Cher Wins Legal Battle to Keep Sonny & Cher Music Royalties After Decades-Long Fight
Cher emerged victorious in a prolonged legal battle against Mary Bono, Sonny Bono's widow, over royalties from the Sonny & Cher catalog.
Cher in black performing onstage
Photo Credit: Raph PH / CC by 2.0
U.S. District Judge John Kronstadt ruled that Cher maintains her right to receive royalties, despite Mary Bono's attempt to exercise termination rights under the Copyright Act. The ruling validates a 1978 divorce settlement that granted Cher a 50% stake in the catalog.
The dispute arose when Mary Bono attempted to stop royalty payments in 2021, citing the Copyright Act's termination rights provision, which allows songwriters or their heirs to reclaim U.S. publishing rights after 35 years. The court determined approximately $418,000 in royalties were owed to Cher as of June 30, 2022.
Judge Kronstadt emphasized that Cher's "contractual right to receive financial compensation" remains distinct from copyright control, effectively preserving her royalty rights regardless of termination rights implementation.
Sonny & Cher, ranked #18 on Rolling Stone's Greatest Duos of All Time list in 2015, created numerous hits during their partnership from the early 1960s until their 1974 divorce. Sonny Bono wrote many of their signature songs, including "I Got You Babe," "Baby Don't Go," and "The Beat Goes On."
Mary Bono smiling, headshot portrait
Cher performing on stage
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