SiriusXM Settles Lawsuit, Pays Royalties for Pre-1972 Songs

Satellite radio provider SiriusXM announced on Friday that it would settle a lawsuit over copyright issues by paying $210 million to record companies Sony, Universal, Warner and indie label Abkco for broadcasting songs produced prior to 1972. The ongoing lawsuit has been watched carefully by the music industry. Since federal copyright protection was not extended to recordings until 1972, a number of digital radio services have not been paying royalties when they play older songs. “The settlement may open the door to millions of dollars in new royalty payments for older performers, who in many cases have not been paid from Internet and satellite radio,” suggests The New York Times.

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