UMG Settles Copyright Suit with Believe and TuneCore

Universal Music Group has reached an amicable settlement with Believe and its subsidiary TuneCore, ending a high-stakes copyright infringement lawsuit filed in November 2024. The agreement, finalized on April 3 in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York, dismisses all claims with prejudice, preventing them from being refiled. Financial terms were not disclosed, and representatives from both companies declined to provide further details.

The lawsuit sought at least $500 million in damages and accused Believe, a Paris-based music company, and TuneCore, a distribution platform for independent artists, of facilitating widespread infringement. UMG, joined by ABKCO Music Records and Concord Music Group, alleged that the defendants distributed manipulated versions of popular recordings, including sped-up or remixed tracks from artists such as Kendrick Lamar, Drake, Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga, and the Rolling Stones. These unauthorized uploads appeared on platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram under misspelled artist names, such as "Kendrik Laamar," "Arriana Gramde," and "Jutin Biber." Court documents claimed Believe...