Eminem Publisher Sues Spotify Over Unlicensed Streaming of Hit Songs
Eminem's music publisher files a major lawsuit against Spotify, accusing the platform of blatant copyright infringement and failing to properly license or pay for billions of streams.
Eminem’s music publisher Eight Mile Style files a lawsuit against Spotify, accusing the streaming giant of blatant copyright infringement for distributing songs like "Lose Yourself" without a proper license. The legal action centers on Spotify's implementation of the Music Modernization Act, which requires the platform to file a notice of intention and pay rightsholders even when using a compulsory license. Eight Mile argues that Spotify possesses no direct, affiliate, or compulsory license to reproduce or distribute these compositions.
The complaint highlights "Lose Yourself" as the most egregious example of this willful infringement, noting that Spotify incorrectly places the massively popular track into a Copyright Control category reserved for songs with unknown owners. Eight Mile calls this categorization absurd, stating that Spotify and its agent, the Harry Fox Agency, easily have the means to identify the true copyright owner. Furthermore, the publisher claims that despite billions of streams, Spotify fails to properly account for or pay Eight Mile, instead issuing random payments that cover only a fraction of the actual plays.
In addition to the financial claims, Eight Mile challenges the legal protections Spotify might claim under the Music Modernization Act, arguing that such shields represent an unconstitutional denial of due process and an illegal taking of property rights. This marks the second time Eight Mile takes on a major digital music platform, following a previous copyright settlement with Apple over a decade ago. The publisher's attorney emphasizes that this lawsuit raises vital issues for all songwriters whose work appears on Spotify and other digital music providers.