This week, Epidemic Sound filed a second copyright infringement lawsuit against Meta, alleging infringement of 1,000 additional works across Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp.
Meanwhile, Warner Music Group sued US fashion retailer PacSun for alleged infringement of 290+ works in TikTok and Instagram posts featuring tracks by Dua Lipa, Bruno Mars, and other major artists.
Elsewhere this week, we reported that Robert Kyncl signed a new deal as Warner Music Group’s CEO.
Also this week, Jorja Smith’s independent label FAMM demanded a share of royalties from viral track I Run amid AI allegations, while two artists accused AI act Breaking Rust of ripping them off.
Here are some of the biggest headlines from the past few days…
1. EPIDEMIC SOUND SUES META AGAIN, ALLEGING COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT OF 1,000 ADDITIONAL WORKS
Epidemic Sound has filed a second copyright infringement lawsuit against Facebook parent company Meta, alleging that the tech giant continues to infringe the music company’s catalog across Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp.
The new complaint, filed in the US District Court for the Northern District of California on Tuesday (December 2) and obtained by MBW, lists 1,000 representative works that Epidemic alleges Meta is infringing through its Audio Library and through tools including Original Audio and Reels Remix.
Stockholm-headquartered Epidemic, whose catalog includes over 50,000 works, noted in the filing that each of the 1,000 works listed in the new complaint were registered after Epidemic filed its first lawsuit against Meta in July 2022, which remains active before Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley in the same court. That case sought at least $142 million in damages… (MBW)
2. US FASHION RETAILER PACSUN SUED BY WMG FOR ALLEGED INFRINGEMENT OF 290+ WORKS IN TIKTOK AND INSTAGRAM POSTS
Warner Music Group has filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against US fashion retailer Pacific Sunwear of California, LLC (PacSun).
The complaint alleges the company has “misappropriated at least 290” of Warner’s recordings and compositions in social media posts without permission.
The lawsuit, filed on Monday (December 1) in a California court and obtained by MBW, accuses PacSun of using tracks by artists including Dua Lipa, Bruno Mars, Lizzo, Cardi B, and Ariana Grande in promotional videos posted to TikTok and Instagram. Warner is seeking statutory damages up to the maximum amount of $150,000 per infringed musical work… (MBW)
3. ROBERT KYNCL SIGNS NEW DEAL AS WARNER MUSIC GROUP’S CEO
Almost three years after he first took the reins as CEO, Robert Kyncl has signed a new deal at Warner Music Group. Details were revealed in a document filed on Sunday (December 1) with the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC).
According to the SEC filing, Kyncl and Warner agreed on an amendment to Kyncl’s employment package on Monday last week (November 24).
The new package is tied to the company’s share price performance… (MBW)
4. JORJA SMITH’S LABEL FAMM SEEKS SHARE OF ROYALTIES FROM VIRAL TRACK ‘I RUN’ AMID AI ALLEGATIONS, CALLS FOR INDUSTRY ‘GUARDRAILS’ TO PROTECT ARTISTS
The independent record label of Jorja Smith is demanding a share of royalties from the viral dance track I Run, which it claims was created using AI trained on the British singer’s music.
The track, credited to Haven (the project of producer Harrison Walker), went viral on TikTok in October and was on course to chart in both the UK and US before being removed from streaming services following takedown notices alleging artist impersonation. In a statement published via Instagram, FAMM alleged that Walker “used AI to make his voice sound like Jorja’s and had used Jorja’s name (without permission) suggesting to the public that it was actually Jorja singing.”
The label claims the track was distributed through four separate distributors to circumvent usual takedown procedures, and that Haven’s team “seemed to rely on public confusion as a key part of the marketing strategy…” (MBW)
5. TWO ARTISTS SAY AI ACT BREAKING RUST RIPPED THEM OFF. THEY WON’T BE THE LAST.
Breaking Rust, an AI-generated ‘Outlaw country’ act, scored a semi-hit in the US last month with Walk My Walk – a track that’s been streamed over 7 million times on Spotify and topped Billboard‘s Country Digital Song Sales chart.
But earlier this week, Walk My Walk briefly disappeared from Spotify following an impersonation claim. A Spotify representative has confirmed to MBW that the track was temporarily removed but has since been reinstated.
MBW has discovered that the claim was likely filed by independent country artist Bryan Elijah Smith, who accuses Breaking Rust of stealing elements of his music, style, and image.
Smith isn’t the only one crying foul. Grammy-nominated rapper Blanco Brown says Breaking Rust’s track rips off his vocal style – and an Associated Press investigation has drawn a line between Walk My Walk’s credited songwriter and a former Brown collaborator.
Here are three things you need to know about the ballooning Breaking Rust saga – and how it fits into a bigger story about AI music fakery… (MBW)
Partner message: MBW’s Weekly Round-up is supported by BMI, the global leader in performing rights management, dedicated to supporting songwriters, composers and publishers and championing the value of music. Find out more about BMI here. Music Business Worldwide
