Spotify Accused Of Copyright Infringement By Music Publishers

The National Music Publishers Association (NMPA) has sent a cease and desist letter to popular music streaming service Spotify. The letter accuses Spotify of using its members' copyrighted content without appropriate licensing. Billboard also shared the letter suggesting that the streaming service is "hosting unlicensed musical works in its lyrics, videos, and podcasts."

Spotify has been asked to delete the unlicensed content from the platform or it will be facing a "copyright liability." The NMPA claimed that while Spotify has mechanical and public performance licenses, it will still need rights to use lyrics and music in videos and podcasts, and it should be directly with rightsholders.

The streaming platform shows lyrics and reproduces and distributes music videos and podcasts using musical works without proper compensation or consent to the respective publishers who control the copyrights in the musical compositions. 

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Is Spotify Guilty Of Copyright Infringement?

US copyright law usually offers copyright owners the exclusive right to, alongside other things, distribute reproduce, display, and produce derivative works from their copyrighted works under 17 U.S.C. Sn. 106. If these exclusive rights are violated it would constitute copyright infringement under 17 U.S.C. Sn. 501.

Spotify seems to be involved in direct infringement by hosting unlicensed musical works in its lyrics, videos, and podcasts. It also distributes unauthorized reproductions, synchronizations, displays, and derivative uses of these musical works to Spotify users. What’s worse is that the company makes profits from these practices.

Accordingly, NMPA has asked Spotify that unlicensed lyrics, videos, music, and podcasts be removed from the service or it will face copyright liability for continued use of these works.

Spotify spokesperson told Billboard that the letter is a "press stunt filled with false and misleading claims." The streaming service further said that it has paid a "record amount" to songwriters in 2023, and will be surpassing that amount this year.

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Spotify To Put Monthly Limit On Lyrics 

Spotify has been testing a new change to its service that might not go down well with users, especially the ones using the app without a subscription.

After initially rolling out the change to select users, Spotify has now made a change to the lyrics features in the app. Now, the feature will be fully available to paid users only. There have been a plethora of reports from free Spotify users claiming that they are no longer able to access lyrics to songs or have a monthly limit. Many users have taken to social media platforms showing their anger towards the change.

For years, Spotify has allowed users, including the ones using the free version, to access song lyrics while streaming music on the app. However, the new move seems like an attempt to force more users into buying the subscription.