Music Company Wants Attorneys’ Fees and Costs Following Led Zeppelin Victory

On Thursday, July 7, 2016, Warner/Chappell Music Inc., the publishing company who was named as a co-defendant in the “Stairway to Heaven” copyright lawsuit that wrapped up last month, filed a motion to recover nearly $800,000 in attorneys’ fees and costs in California federal court. The fee request comes on the heels of a successful defense for the music company and mega-hit British rock band, where a jury concluded that frontmen Jimmy Page and Robert Plant had not infringed on any copyright in writing their …

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Court to Determine Who Owns “Happy Birthday to You”

A California federal judge is to decide whether Warner/Chappell owns the 120-year-old “Happy Birthday to You” as Warner/Chappell and Good Morning to You Productions (“GMTY”) came to an agreement to do so on March 23.  The copyright suit was brought against Warner/Chappell in 2013 by GMTY, alleging Warner/Chappell “extracted millions of dollars in unlawful licensing fees” for the song despite the controversy over the origins and ownership of the song.

Arguing that the song has been in the public domain for 65 years, GMTY President …

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