A federal judge on Tuesday granted final approval to a settlement on Spotify’s long-running class-action lawsuits. The news was first reported in The Hollywood Reporter.
The suits, initially brought separately by musicians David Lowery and Melissa Ferrick and later combined, alleged that the streaming giant had not properly fulfilled payment per compulsory licenses of their song compositions. Ultimately, Spotify and songwriters came to a proposed settlement of more than $112.55 million, including an cash payment of $43.55 million to class members.
Several participants objected, most publicly Wixen Publishing Group, which deemed it “procedurally and substantively unfair to Settlement Class Members because it prevents meaningful participation by rights holders and offers them an unfair dollar amount in light of Spotify’s ongoing, willful copyright infringement of their works,” it said in a filing. More lawsuits ensued, including one from Wixen claiming $1.6 billion in damages.
However, U.S. District Court Judge Alison Nathan...
The suits, initially brought separately by musicians David Lowery and Melissa Ferrick and later combined, alleged that the streaming giant had not properly fulfilled payment per compulsory licenses of their song compositions. Ultimately, Spotify and songwriters came to a proposed settlement of more than $112.55 million, including an cash payment of $43.55 million to class members.
Several participants objected, most publicly Wixen Publishing Group, which deemed it “procedurally and substantively unfair to Settlement Class Members because it prevents meaningful participation by rights holders and offers them an unfair dollar amount in light of Spotify’s ongoing, willful copyright infringement of their works,” it said in a filing. More lawsuits ensued, including one from Wixen claiming $1.6 billion in damages.
However, U.S. District Court Judge Alison Nathan...
- 5/23/2018
- by Jem Aswad
- Variety Film + TV
Spotify announced this morning in a brief press release that it has acquired Loudr a company founded in 2013 to build products and services to help content creators, aggregators and digital music providers to identify, track and pay royalties to music publishers. (The announcement actually said the company has “joined the Spotify family.”)
Its staff will move into Spotify’s New York offices, where it will continue to provide “select services to its publishing and aggregator partners, while contributing to Spotify’s continued efforts towards a more transparent and efficient music publishing industry for songwriters and rights holders.”
Spotify has faced criticism over its licensing and royalty payments as well as copyright infringement lawsuits, the most eye-grabbing of which was a $1.6 billion lawsuit from Wixen Music Publishing, whose catalog includes songs by Tom Petty, Neil Young, Stevie Nicks and others, but in comments the company’s chief seems open to a settlement.
Its staff will move into Spotify’s New York offices, where it will continue to provide “select services to its publishing and aggregator partners, while contributing to Spotify’s continued efforts towards a more transparent and efficient music publishing industry for songwriters and rights holders.”
Spotify has faced criticism over its licensing and royalty payments as well as copyright infringement lawsuits, the most eye-grabbing of which was a $1.6 billion lawsuit from Wixen Music Publishing, whose catalog includes songs by Tom Petty, Neil Young, Stevie Nicks and others, but in comments the company’s chief seems open to a settlement.
- 4/12/2018
- by Variety Staff
- Variety Film + TV
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