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☆ ‘It felt so wrong’: Chumbawamba wants New Zealand politician to stop playing ‘Tubthumping’ at rallies
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-03 | by ( Dhruv Tikekar | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

But those headlines were soon eclipsed by Chumbawamba publicly condemning Peters’ use of its song. “Everything that Peters stands for is counter to Chumbawamba’s world view,” the band’s founding member and former vocalist, Dunstan Bruce, told CNN. Chumbawamba, which broke up in 2012, has asked its former record company, Sony Music Publishing, to issue a cease-and-desist letter to New Zealand First. In response to CNN’s request for comment, New Zealand First Party President Julian Paul said the party had nothing further to add. “As we rise, the dirt will start all over again,” he said during a party convention in July, according to a transcript published by New Zealand First.

Persons: Winston Peters strode, Peters, ” Peters, Chumbawamba, Dunstan Bruce, Winston Peters, Hagen Hopkins, ” Chumbawamba, “ Tubthumping, ”, Bruce, “, Peter Dungate, ” It’s, Eminem, Vivek Ramaswamy, Donald Trump, Rihanna, Pharrell Williams, Bruce Springsteen, Nigel Farage, Hutton Supancic, Julian Paul, Emmanuel Heisbourg, Heisbourg, “ tubthumping, You’re, — Peters, ‘ Organizations: CNN, New Zealand First, Labour, New, National, ACT, New Zealand, General Motors, Sony Music Publishing, APRA, NZ, New Zealand’s National Party, rapper’s, Republican, Independence Party, UKIP, Southwest, SXSW UKIP, University of Montreal Locations: Palmerston, British, Nazi Germany, New, New Zealand

☆ Beyoncé collaborator Willie Jones got his start on ‘X Factor.’ Now he’s featured on ‘Cowboy Carter’
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-29 | by ( Alli Rosenbloom | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Willie Jones first popped onto the music scene as a young contestant on the singing competition “X Factor” in 2012. He sang a rendition of Josh Turner’s “Your Man” for his audition, making it through to the live rounds before he was eliminated. Signed with Sony Music, he’s singing his own songs these days that blend the sounds of country music and R&B. He’s joins other emerging country music artists of color featured on “Cowboy Carter,” including Shaboozey, Tanner Adell, Brittney Spencer, Tiera Kennedy and Reyna Roberts. And I just, I need to get through thisOr just get used to it‘Cause time heals everythingI don’t need anythingHallelujahI pray to herI pray to her

Persons: Willie Jones, Beyoncé, Cowboy Carter, ”, Simon Cowell, Britney Spears, LA Reid, Demi Lovato, Josh Turner’s, Jones, he’s, He’s, Tanner Adell, Brittney Spencer, Tiera Kennedy, Reyna Roberts, “ Organizations: CNN, Sony Music, Block Party Locations: Shreveport , Louisiana, Clovis

☆ Natasha Bedingfield tells the real rainy story behind that iconic 'Unwritten' line
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-23 | by ( Callie Ahlgrim | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

If the Richter scale measures the energy released by an earthquake, Natasha Bedingfield must have a similar sense for pop songs. @yvngflickk @digitalvibezinc @jubi2fye @iconicwill ♬ original sound - Natasha BedingfieldThe legend of "Unwritten" begins in 2003 with a "little poem" tucked away in Bedingfield's trousers. "Natasha and I are literally playing tennis together when we write songs. "I am known for these positive songs," Bedingfield mused. "I mean, I can't imagine anybody else singing 'Unwritten,' because it is Natasha," said cowriter Danielle Brisebois.

Persons: Natasha Bedingfield, Bedingfield, wasn't, who's, Emma Stone, TikTok, Brit, I'd, Cameron Jordan, Wayne Rodrigues, Danielle Brisebois, she'd, Danielle, Brisebois, Natasha, There's, Rodrigues, Bedingfield's, that's, — Organizations: Phonogenic Records, RCA, Sony Music Locations: Sussex, Los Angeles, Manhattan, England

☆ Virtual-reality concerts could redefine the live-music experience — but it'll take more time
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-13 | by ( Ngozi Nwanji | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

VR concerts have emerged as a creative outlet for artists such as Travis Scott and Teflon Sega. The enigmatic singer Teflon Sega, who performs as a virtual-reality avatar, also worked with Wave to put on a virtual concert in 2022. Why artists and fans are interested in VR concertsThe appeal of VR concerts lies heavily in their experimental nature. Sarah Malkin, the director of metaverse entertainment content at Meta, told BI that the virtual concerts served both creative and strategic purposes. Over three months, the artist's VR concert was available to watch at select theaters in different cities.

Persons: Travis Scott, —, Justin Bieber, John Legend, Calvin Harris, Victoria Monét, Jack Harlow, Jorja Smith, Sarah Malkin, AmazeVR, Megan Thee, Steve Lee, Malkin, Cat's, Jason Diamond, Diamond, Lee, There's, Amy Dorsey Organizations: Sega, Companies, Meta, Service, Business, Forbes, Wave, Meta Quest, VR, Sony Music, Diamond Bros, Detroit, Arris Composites, Apple Vision, Food and Drug Administration, Dorsey Pictures Locations: AmazeVR

☆ How Sony's PlayStation has rivaled Microsoft and Nintendo in the console wars
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-09 | by ( Ryan Baker | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

It's been three decades since the Sony PlayStation first brought to life some of the video game industry's most beloved franchises. The gaming console expanded into the U.S. a year later in 1995. "We went into markets where video gaming had never really been a thing. Most recently, Microsoft's $69 billion Activision Blizzard acquisition presented a major threat to Sony's long-standing gaming business. Watch the video to learn more about the story of Sony's PlayStation and to hear what is next for the company.

Persons: It's, Jim Ryan, Ryan, Shawn Layden, Layden, Carolina Milanesi Organizations: Sony PlayStation, Sony Interactive Entertainment, PlayStation, Nintendo, Sega, Sony Interactive Entertainment Worldwide, Sony Music, Sony Electronics, Activision Blizzard, Activision, Microsoft, Sony Locations: Japan, U.S, Europe, Italy, Spain

☆ The music labels are still suing the internet companies. That's a warning for the AI industry.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-21 | by ( Peter Kafka | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. Read previewThe AI boom has been accompanied by AI lawsuits filed by content owners like The New York Times against big AI companies like Open AI. That was when we had lawsuits like Metallica vs Napster , or MGM vs Grokster , or Arista vs. Lime Group . And when Congress proposed laws like PIPA and SOPA , and when music labels and Hollywood studios were trying to get broadband companies to help them stop illegal downloads . Turns out, things are not so settled, and the music labels are still arguing — successfully, apparently, — that broadband companies can be held liable for bad behavior enabled by their broadband.

Persons: —, Cox Organizations: Service, New York Times, Napster, Reuters, Business, Cox Communications, U.S, Circuit, Cox Enterprises, Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group, Universal Music Group, Metallica, MGM, Arista, Lime, Hollywood Locations: Richmond , Virginia, Virginia

☆ An Oklahoma radio station refused to play Beyoncé's new country single until fans fought back. Here's why the country music industry keeps excluding the singer.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-16 | by ( Ayomikun Adekaiyero | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

On Tuesday, Oklahoma's country music station KYKC refused to play Beyoncé's new song "TEXAS HOLD 'EM." Here's what to know about Beyoncé's challenges with being recognized by the country music industry. I requested Texas Hold ‘Em at my local country radio station (KYKC) and after requesting, i received an email from the radio station stating “We do not play Beyoncé on KYKC as we are a country music station. Although critics and fans praised Beyoncé's country pivot, the Country Music Association Awards and the Grammy's country music committee did not nominate the song for any awards, which was viewed as a snub. Slate reported in 2016 that Orlando's country radio station K92.3 received backlash from its listeners after playing "Daddy Lessons" on air.

Persons: KYKC, —, Beyoncé, Oklahoma's, @BeyLegion, eQksQemk6m, JUSTIN 🫧, ong, addy, hicks, hite, arius Organizations: Service, TEXAS Locations: Texas

Admittance to Davis' event is notoriously challenging to receive. When it came time to introduce Clive Davis to the stage, actor Tom Hanks did the honors. Clive Davis, Clive Davis, Clive Davis,” he told the cheering crowd. "Clive Davis is the chef, in the kitchen, of the food of love of music, music, music. “We concentrate on the pure celebration of music,” Davis said at the start of the night — and by the end, that was evident.

Persons: Serena Williams, “, Clive Davis, Beverly Hilton, Gladys Knight, Dionne Warwick, Stevie Wonder, ” Wonder, ” Knight, Jon Platt, ”, Platt, —, Usher, Jay, Drake, Rihanna, Pharrell Williams, “ Jon, Harvey Mason, “ He's, ” Davis, Davis, Barry Manilow’s, Mandy, Smokey Robinson, Meryl Streep, Babyface, Jon Bon Jovi, Lenny Kravitz, Mariah Carey, Gayle King, Ted Danson, Shania Twain, Diane Warren, Cameron Crowe, Sammy Hagar, Cher, Jack Antonoff, Gloria Esteban, Busta, Megan Thee, David Foster, Mark Ronson, Tom Hanks, Isley, ” Mark Ronson, Andrew Wyatt, Ken, Lainey Wilson, Ryan Gosling, Noah Kahan's, Josh Groban, Treaty's Michael Trotter, Jelly Roll Organizations: ANGELES, Beverly, Warwick, “, Sony Music Publishing, ” Recording Academy, Sony, Arista Records, Spice Locations: Beverly Hills , California

☆ Inside TikTok's fight against the most powerful music label in the industry and what could happen next
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Dan Whateley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Music licensing talks are heating up between TikTok and Universal Music Group as negotiations have left the conference room and entered the public sphere. "Their core mission is to generate as much money as they can from their recordings for their shareholders," David Herlihy, a copyright lawyer and music industry professor at Northeastern University, told BI. The company is in the process of launching a dedicated streaming app, TikTok Music, and has worked closely with artists on influencer listening parties, livestreams, and in-person events. But TikTok, as a global social giant, is an important product for music artists and labels. This is why the music industry is seeking to capture more value."

Persons: Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, TikTok, It's, David Herlihy, David, Goliath, UMG, Tatiana Cirisano, Jonny Kaps, MIDiA's Cirisano Organizations: TikTok, Universal Music Group, Business, Hollywood, Warner Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, Northeastern University, Music, MIDiA Research, YouTube, Universal, SiriusXM Locations: India, Australia

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Maren Morris has filed for divorce from her husband Ryan Hurd, citing the prominent country music couple's “irreconcilable differences” after five years of marriage. Morris filed the divorce complaint in Nashville circuit court on Oct. 2, writing that the couple have been separated since that date. She joined the country music supergroup The Highwomen in 2019. Recently, she made the decision to step away from country music. His debut solo album, “Pelago,” was released on Sony Music Nashville in 2021.

Persons: — Maren Morris, Ryan Hurd, Morris, Hurd, Hayes, Hurd “, ” Morris, ”, Zedd, “, Tim McGraw, Dierks Bentley, Blake Shelton –, Shelton, Ashley Monroe, ” ___ Sherman Organizations: New York Times, Sony Music Nashville Locations: Tenn, Nashville, Texas, Chicago, Los Angeles

Singer Ed Sheeran appears on NBC's "Today" show at Rockefeller Center in New York, U.S., June 6, 2023. A court filing on Wednesday said that songwriter Ed Townsend's estate would withdraw the appeal with prejudice, which means it cannot be refiled. Attorneys for Townsend's estate did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday. A jury determined after a six-day trial in May that Sheeran's song did not infringe Townsend's copyright in "Let's Get It On." Pullman's company has a separate lawsuit pending against Sheeran based on its rights in the sound recording of "Let's Get It On."

Persons: Ed Sheeran, Brendan McDermid, Marvin Gaye's, Ed Townsend's, Ilene Farkas, Townsend's, Sheeran, Bowie, David Pullman's, Townsend, Blake Brittain, David Bario, Mark Porter Organizations: Rockefeller Center, REUTERS, Warner Music, Sony Music, Thomson Locations: New York, U.S, United States, Pullman, Washington

☆ R. Kelly and Universal Music Group must pay over $500,000 in music royalties to his victims, judge rules
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-25 | by ( Minyvonne Burke | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Disgraced musician R. Kelly and Universal Music Group must pay more than $500,000 in music royalties to his sexual abuse victims, a New York judge ruled. As part of his sentencing in the case, Kelly, Universal and Sony Music Entertainment were ordered to pay his half-million dollar debut. Universal Music Group is holding at least $567,444.19. Universal Music Group did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Friday. Kelly, 56, was found guilty in September 2021 on nine counts of sex trafficking and racketeering in a high-profile sex trafficking case.

Persons: Kelly, Ann Donnelly, Robert Sylvester Kelly, — Daniel Arkin, Adam Reiss Organizations: Universal Music Group, U.S, Eastern, of New, Universal, New, Sony Music Entertainment, Prosecutors, Sony, Universal Music, Attorney's, Hennepin County Attorney's Locations: Leighton, Chicago, New York, of New York, Brooklyn, U.S, York, Minnesota, Hennepin County

... Read moreAug 14 (Reuters) - Sony Music Entertainment (6758.T) has dropped a lawsuit against Triller over allegations the short-form video platform used the label's music without permission, according to a filing in Manhattan federal court. Sony Music and Triller told the court on Friday they would end the copyright case with prejudice, which means it cannot be refiled. Sony Music sued Los Angeles-based Triller last year. A Triller spokesperson said at the time that it had removed Sony Music's catalog from the platform, and the complaint "grossly mischaracterizes" their relationship. Triller later denied Sony Music's allegations in court.

Persons: Read, Triller, Britney Spears, Harry Styles, Janis Joplin, Blake Brittain, Chris Reese Organizations: Sony, Sony Music Entertainment, Sony Music, Los, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Manhattan, Los Angeles, Washington

Universal Music Group logo is seen displayed in this illustration taken, May 3, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File photoAug 11 (Reuters) - Universal Music Group (UMG.AS), Sony Music Entertainment (6758.T) and other record labels on Friday sued the nonprofit Internet Archive for copyright infringement over its streaming collection of digitized music from vintage records. Representatives for the Internet Archive did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the complaint. The San Francisco-based Internet Archive digitally archives websites, books, audio recordings and other materials. The Internet Archive is already facing another federal lawsuit in Manhattan from leading book publishers who said its digital-book lending program launched in the pandemic violates their copyrights.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Miles Davis, Billie Holiday, Bing Crosby's, Chuck Berry's, Ellington's, Blake Brittain, David Bario, Diane Craft Organizations: Universal, REUTERS, Universal Music, Sony Music Entertainment, Thomson Locations: Manhattan, San Francisco, Washington

☆ Triller is finally heading to the public markets after trimming losses and tweaking its investor pitch. Here are 3 main takeaways from the hundreds of pages it filed.
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( Dan Whateley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Triller's preliminary S-1 filing to go public on the New York Stock Exchange has been released. The company reported a smaller net loss in 2022 than in 2021 and around $48 million in 2022 revenue. In its S-1, the company featured images of celebrities like Jennifer Lopez and DJ Khaled inside Triller products. One metric notably absent from Triller's S-1 is active user counts across its platforms. In its S-1, the company wrote it had "established more than 550 million user accounts" across its offerings, which it defined as anyone who created an account.

Persons: Triller, It's, it's, Snoop Dogg, Josh Richards, Richards, Jennifer Lopez, DJ Khaled, Charli D'Amelio, D'Amelio, TikTok, Julius, Triller's, Mike Lu, Ryan Kavanaugh's, Bobby Sarnevesht Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group, Sony Music, Seachange, SEC, Triller, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Meta, Inc, TechCrunch, Billboard, Media Locations: NFTs, TikTok, Triller

☆ Coco Lee fans bid farewell to pop diva at her funeral in Hong Kong
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( Jessie Pang | Thomson Reuters | Jessie Pang Joined Reuters In After An Internship. She Covers Hong Kong With A Focus On Politics | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

HONG KONG, July 31 (Reuters) - Fans, friends and family of the late Hong Kong-born, American singer and song-writer Coco Lee gathered for her funeral in Hong Kong on Monday, paying respects to the star who died at the age of 48 after a career spanning three decades. Lee was born in Hong Kong in 1975 and was the youngest of three children of a Hong Kong mother and Malaysian father. While she moved to San Francisco in her childhood, she was offered a recording contract in Hong Kong with Capital Artists after high school, prompting her to move back to her home city. In 1996, Lee signed with Sony Music Entertainment and her debut album, "Coco Lee", became the best-selling album of that year in Asia. In 2011, Lee married Bruce Rockowitz, a Canadian businessman who is the former CEO of the Hong Kong supply chain company Li & Fung.

Persons: Coco Lee, Lee, Angie Zhang, CoCo Lee, Coco, Carol, Nancy, Mulan, Oscar, Jackie Chan, Lee Xin's, Bruce Rockowitz, Fung, James Pomfret, Himani Sarkar, Christina Fincher Organizations: Queen Mary Hospital, Capital Artists, Sony Music Entertainment, Thomson Locations: HONG KONG, Hong Kong, American, Shanghai, Malaysian, China, Taiwan, San Francisco, Asia, Canadian

[1/2] Singer Coco Lee poses on the red carpet at the 53rd Golden Horse Awards in Taipei, Taiwan November 26, 2016. loadingLee died in Queen Mary Hospital in Hong Kong, where she had been living. She was born in Hong Kong in 1975 and was the youngest of three children of a Hong Kong Cantonese mother and Malaysian father. In 1996, Lee signed with Sony Music Entertainment and her debut album, "Coco Lee," became the best-selling album of that year in Asia. In 2011, Lee married Bruce Rockowitz, a Canadian businessman who is the former CEO of the Hong Kong supply chain company Li & Fung.

Persons: Singer Coco Lee, Tyrone Siu, Coco Lee, Lee’s, Carol, Nancy Lee, Lee, Coco, Mulan, Oscar, Lee's, Lee Xin’s, Stanley Kwan, Bruce Rockowitz, Fung, Danielle Broadway, Leslie Adler Organizations: REUTERS, Facebook, Queen Mary Hospital, Capital Artists, University of California, Sony Music Entertainment, Thomson Locations: Taipei, Taiwan, Hong Kong, American, Malaysian, United States, San Francisco, Irvine, Asia, Canadian

June 22 (Reuters) - Pop star Kesha on Thursday settled a lawsuit brought by her former producer Dr. Luke, who claimed that she defamed him by accusing him of raping her. Dr. Luke, whose real name is Lukasz Gottwald, denied assaulting Kesha and said it was "time for me to put this difficult matter behind me and move on with my life." A lawyer for Dr. Luke had no further comment, and a lawyer for Kesha could not immediately be reached for comment. The court also said that Kesha should be allowed to file counterclaims against Dr. Luke for emotional distress, punitive damages and legal fees. In 2014, Kesha sued Dr. Luke and Sony Group's (6758.T) Sony Music in order to get out of her multi-album recording deal, saying the producer had drugged and raped her in 2005.

Persons: Kesha, Luke, Kesha Rose Sebert, Lukasz Gottwald, Dr, Sony Group's, Lady Gaga, Brendan Pierson, Alexia Garamfalvi, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: New, The New, Appeals, Sony, Thomson Locations: The New York, New York

☆ Triller is being sued for alleged unpaid bills by a firm it hired to analyze and validate its user data
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-20 | by ( Dan Whateley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Triller hired Sensor Tower in August 2020 to analyze its user data and build a metrics dashboard. Nearly three years later, Sensor Tower is suing Triller for about $540,000 in alleged unpaid bills. App-analytics firm Sensor Tower is suing Triller for roughly $540,000 in a new lawsuit that alleges the tech company hasn't paid its bills. A Sensor Tower spokesperson told Insider in September 2020 that "Sensor Tower is in no way disputing Triller's officially published metrics." Other vendors and partners have also sued Triller for alleged late paymentsIn late 2020, Triller was primarily known for its TikTok-like video app.

Persons: Triller, It's, Apptopia, Mike Lu, Triller's, Triller's Lu, Lu, Swizz Beatz, Timbaland Organizations: of, Google, TechCrunch, Triller, Billboard, Sony Music, Universal Music Group Locations: Superior, of California, San Francisco, copublish

June 14 (Reuters) - A group of 17 music publishers sued Twitter in Nashville, Tennessee, federal court on Wednesday, accusing the company of enabling thousands of copyright violations by allowing users to post music without a license. Twitter drives user engagement with "countless infringing copies of musical compositions," the lawsuit said. Members of the National Music Publishers' Association, including Sony Music Publishing (6758.T), BMG Rights Management and Universal Music Publishing Group (UMG.AS), are seeking more than $250 million in damages for alleged infringement of nearly 1,700 copyrights. Twitter "routinely ignores" repeat infringement by users who post tweets that contain unlicensed music, the lawsuit said. The publishers said Twitter encourages user infringement, which increases engagement and ad revenues while giving it an "unfair advantage" over platforms that pay for music licenses.

Persons: Elon Musk, David Israelite, Musk, Blake Brittain, David Bario, Richard Chang Organizations: Twitter, National Music Publishers ' Association, Sony Music Publishing, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing, Elon, Facebook, YouTube, Thomson Locations: Nashville , Tennessee, Washington

The ruling reverses a mid-level appeals court that said Dr. Luke was a private figure subject to a lower burden of proof because he is not a household name. The court also said a state judge should have allowed Kesha to file counterclaims against Dr. Luke for emotional distress, punitive damages and legal fees. Christine Lepera, a lawyer for Dr. Luke, said she was confident that Kesha's counterclaims would ultimately be rejected. Kesha sued the producer and Sony Music in 2014 seeking to get out of a multi-album recording deal, and Dr. Luke counter-sued her for defamation. A New York state judge ruled against Kesha in 2020 and an appeals court upheld that decision in 2021.

Persons: Lukasz Gottwald, Luke, Adam Lambert, Kesha, Read, Gottwald, Michael Garcia, Kesha Rose Sebert, Christine Lepera, Dr, Lepera, Sebert, Kesha's, Lady Gaga, Daniel Wiessner, Alexia Garamfalvi, Lisa Shumaker Organizations: ASCAP, American Society of Composers, New, Sony Music, Thomson Locations: Hollywood , California, U.S, New York, York, Albany , New York

Companies Warner Music Group Corp FollowMay 16 (Reuters) - British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran on Tuesday defeated a second copyright lawsuit in federal court in Manhattan over similarities between his hit "Thinking Out Loud" and Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On." Stanton presided over both cases, which concerned co-writer Ed Townsend's share of Gaye's 1973 classic. Townsend's heirs failed to convince jurors that Sheeran infringed their part of Townsend's copyright in the song. It sued Sheeran, his label Warner Music Group (WMG.O) and his music publisher Sony Music Publishing in 2018 after Townsend's heirs filed their lawsuit. Structured Asset Sales has filed another lawsuit against Sheeran based on its rights to Gaye's recording, which is still pending.

☆ TikTok is quietly moving in on record labels' territory and insiders say its ambitions could end up 'pissing off' music partners
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Dan Whateley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

Its music ambitions could ruffle feathers at record labels and publishers — unless it pays out. TikTok's app regularly sparks trends that help songs go viral, making it a favorite of marketers at major labels and independents. TikTok works closely with record labels and artists on promotional efforts like livestreamed concerts, in-person performances, and private listening parties with TikTok stars. Spotify has maintained a tenuous relationship with the labels over the years as it's sought to balance profit margins while splitting revenue with artists, labels, and publishers. Still, even as record labels and publishers push TikTok to pay more to music rights holders, they're investing more in the app.

Townsend's heirs sued Sheeran for copyright infringement in 2017, contending that "Thinking Out Loud" copied the "heart" of Gaye's song including its melody, harmony and rhythm. Testifying during the trial, Sheeran denied the copyright infringement claims, telling the jury, "I find it really insulting to devote my whole life to being a performer and a songwriter and have someone diminish it." The heirs said in a court filing that they received 22% of the writer's share of Gaye's song from Townsend. I am not and will never allow myself to be a piggy bank for anyone to shake," Sheeran said after the verdict. Sheeran won a trial in London last year in a separate copyright case over his hit "Shape of You."

☆ Ed Sheeran didn't steal from Marvin Gaye's 'Let's Get It On,' jury rules
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Stefan Sykes | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Musician Ed Sheeran leaves federal court in New York, US, on Wednesday, May 3, 2023. A Manhattan federal jury ruled Thursday that pop star Ed Sheeran didn't infringe on the copyright of Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On." Upon hearing the verdict, Sheeran stood up and hugged his lawyers, according to NBC News. The plaintiffs first filed the civil suit in 2017 and alleged that Sheeran, Warner Music Group and Sony Music Publishing stole from the soul classic, violating federal copyright law. Sheeran told jurors that he composed "Thinking Out Loud" independently with British songwriter Wadge, who was not named in the lawsuit.

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