Suing Amazon
Amazon.com has been sued three times in Seattle Federal Court, accused of selling pirated downloads of the music of Harold Arlen, Harry Warren and Ray Henderson, and failing to pay the copyright holders.
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Aerosmith Drummer Denied Injunction for Grammys
As rock and roll legends Aerosmith perform on the Grammys stage this weekend, a Massachusetts judge said founding member Joey Kramer did not make a compelling legal case to join them.
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Illinois Prosecutors Make Plan for First R. Kelly Trial
Illinois prosecutors said Wednesday that the first of four Chicago sexual abuse cases against R. Kelly that they’ll take to trial involves a hairdresser who says the R&B singer forced himself on her during a 2003 appointment.
Read moreKanye West Settlement
Kanye West, Kid Cudi and other collaborators reached a settlement agreement with actor Ronald Oslin Bobb-Semple, who accused the musicians of using a sample of his vocal recording titled “The Spirit of Marcus Garvey (Garvey speaks to an all-Black audience)” without authorization in violation of copyright law.
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Pet Sounds: Spotify Unleashes Podcast for Lonely UK Dogs
Online music giant Spotify on Wednesday launched a podcast for dogs left home alone in Britain, after its polling suggested most owners believe audio recordings help calm their canines.
Read moreMusic Publishing
Music producer/arranger Michael Stokes sued Universal Music Group and six other music publishers in federal court, claiming they “effectively stole” his music after he suffered an incapacitating stroke in 2010.
Read moreHip-Hop World
A Philadelphia police officer claims in federal court that Meek Mill, Roc Nation, Jay-Z, et al. defamed her in a documentary, “Free Meek.”
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Speaker Maker Accuses Google of Stealing Audio Technology
Smart speaker company Sonos sued Google in federal court Tuesday, accusing the Silicon Valley giant of intentionally infringing on its designs for web-connected speakers years after the two companies collaborated on music streaming plans.
Read moreSexual Battery
A photographer claims Damon Dash, a co-founder of (nonparty) Roc-A-Fella Records, sexually assaulted her at his home during a photo shoot, in federal court.
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Famed Songwriter Jerry Herman Dies at 88
Tony Award-winning composer Jerry Herman, who wrote the music and lyrics for such classic shows as “Mame,” “Hello, Dolly!” and “La Cage aux Folles,” died Thursday. He was 88.
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Chris Cornell’s Widow Sues His Soundgarden Bandmates
Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell’s widow sued the musician’s former bandmates Monday, claiming they wrongfully withheld hundreds of thousands of dollars in unpaid royalties from the deceased grunge icon’s unreleased songs.
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Jay-Z Lawsuit Gives Australian Retailer 99 Problems
Hip-hop superstar Jay-Z is suing a small online Australian retailer for profiting from the use of his name and hit song “99 Problems” in books that teach children the alphabet.
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Coldplay Axes Tour Plans Over Pollution Fears
Coldplay frontman Chris Martin said on Thursday the band had shelved plans to go on tour to promote their latest album over concerns about the environmental impact of concerts.
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Songs Found to Share Universal Patterns Across World’s Cultures
Many people claim music is a universal language. They feel it in their bodies through dance or in the emotions each song seems to tap into by allowing the person to revisit when they first heard a tune – either as children during a lullaby, during a funeral procession, after a religious experience or when they first fell in love.
Read moreSharon Stone
Actress Sharon Stone sued aspiring Chelsea Chanel Dudley pka Chanel West Coast in federal court, claiming she violates trademark in a song called “Sharon Stoned.”
Read moreUniversal Says It Owes Artists Nothing for Fire That Destroyed Masters
An attorney for Universal Music Group told a federal judge Monday that artists seeking a cut of an insurance settlement from a 2008 fire that destroyed their master recordings have no stake in the matter since recordings belong solely to the label.
Read moreCenturies-Old Violin Returned in UK Carpark
A British musician who launched a public appeal after leaving his 310-year-old violin on a train was reunited with the undamaged instrument in a secretive meeting in a supermarket car park.
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