Sony Music Sues Triller Over Missed Royalty Payments

Earlier this month, Sony Music Entertainment withdrew the rights to its catalog from the shortform video app Triller, claiming the company owed millions in royalty payments. Now, the major label is suing the platform for copyright infringement and breach of contract, saying Triller failed to heed their licensing agreement’s termination, as Billboard reports. Sony accused the label of “brazen contempt” for its intellectual property rights, and of failing to pay any royalties since March this year. The label is seeking unspecified compensatory and statutory damages, an order to stop Triller infringing its copyrights, and a declaration that Triller deliberately infringed copyright.

When contacted by Pitchfork, a representative for Sony Music Entertainment offered no additional comment. A representative for Triller shared the following statement with Pitchfork:

The Sony catalog has been removed from Triller; if there are any songs or artists remaining, they are potentially user-uploaded and are protected under the DMCA. Triller has an authorized DMCA agent and complies with takedowns within or less than 24 hours. The case is about fewer than 100 user-uploaded songs and questions if we’ve been compliant under DMCA, which we believe we have. We have always had a good relationship with Sony and believe this will resolve quickly and amicably.

Sony’s clampdown follows a lawsuit Swizz Beatz and Timbaland filed earlier this month, claiming the company still owed them $28 million after buying Verzuz. In 2021, Universal Music Group pulled its music from the platform due to a royalty dispute that was resolved a few months later.