Updates to our Terms of Use

We are updating our Terms of Use. Please carefully review the updated Terms before proceeding to our website.

Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Back issues
Courthouse News Service Courthouse News Service

UMG & Musicians Close to Settlement

SAN FRANCISCO (CN) - Universal Music Group is close to a settlement resolving claims that it shorted recording artists on royalties from digital downloads.

The class action was filed by artists including Chuck D. of Public Enemy, Rick James (by way of trust) and Ron Tyson of The Temptations.

The artists claim that record labels should treat digital download income as "licenses" rather than "sales," which would give artists 50 percent of the income instead of the 15 percent they currently receive.

U.S. District Judge Susan Illston ordered Universal and the artists to submit a motion to approve a settlement by April 10.

She also terminated all of Universal's motions for summary judgment.

The plaintiffs are represented by Leonard Simon.Universal is represented by Jeffrey Goldman, with Jeffer Mangels in San Francisco.

Categories / Uncategorized

Subscribe to Closing Arguments

Sign up for new weekly newsletter Closing Arguments to get the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and hot cases and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world.

Loading...