Believe, TuneCore respond to $500M UMG ‘industrial scale’ infringement lawsuit

Believe has responded to the UMG lawsuit alleging that it and DIY arm TuneCore have engaged in “industrial-scale” copyright infringement and asking for $500 million in damages.

Concord Music Group and ABKCO Music & Records are also plaintiffs.

Believe responds to UMG lawsuit alleging $500M in infringements

A new UMG lawsuit alleges that TuneCore and Believe have illegally distributed songs under different artist names as well as remixed and sped-up versions.

Believe and Tunecore’s “illegal practices are not limited to cheating artists on major labels but artists on independent labels as well-including artists on the independent labels within the trade bodies of which Believe is itself a member,” said to a UMG spokesperson.

Now, Believe and Tunecore have responded.

“Believe and TuneCore do not comment on pending litigation. As companies that work with artists and labels around the world, we take the respect of copyright very seriously. We strongly refute these claims, and the statements made by Universal Music Group and will fight them,” said Believe spokesperson told Music Ally.

“We have developed robust tools and processes to tackle this industrywide challenge, working collaboratively with partners and peers and will continue to do so,” the statement continued.

“We have been at the forefront of the digital music ecosystem for nearly 20 years, supporting the development of independent artists and labels, and have been awarded Tier 1 status and included in the Preferred Partner Program across all music stores.”

Is TuneCore the problem?

Believe’s assertion that it has “been awarded Tier 1 status and included in the Preferred Partner Program across all music stores” does not hold true for its TuneCore DIY subsidiary.

Spotify awarded Preferred status to fourteen Artist Distributors meeting their “highest standards for quality metadata and anti-infringement measures.”

DistroKid, CD Baby and oneRPM made the list. TuneCore did not, though parent Believe was awarded the status as a Label Distributor.

Bruce Houghton is the Founder and Editor of Hypebot, a Senior Advisor at Bandsintown, President of the Skyline Artists Agency, and a Berklee College Of Music professor.