Weekly Copyright Update

January 8, 2016

Why We’re Still Watching the Aretha Franklin Video

BY KRISTI YORK WOOTEN: By now, I’m sure you’ve seen the viral video of the Queen of Soul singing for the Obamas and songwriter Carole King at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.? (If not, check it out here.)

The internet received a late Christmas gift when a video of singer Aretha Franklin performing “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” at the 38th annual Kennedy Center Honors began making the rounds on December 29, shortly after the concert was shown on prime time TV.

Disputes Over Spotify Royalty Intensify with Another Class Action Lawsuit

BY ED CHRISTMAS: A class-action lawsuit recently filed against Spotify by Michelman & Robinson, LLP on behalf of Cracker frontman and college professor David Lowery will soon have company, Billboard has learned. The law firm of Gradstein & Marzanno — itself in the midst of litigation on behalf of the Turtles against Sirius XM and Pandora — will file its own class-action suit.

What to Expect for 2016 in Copyright Law and Policy

BY TERRY HART: What can we expect for US copyright policy in 2016? As I did last year, I’d like to take a brief look at what developments we may see in the copyright policy arena over the next twelve months.

Digital Music Copyright Ruling Will Have Huge Impact on Pandora, Spotify & iRadio

BY AMANDA CICCATELLI: A few weeks ago a digital music copyright ruling took place that will have a huge impact on Pandora and radio streaming services like iHeartRadio, Pandora and Spotify. Specifically, this new ruling will lead to an increase in the amount that streaming services must pay for music this year and leave open the potential for rate changes over the next four years.

The case is Determination of Royalty Rates and Terms for Ephemeral Recording and Webcasting Digital Performance of Sound Recordings (Web IV), case number 14-CRB-0001, at the Copyright Office’s Copyright Royalty Board.

About Christian Copyright Solutions: CCS’s quest is to help churches and Christian ministries “do music right.” CCS is an expert on church music copyrights and our primary focus is providing licensing and clear educational resources to churches, as well as representation, administration and advocacy for copyright owners. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook. The information contained herein is for informational purposes only, and is not legal advice or a substitute for legal counsel.