Archives: Royalties

Paul McCartney Refuses to Let It Be and Launches Effort to Reclaim Copyrights to Songs

By Tatiana Markel and Dominic Gentile on April 6, 2016 Posted in Copyright, Royalties

Legendary songwriter Paul McCartney has begun the process of acquiring the rights to songs he co-wrote with John Lennon while both were members of the Beatles. Although McCartney and Lennon authored most of the band’s hits, they signed over their copyrights at the start of their career on the advice of manager Brian Epstein. By … Continue Reading

Return to Sender: Elvis Presley Enterprises All Shook Up Over Rejected Discovery in German Royalty Dispute

By Gonzalo Zeballos on March 4, 2016 Posted in Copyright, Music Industry, Royalties

The Southern District of New York recently denied an application brought by Elvis Presley Enterprises LLC (“EPE”) for an order to take discovery pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1782, a provision of the United States Code that allows for discovery in aid of foreign litigation. See In re Elvis Presley Enters. LLC, No. 15mc386 (DLC) … Continue Reading

Validity of California Resale Royalty Act Faces Another Court Challenge

By Eric Hiatt on February 26, 2016 Posted in Royalties

The validity of the California Resale Royalty Act (the “RRA,” Civil Code Section 986), a 1976 law that requires resellers of fine art to pay a royalty of 5 percent to the artists behind the works, has again come under attack in a dispute between a group of artists and Christie’s Inc., Sotheby’s Inc., and … Continue Reading

SoundExchange to Audit Pandora and Others to Ensure Accurate Reporting of Music Plays

By Tatiana Markel on February 5, 2016 Posted in Copyright, Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), Music Industry, Royalties

On January 22, 2016, the Copyright Royalty Board published SoundExchange’s notices of intent to audit broadcasters — including Beasley Broadcast Group Inc., Greater Media Inc., Saga Communications Inc., Townsquare MediaBroadcasting, and Univision Communications Inc. — and commercial webcasters — including Pandora Media Inc., Batanga, DMX, and Muzak Inc. — for payments each made to SoundExchange … Continue Reading

Artists and Auction Houses Declare Victory Over California Artists’ Resale Royalties Statute

By Gonzalo Zeballos on February 4, 2016 Posted in Music Industry, Royalties

Artists and auction houses both declared victory on January 11 when the U.S. Supreme Court denied certiorari in a case concerning the constitutionality of the California Resale Royalties Act of 1976 (CRRA). But curiously, the artists and auction houses were on opposite sides of the case. The CRRA recognizes an artist’s “moral right” to the … Continue Reading