Spotify Settles Songwriter Royalty Class Action

Ferrick v. Spotify USA Inc. et al., No. 1:16-cv-08412 (S.D.N.Y. May 30, 2017).

Spotify has agreed to pay $43 million to settle two class actions brought by Camper VanBeethoven lead singer David Lowery, and singer-songwriter Melissa Ferrick. The actions claimed that Spotify chose “systemic and willful copyright infringement” by failing to pay proper royalties to thousands of songwriters and their music publishers.

Ringtone Royalty Rate Approved By DC Circuit

RIAA v. Librarian of Congress, No. 09-1075 (D.C. Cir. decided June 22, 2010).

Rebuking a challenge by the Recording Industry Association of America, the DC District Court upheld a decision by the Copyright Royalty Board setting the ringtone "penny-rate" royalty rate at $0.24. The court also upheld a new late fee, 1.5%, for overdue royalty payments.

The Board's decision was "reasonable and reasonably explained."

Section 115

General Counsel from Copyright Office.

Amend it? " Most important musical issue for digital music distribution".

Another look at it. Look at business models of digital music distribution. Limited download v interactive streams. All implicate copies. Is that delivery as defined in scope of license? Server copies. Steaming copies.

Important because royalty judges are hearing on new rates. Novel question of law is whether interactive streaming a digital phono record delivery? No. on demand digital transmission : should they be eligible for royalty rate?

Everything depends on definition of digital phono record delivery.

Notice of proposed rule making forthcoming.