Universal Music Group are in the news again - along with ABKCO Music and Records and Concord Music Group - for filing a $500M copyright infringement lawsuit against Believe and their subsidiary TuneCore for editing and remixing songs by artists such as ABBA, Ariana Grande, Beastie Boys, Bon Jovi, Daddy Yankee, Diana Ross, Drake, Elton John, Fall Out Boy, Justin Bieber, Katy Perry, Kendrick Lamar, and Lady Gaga.
They claim that Believe and TuneCore have acted as a hub for distributing unauthorized copies of copyrighted recordings to major consumer platforms including YouTube, Spotify, Apple, Instagram and TikTok.
They allege that
"Believe distributes overtly infringing versions of original tracks by famous artists with notations that they are ‘sped up’ or ‘remixed’.”
They also say Believe has failed to implement basic copyright infringement protection and has allowed copyright infringing recordings into their catalogue, often using slightly mis-spelt names e.g. "Kendrik Laamar,” “Arriana Gramde,” “Jutin Biber,” and “Llady Gaga".
Believe then allegedly claim ownership of the copyrights in the recordings embodied in the infringing tracks that it distributes and uses those systems to monetize uses of those recordings, such as via YouTube's content ID system.
Takeways for Sports
When discussing the use of 'cover music' in sports routines, we often talk about the lack of music publishing rights included in licenses by these providers, which for the unwary can mean they compete using songs that infringe music publishing copyright.
This lawsuit serves as a reminder that licenses under their copyright in the recording also need to be obtained from record labels for the basic manipulations often carried out when using it to accompany a sports routine, such as altering the tempo of a track, and mixing with other recordings.
Further, some cover music providers often use the official record label artwork and artist names, even slightly mis-spelled ones, to pass off their infringing recording as being the copyrighted work of the original artist.
You must be very careful when using music especially where it is not from the original artist and writers, even if vendors are appearing to claim it offers the rights you need or is otherwise somehow 'approved' for use by a third party - always read the small print of the license and notice what they leave out or exclude, as well as what is present. Licenses should be very explicit about the rights you are and are not granted - if anything is missing, its usually a red flag.
The wider sports eco-system (including as sports administrators at international, national and regional levels as well as all athletes and music producers) is liable and responsible for checking for infringement and putting in place measures to eliminate it.
Fortunately:
Not only are ClicknClear music licenses guaranteed to come with an official music industry download plus all the rights needed for use as musical accompaniment for sporting routines (including changes of tempo and mixing with other recordings, making copies, plus the right to put the music to choreography) from both the record label and all music publishers, but also
Our License Verification System is being increasingly adopted by sports administrators to automatically 'read the fine print' of music licenses via an easy-to-use system that protects both sports administrators AND athletes from copyright infringement at worldwide scale at all levels of sports.
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