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The Legal Beat: Post Malone "Circles" Trial Continues
Photo by JB Brookman Post Malone’s trial regarding his hit song “Circles” will begin on Dec. 13, 2022. It had previously been scheduled for Oct. ... -
The Legal Beat: Warner Records Exec Mo Ostin, Remembered
The music industry has lost a legend. On August 1, 2022, Mo Ostin passed away. He was best known as the artist-friendly president of Warner ... -
The Legal Beat: Orleans Sues Warner Music Group
In June of 2022 rock group Orleans filed a class action lawsuit with the court in Nashville against Warner Music Group and Warner Records over ... -
The Legal Beat: Mariah Carey Sued Over Christmas Song
Mariah Carey has been sued for more than twenty million dollars over her mega-hit song “All I Want for Christmas is You.” The complaint was ... -
The Legal Beat: The Music Producer Agreement
This article discusses some important provisions in a music producer agreement to produce masters for an artist. Get it in writing: Independent artists or their ... -
The Legal Beat: Megan Thee Stallion Sues Her Record Label
On February 18, 2022 rapper Megan thee Stallion sued her old independent record label, 1501 Certified Entertainment, contending that it mischaracterized her latest album as ... -
The Legal Beat: Cardi B Wins Defamation Lawsuit
Grammy Award winning rapper Cardi B (legal name: Belcalis Marlenis Almanzar) won over $4 million in a defamation case she filed (in March of 2017) ... -
The Legal Beat: JUDGE REFUSES SUMMARY JUDGMENT IN COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT CASE AGAINST TAYLOR SWIFT
Taylor Swift (and other defendants) were sued in 2017 for copyright infringement in Federal District Court in California for allegedly copying lyrics for her 2014 ... -
The Legal Beat: The Astroworld Festival Disaster
As reported extensively by the press, on Nov. 5, 2021 the Astroworld festival (in Houston, TX) got underway. The headliner was rapper Travis Scott who ... -
The Legal Beat: Cher Sues Sonny's Widow
Famed recording artist and actress Cher has filed a lawsuit in federal court in Los Angeles for declaratory relief and breach of contract. Cher claims ... -
The Legal Beat: Self-Defense for Songwriters
In my law practice I am often contacted by songwriters who believe their original work has been stolen. This article discusses some basics of copyright ... -
The Legal Beat: George Clinton Wins Defamation Case
Funk music legend George Clinton has won a defamation lawsuit filed against him in Los Angeles Superior Court. Clinton is a musician, singer, songwriter and ... -
The Legal Beat: Music on TV in the Age of Streaming
If you watch some classic TV shows (The X-Files, Scrubs, or Bones) on streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime or Hulu, you may notice ... -
The Legal Beat: The Rehearsal Studio Agreement
This article will discuss the provisions of a typical agreement between a rehearsal studio and an artist or band. Of course, it is advisable to ... -
The Legal Beat: The Sound Engineer Contract
This article will discuss a contract between a recording artist and a sound engineer for the recording or mixing of masters. Many unsigned artists will ... -
The Legal Beat: Your Manager Works For You-Not the Other Way Around
This article will discuss things the recording artist should know about their relationship with their personal manager. The basic point to remember is that your ... -
The Legal Beat: Britney Spears’ Conservatorship Saga
Britney Spears’ conservatorship has been back in the headlines as the release of a New York Times documentary, Framing Britney Spears, about her life, recently ... -
The Legal Beat: Beach Boys Sell Their Intellectual Property
The Beach Boys are probably feeling some “Good Vibrations” recently from a monetary standpoint. They have sold a majority interest in their intellectual property to ... -
The Legal Beat: Bob Dylan Sued By Co-Writer
There have been a number of legacy artists who have recently sold their publishing rights for astronomical sums. In December 2020, Bob Dylan reportedly sold ... -
The Legal Beat: Lil Wayne Sued By Manager for $20 Million
On December 10, 2020, Lil Wayne’s former personal manager, Ronald E. Sweeny, sued him for allegedly failing to pay him his commission with regard to ...
