Spotify is now caught up in a legal dispute with music publishers over alleged copyright violations.
The National Music Publishers Association (NMPA) recently sent a cease and desist letter to Spotify, accusing the platform of hosting lyrics, music videos, and podcasts that contain copyrighted musical works without proper licenses.
The NMPA's cease and desist letter demands the removal of the alleged unlicensed works from the platform or warns Spotify of facing copyright liability for continued use.
NMPA Issues Cease and Desist Letter to Spotify Over Copyright Violations
According to the letter secured by Billboard, Spotify appears to be engaged in direct infringement by hosting unlicensed musical works, including reproductions, synchronizations, displays, and derivative uses. The NMPA asserts that Spotify profits from such infringement.
In response to the allegations, Spotify said it is committed to hosting licensed content and emphasized its efforts to benefit songwriters through substantial payments.
According to a spokesperson from Spotify (via Variety), the letter is considered a "press stunt filled with false and misleading claims." The intention seems to divert attention from the Phono IV deal, which Spotify says the NMPA "agreed to and celebrated" in 2022.
The company also boasted that in 2023, Spotify made a historically high payment to support songwriters and that projections indicate surpassing this sum [globally] in 2024.
"We are committed to the integrity of our platform, and we have a clear process in place for rightsholders to contact Spotify about any content they believe is unlicensed," the spokesperson said.
However, the NMPA stands firm in asserting copyright violations and warns of potential legal action if the issue persists. According to Danielle Aguirre, the executive vice president and general counsel of the NMPA, Spotify seems involved in direct infringement.
Aguirre notes that this involvement includes hosting unlicensed musical works in its lyrics, videos, and podcasts and distributing unauthorized reproductions, synchronizations, displays, and derivative uses of these musical works to its users-additionally, Spotify profits from such infringement.
TikTok and Copyright Disputes
Spotify is the latest major platform to encounter copyright concerns from music publishers. Earlier this year, Universal Music Group (UMG) opted not to renew its agreement with TikTok after failed royalty negotiations with ByteDance, TikTok's parent company. This move resulted in the termination of content licensing for TikTok and its music service.
UMG accused the platform, which reportedly generated around $20 billion in ad revenue last year, of attempting to build a music-based business without paying fair market value for artists' music. Recent reports tell us that the two parties have already resolved, restoring TikTok's access to music under UMG.
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