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The $7.8 Billion Music Case of the Century

In just a few weeks, an obscure three-judge panel will oversee a trial in the shadowy recesses of the Library of Congress that could decide the fate of Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Pandora, YouTube and more. Why isn’t anyone paying attention?

George Clinton, Taylor Swift and Pharrell Williams
Musicians George Clinton, Taylor Swift and Pharrell Williams. Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage
Eriq Gardner
July 11, 2022

There was a time, not long ago, when I could accurately predict NPR producers would be calling me up for an interview. How? All I’d have to do is write about karaoke, that sing-along form of entertainment that’s perfect for a drunk Saturday night. It turns out that karaoke not only has been the subject of a lawsuit or a dozen over the years, but this diversion is also a fun vehicle to discuss just how abstruse music rights can be. “You mean you need a separate license when the song is being matched to visuals, and one when the lyrics are reprinted too?”