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Class-Action Lawsuit Claims Drake's Streaming Earnings Were Fraudulent
A class action lawsuit accuses Spotify of enabling massive streaming fraud, with Drake allegedly benefiting from billions of inauthentic streams, which could have cost other artists hundreds of millions of dollars. The suit claims Spotify's inadequate anti-fraud measures and highlights alleged manipulations such as VPN usage to inflate stream counts, though Drake is not directly accused of wrongdoing. Spotify denies benefiting from fraud and states it invests heavily in combating artificial streaming.
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Drake and Kendrick Lamar's Legal Battle with UMG Intensifies
Originally Published 1 year ago — by XXLMAG.COM
Drake has filed legal petitions accusing Universal Music Group (UMG) of removing copyright restrictions on Kendrick Lamar's song "Not Like Us" to boost its popularity through influencers, a move allegedly involving bots and payola. This tactic, previously seen as Kendrick's initiative to support content creators, is now under scrutiny. UMG denies these allegations, asserting their ethical marketing practices. Both artists are under UMG, with Kendrick distributed by Interscope and Drake signed with Republic.
Drake Escalates Legal Battle Over Kendrick Lamar's 'Not Like Us'
Originally Published 1 year ago — by Billboard
Drake has filed a lawsuit against Universal Music Group and Spotify, alleging they conspired to inflate the streaming numbers of Kendrick Lamar's track "Not Like Us" through questionable promotional tactics. The claims include reduced royalty rates for increased song recommendations, undisclosed influencer campaigns, and the use of bots to boost streams. While UMG denies these allegations, the evidence presented by Drake's team appears to be based on outdated information and lacks concrete proof, raising questions about the validity of the accusations.
Drake Escalates Legal Battle with UMG Over Kendrick Lamar Feud
Originally Published 1 year ago — by Financial Times
Drake has filed legal petitions against Universal Music, accusing the company of engaging in pay-for-play schemes to promote Kendrick Lamar's music, particularly his hit song "Not Like Us," which allegedly defames Drake. Both artists are signed to labels under Universal, which benefits from their music's success. Drake's legal team is preparing a case for civil fraud and racketeering, while Universal denies any wrongdoing, asserting that their marketing practices are ethical. The feud between the rappers has intensified with Lamar's recent album release and Grammy nominations.
Drake Accuses UMG and Spotify of Boosting Kendrick Lamar's 'Not Like Us' with Bots
Originally Published 1 year ago — by NPR
Drake has filed a petition against Universal Music Group (UMG) and Spotify, accusing them of unfairly promoting Kendrick Lamar's song "Not Like Us" by inflating its streaming and radio numbers. He alleges that UMG paid influencers and used bots to boost the song's popularity, and that Spotify recommended it more frequently due to a favorable licensing agreement. Drake claims similar practices occurred on other platforms like Apple Music, and seeks discovery of those involved in the alleged promotion. UMG denies the accusations, stating they uphold ethical marketing practices.
Drake Claims UMG and Spotify Boosted Kendrick Lamar's Streams Illegally
Originally Published 1 year ago — by Pitchfork
Drake's Frozen Moments LLC has filed a legal complaint against Universal Music Group and Spotify, accusing them of illegally boosting streams of Kendrick Lamar's track "Not Like Us" through bots, undisclosed payments, and biased recommendations. The lawsuit, filed in Manhattan court, alleges violations of the RICO Act and deceptive business practices. Drake's attorneys seek documents from UMG and Spotify to prove these claims, while UMG denies the allegations, asserting their ethical marketing practices. "Not Like Us" remains a top-charting song, while Drake's response track "Family Matters" also charted.
Drake Accuses Universal and Spotify of Inflating Kendrick Lamar's 'Not Like Us' Streams
Originally Published 1 year ago — by Billboard
Universal Music Group (UMG) has denied allegations made by Drake that it conspired with Spotify to artificially boost Kendrick Lamar's song "Not Like Us." Drake's legal filing accuses UMG of engaging in unethical practices to inflate the song's popularity amid his feud with Lamar. UMG refuted these claims, calling them "offensive and untrue," and emphasized its commitment to ethical marketing. The filing is a "pre-action" petition under New York law, seeking information before potentially filing a lawsuit.
Drake Claims UMG and Spotify Boosted Kendrick Lamar's Streams
Originally Published 1 year ago — by Billboard
Drake has filed a legal petition against Universal Music Group (UMG) and Spotify, accusing them of artificially inflating the popularity of Kendrick Lamar's song "Not Like Us" through illegal means such as bots and payola. This move is part of an ongoing feud between Drake and Lamar, and the petition claims violations of the RICO statute and deceptive business practices. The filing is a pre-action petition to gather information before potentially filing a full lawsuit.
Universal Music Sues TuneCore and Believe for $500M Over Alleged Copyright Infringement
Originally Published 1 year ago — by Ars Technica
Universal Music Group has filed a lawsuit against Believe, a French music company, and its US subsidiary TuneCore, accusing them of distributing pirated songs on streaming platforms under misspelled versions of popular artists' names, such as "Llady Gaga" and "Kendrik Laamar." The lawsuit claims Believe's business model is based on piracy, allowing fraudulent artists to distribute infringing copies of copyrighted recordings. Believe, which operates globally and partners with major platforms like Spotify and YouTube, is alleged to have knowingly facilitated this distribution.
UMG Files $500M Lawsuit Against Believe and TuneCore for Alleged Copyright Violations
Originally Published 1 year ago — by Music Business Worldwide
Universal Music Group, along with ABKCO Music & Records and Concord Music Group, has filed a $500 million lawsuit against Believe and its subsidiary TuneCore, accusing them of large-scale copyright infringement. The lawsuit, filed in New York, claims Believe has distributed unauthorized copies of popular recordings on platforms like TikTok and Spotify, often as 'sped up' or 'remixed' versions. UMG alleges Believe's business model relies on piracy, manipulating systems like YouTube's Content ID to monetize these tracks. This case highlights ongoing concerns about unauthorized music distribution in the digital age.
Taylor Swift's 'Tortured Poets Department' Dominates 2024 Charts, Shattering Records
Originally Published 1 year ago — by Rolling Stone
Taylor Swift's album "The Tortured Poets Department" has outsold the rest of 2024's top 10 albums combined, with 2.474 million copies sold and 2.753 billion streams. The album's success is partly due to numerous physical variants, a trend criticized by some artists like Billie Eilish. Swift's album leads in both sales and streams, with a total of 4.66 million album equivalent units. Luminate's report also highlights the rise of live music spending and the growth of Latin music in the U.S.