Universal Music Group (UMG) has initiated a legal battle against Believe and its subsidiary TuneCore, accusing them of “industrial-scale copyright infringement” in a lawsuit filed on November 4, 2024. UMG, along with ABKCO and Concord Music Group, is seeking damages of at least $500 million for alleged widespread violations of their sound recording copyrights.
The lawsuit, filed in the federal court of Manhattan, claims that Believe’s client list is overrun with fraudulent “artists” and illegitimate record labels. These entities are allegedly distributing unauthorized copies of popular recordings across various streaming platforms and social media networks. The affected artists include some of the biggest names in the music industry, such as Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, Rihanna, ABBA, Kendrick Lamar, and Lady Gaga.
One of the key allegations in the complaint is that these Believe and TuneCore attempt to evade detection by using slight variations of famous artists’ names and song titles. For example, the lawsuit cites instances of infringing tracks from “artists” calling themselves:
– “Kendrik Laamar” (referencing Kendrick Lamar)
– “Arriana Gramde” (referencing Ariana Grande)
– “Jutin Biber” (referencing Justin Bieber)
– “Llady Gaga” (referencing Lady Gaga)
The complaint also alleges that Believe distributes overtly infringing versions of original tracks by famous artists, often labeled as “sped up” or “remixed.” UMG accuses Believe of manipulating YouTube’s Content ID system to claim ownership of copyrights in recordings it distributes, diverting or delaying royalty payments to the rightful copyright owners. Even after losing copyright disputes on platforms like YouTube, Believe allegedly continues to distribute the same infringing tracks on other services like Spotify and Apple Music. UMG argues that Believe had specific knowledge of infringement or was aware of facts indicating a high likelihood of infringement but continued to distribute and license the tracks. Millions of these edited versions of high-value songs are alleged to have been distributed, potentially exceeding the number of legitimate recordings distributed by major labels and reputable independent labels combined.
A spokesperson for Believe has categorically denied the allegations, stating that the company takes copyright very seriously. They emphasized their commitment to addressing this industry-wide issue through comprehensive tools and processes developed in collaboration with peers and partners. As the case unfolds, it will undoubtedly be closely watched by stakeholders across the music and tech industries.