Music Streaming Services Refuse to Pay Songwriters While Profiting from Their Music

Pro Music Rights Takes Legal Action Against 10 Music Streaming Services That Infringe on Songwriters’ Copyrights by Performing Their Musical Works Without Permission

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–$AAPL #PMR–Pro Music Rights, LLC (Pro Music Rights) announced today that it has filed 10 separate copyright infringement actions against music streaming services, arising out of the unauthorized public performance of its members’ copyrighted musical works. Lodged with the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, the bundle of lawsuits names Apple, Google, YouTube, Amazon, SoundCloud, Pandora, Deezer, 7digital, iHeartradio and Rhapsody as defendants.

Pro Music Rights has made numerous attempts to offer a license and educate all of the defendants about their obligations under federal copyright law. Despite these efforts, music streaming services have repeatedly refused to take or honor a license. Instead, they have continued to perform the copyrighted musical works of Pro Music Rights songwriter, composer and music publisher members for the entertainment of their listeners without obtaining permission to do so.

The latest round of lawsuits follows a billion-dollar lawsuit filed by Pro Music Rights against Spotify in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida in November.

With an estimated 7.4% market share, Pro Music Rights has rights to license about two million works from top artists including A$AP Rocky, Wiz Khalifa, Pharrell, Young Jeezy, Juelz Santana, Lil Yachty, Soulja Boy, Nipsey Hussle, 2 Chainz, Migos, Gucci Mane and Fall Out Boy, among others.

Songwriters earn their livelihoods by licensing the performance right granted to them under the copyright law. Streaming services using copyrighted music have the opportunity to obtain permission to do so lawfully through a simple license, which covers the entire Pro Music Rights repertory.

“Each of the music streaming services sued has made a business decision to use music without compensating songwriters. By filing these actions, Pro Music Rights is standing up for songwriters whose creative works bring great value to all streaming services who publicly perform their music,” commented Pro Music Rights CEO, Jake P. Noch.

“Pro Music Rights will not give up the fight, no matter how long it wages,” vowed Jake Noch.

About Pro Music Rights

Pro Music Rights is a public performance rights organization that ensures its members can earn a living from their music by licensing the public performances of their songs, collecting those license fees, and distributing royalties to its members. 100% of the license usage fees Pro Music Rights collects goes directly to songwriters, composers and music publishers as royalties.

Jake Noch may be contacted at jake@promusicrights.com, which is actively accepting new rightsholders, licensing arrangements and business relationships.

Pro Music Rights is represented in these 10 lawsuits by its attorneys, Richard Gora and Sinead Rafferty, Partners of Gora LLC (http://goralaw.com/).

Contacts

Pro Music Rights
Jake Noch

jake@promusicrights.com