Spotify Sued for $1.6 Billion After Copyright Infringement Accusations

Wixen Music Publishing recently announced that it is seeking at least $1.6 billion from the popular music streaming service Spotify. The lawsuit states that Spotify blatantly “disregards United States Copyright law and has committed willful, ongoing copyright infringement.” As a result of these accusations, Wixen Music Publishing is seeking $150,000 for each song infringed. Since Wixen Music Publishing claims that Spotify has broken United States copyright law on over 10,000 separate occasions, the damages total at least $1.6 billion. The publisher claims that Spotify never obtained mechanical licenses for the use of these songs. However, in previous lawsuits against Spotify, the streaming service has claimed that it does not require mechanical licenses because streaming itself doesn’t actually reproduce the musical recordings.

This is not the first lawsuit that has been brought against Spotify in recent years regarding unpaid royalties to songwriters and artists. There was also a settlement with the National Music Publishers’ Association in 2016 that required Spotify to create a $43.4 million fund to be used to pay royalties.

If you have questions about copyright infringement, contact our firm and schedule a consultation.

The Law Offices of Richard E. Novak, LLC has over 25 years of experience helping clients through tough times. If you need assistance with any intellectual property, traffic violations, or business law matters, our firm is here to help. It is critical that you pick the right attorney who can protect your rights. Contact The Law Offices of Richard E. Novak, LLC for a consultation.