Sony Sued for Shortchanging Artists

[news=http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/6379/sony7xe.gif]Sony Music could be the target of a class action lawsuit from its artists, if a suit filed in a New York Federal Court is successful. Musicians The Allman Brothers and Cheap Trick say the company is not giving its artists a fair share, which under contract was half of the licensing revenue.

"Sony Music is presently engaged in a widespread attempt to underpay its recording artists; with the technological advancements in the music industry, it is essential that artists receive the royalty income to which they are entitled," Attorney Brian Caplan said in a statement.

Because both bands have deals that were signed before music was sold on the Internet -- The Allman Brothers' is from 1989 and Cheap Trick's from 1976 -- Sony has paid less than half. Instead, it is treating digital music as traditional record sales, which is on a different pay scale.

:source: Source: http://www.betanews.com/article/Sony...sts/1146251830[/news]

More Sony Bologna

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Originally Posted by Darth Sushi

More Sony Bologna

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With lettuce ? :D That was well put Darth had n't heard that one .


And to think were ripping them off everytime we D/L music .:shifty:

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Originally Posted by peat moss

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Originally Posted by Darth Sushi

More Sony Bologna

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With lettuce ? :D That was well put Darth had n't heard that one .


And to think were ripping them off everytime we D/L music .:shifty:

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Hell Yea :D

I don't understand how this could ever happend. Sony Music is just made up of some fucks that just sit around and make money. They don't do SHIT!! The artists should get 90+% of all profits instead of these fucks who don't even make the music.

The article is a bit light on details but the whole jist is that the artists contract state that they have to incur the costs of packaging (20%) and breakage (15%). Breakages has been a non issue for a long while and with the internet packaging is also free. The problem is that they have signed contracts saying they will pay these costs there is no getting around that.

What makes this interesting is that sony are no longer distributing the music companies like apple are now. This means that sony should not be charging the artists these fees since the contracts they sign are for sony to distribute not other companies.

A few pennies for every song of every sony artist currently on sale at itunes means sony owe these people alot of money if they win.

I find it interesting that it involves two older bands who haven't had any new music released in years . While I like both bands wonder if its a test case and Sony's playing games , just to see what they can get away with ?


I realize there are many more artists involved in a class action but makes one wonder .

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Sony on average is receiving about 70 cents of the average 99-cent per track charge for digital downloads, the suit alleges. The group is looking to make the case a class action suit, covering any band that signed a deal with Sony between 1962 and 2002. This would cover approximately 2,500 bands.

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:pinch:

Gonna suck to be Sony if they lose this one.

I know they have money up the wazoo, but that's gotta be a big hit on them.

Serves 'em right. :P