UMG's $500M Copyright Lawsuit Against Believe Advances to January Pretrial Conference

UMG's $500M Copyright Lawsuit Against Believe Advances to January Pretrial Conference

By Marcus Delano Thompson

November 18, 2024 at 01:37 AM

Universal Music Group's $500 million copyright infringement lawsuit against Believe and TuneCore is progressing, with a pretrial conference scheduled for January 8 in New York.

UMG white logo against black background

UMG white logo against black background

The lawsuit centers on allegations of "rampant piracy," with UMG claiming Believe and TuneCore failed to properly vet third-party content and distributed infringing works to digital platforms, particularly YouTube. The affected artists include Post Malone, Kendrick Lamar, and Lady Gaga.

Key allegations include:

  • Distribution of unauthorized "sped up" and "remixed" versions of popular songs
  • Exploitation of YouTube's content management system
  • Wrongful collection of royalties from infringing content
  • Failure to implement proper vetting procedures

UMG seeks $500 million in damages and a permanent injunction to prevent further infringement. Both parties must file a joint letter and proposed Civil Case Management Plan by January 2.

Believe has strongly denied these claims, stating they "take the respect of copyright very seriously" and will contest the allegations in court. The company maintains its commitment to working with artists and labels worldwide while defending against UMG's accusations.

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