Gershwin et al. v. WB Music Corp., No. 650117/2013 (Sup. Ct., N.Y. Co. filed Jan. 11, 2013).

Plaintiffs, successors-in-interest to the rights/copyrights of George Gershwin -- composer of iconic 20th Century music such as "Porgy and Bess" and "Rhapsody in Blue" - brought a contract action seeking to redress the Defendants' failure to pay music publishing royalties and other amounts ($5 million alleged damages).  The claims at issue are related to, inter alia, foreign rentals, ballet licensing, concert grand rights licensing, and performance rights organizations registrations.  Complaint here.

Copyright Suit Over Ringtones

WB Music Corp. v. Infospace, Inc., No. 09-cv-0682-ODW (C.D. Cal. complaint filed Jan. 28, 2009).

As alleged in the Complaint (paragraphs 14 and 17):

Defendants...are related companies that, collectively, are (or at all relevant times were) in the business of creating, selling, and distributing cell phone ringtones, including ringtones embodying Plaintiffs' copyrighted musical compositions. Defendants have represented themselves as agents of one another in their dealings with Plaintiffs...

Defendants have unlawfully, and without authority from Plaintiffs, reproduced, distributed, prepared, and sold cell phone ringtones embodying the Musical Compositions.

Funky Cold Nasty Girl Expresses Herself

Cookie-cutter "public" performance case filed in Eastern District of California. Complaint alleges ONE instance of infringement in June of this year for each of the following songs: "Funky Cold Medina", "Express Yourself", and "Nasty Girl".

Only big players here are plaintis WB Music Corp., and Universal-Polygram International Publishing.

[Nasty Girl]