Eminem's Publisher Loses High-Stakes Legal Battle With Spotify Over Music Rights
In 2019, Eminem’s publishing company, Eight Mile Style, filed a $39 million lawsuit against Spotify, alleging that the music streaming giant had streamed the rapper’s songs "billions of times" without properly compensating them.
After years of legal battles, a verdict has finally been reached, with Spotify emerging victorious.
Eminem’s Publisher Faces $39 Million Loss in Streaming Rights Battle With Spotify:
According to a report by "AllHipHop", the court acknowledged that Spotify didn’t have the correct license for Eminem’s songs.
However, the judge ruled that Spotify was not responsible for the missing royalties.
Instead, the ruling pointed to Kobalt Music Group, a company responsible for administering song rights and collecting royalties on behalf of artists, including Eminem's publisher.
If any party were to be held accountable, it would have been Kobalt, but no penalty was assigned to them either.
Interestingly, Eminem himself was not involved in the lawsuit and was reportedly surprised to discover it had even been filed.
The case largely revolved around Eight Mile Style accusing Spotify of falsely claiming they had proper licensing for hundreds of Eminem's tracks.
On the other side, Spotify argued that it had been misled by Kobalt, believing that the company had control over Eight Mile’s catalog when, in fact, they didn’t. Judge Aleta A.
Trauger, who presided over the case, stated that Eight Mile Style had "every opportunity" to resolve the issue but seemingly chose not to do so.
She added that the publishing company might have preferred to position itself as a victim, as it could prove more financially rewarding than acting as a regular licensor.
Judge Trauger described the situation as "inexplicable," acknowledging that Spotify could have been "genuinely confused" by Kobalt’s misrepresentation.
In her closing statement, she made it clear that Eight Mile Style wasn’t the “innocent victim” it claimed to be in the case. With the lawsuit now settled, Spotify is free from any financial liability regarding Eminem's royalties, bringing an end to the lengthy and complex legal saga.