Songwriters Win Royalty Decision as Judge Rejects U.S. Rules
- Federal judge grants BMI request to undo DOJ licensing terms
- U.S. issued decision on ASCAP, BMI consent decrees in August
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A federal judge in New York rejected the U.S. Justice Department’s changes to decades-old rules governing music royalty payments that critics said would upend longstanding practices for how music is licensed, handing a victory to songwriters and publishers.
U.S. District Judge Louis Stanton in New York said Friday the department’s antitrust division was wrong to say in August that the royalty framework set out in consent decrees requires “full work” licensing by performing-rights organizations. That potentially gave streaming services an advantage in obtaining rights, critics said.