By Lauren Degen, 2L Member Despite the best efforts of lobbyists and music advocacy organizations, music streaming services like Spotify and Amazon are still refusing to pay updated royalty rates to songwriters and publishers for music use on digital streaming platforms. Even the new law set forth in the Music Modernization Act mandating an increased …
Miramax LLC v. Tarantino: NFTs meet copyright and contract law
By Aaron Steinberg, 2L member In 2020, the non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace erupted. NFTs are unique, digital collectibles that are often sold by artists and creators to their fans. Artists and creators can create, or “mint,” NFTs on blockchain-based marketplaces, such as OpenSea. When an NFT is sold, the buyer receives the NFT in her …
The path to ownership: How Taylor Swift revived the masters rights discussion
By Kristen Johnson, Content Editor In 2019, artist Taylor Swift posted a raging Tumblr essay in which she called out her record label CEO, Scott Borchetta, for selling the rights to her music to another record label owner, Scooter Braun, before giving her the chance to own her own music. A provision of recording contracts …
Former horse racing trainer given 5-year sentence in doping case
By Brad Stephens, Managing Editor Former horse racing trainer Jorge Navarro was sentenced Dec. 17 to five years in federal prison for his role in a federal doping conspiracy case. Navarro was sentenced at a hearing before Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. In addition …
Songlorious provides custom, handwritten songs
By Nathaniel Hobbs, Editor-In-Chief How much would you pay for a custom song, handwritten for any special occasion, and capable of being used commercially? As it turns out, the cost is low. Songlorious, a product of the pandemic, was founded by Omayya and Ellen Attout. Both had day jobs and a side hustle performing live …
Bruce Springsteen rumored to be shopping musical catalogs
By Nathaniel Hobbs, Editor-In-Chief Bruce Springsteen is the latest artist rumored to be shopping his musical catalogs, with both his publishing rights and recorded music potentially for sale. It was common in the 1980s and 1990s for superstar artists to be granted ownership rights in earlier albums as an incentive to re-sign with labels that …
MLB lockout looms as league, players negotiate new deal
By Brad Stephens, Managing Editor Major League Baseball appears to be headed toward a work stoppage as the league and its players negotiate a new Collective Bargaining Agreement. The CBA governs the on-and-off-field relationship between MLB and the Major League Baseball Players Association. The current CBA expires at 11:59 p.m. EST on Dec. 1. If …