange, SONA, BMAC, the Music Artists Coalition, and the Artist Rights Alliance, filed an amicus brief on Monday (March 30) urging a federal court to reject Anthropic’s fair use defense in the case brought by Universal Music Publishing Group, Concord Music Group, and ABKCO in October 2023. Its core argument is twofold: that AI-generated music already acts as a direct market substitute for human-created works, and that a functioning licensing market for AI training already exists.

Source: RIAA, NMPA file amicus brief backing UMG, Concord and ABKCO in original Anthropic case

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