A live performance from Ultra Records-signed Icona Pop, whose ‘Stockholm At Night’ allegedly infringes on Ultra Publishing’s interest in the underlying composition. Photo Credit: Kim Metso
The Ultra International Music Publishing v. Sony Music legal battle is getting even uglier, as Ultra has doubled down on its copyright infringement claims in an amended complaint.
Ultra Music Publishing – or at least the company currently known as such – just recently submitted the amended action. As we reported last year, this particular showdown dates back to November 2024.
Because the suit represents one component of a wider clash, though, a bit of background information will prove useful here. It’s been about 13 years since Sony Music purchased a 50% stake in Patrick Moxey-founded Ultra Records; the major closed a deal for the remaining interest in 2022.
Long story short – we’ve already covered the fiasco in greater detail – Moxey operated the separate Ultra Publishing under a name-licensing arrangement of sorts during the 10-year window.
But when SME became the sole owner of Ultra Records, it moved (ultimately with a lawsuit) to nix said arrangement and compel Ultra Publishing to find another name. Multiple years later, the trademark-centered showdown finally went to trial; the jury sided with Sony Music in December.
Despite opting against awarding the major damages, this verdict nevertheless set the stage for a court-ordered name change; Ultra Publishing has about six months to adopt a new name.
Technically distinct from this confrontation is the above-mentioned November 2024 copyright suit levied by Ultra Publishing, which is suing Sony Music and subsidiaries including AWAL.
As we reported at the time, a years-long audit uncovered many instances of infringement on Sony Music’s part, according to the Ultra plaintiffs. While it perhaps goes without saying, the described attempts to resolve the dispute sans litigation didn’t pan out.
Sony Music returned fire with a February 2025 dismissal motion, criticizing the “vague” complaint as an alleged “ill-conceived effort…to retaliate” for the name disagreement. Additionally, when it comes to allegedly due payments stemming from the royalties audit, SME relayed that it’d settled with Ultra Publishing “in principle years ago [2019, that is] for a small fraction of the amount claimed.”
Plus, the major called out the plaintiffs’ alleged failure to provide a variety of important specifics concerning the purported infringement.
Six pages longer than the original complaint, Ultra Publishing’s amended suit doesn’t break a ton of new ground.
The entity is still demanding compensation for the alleged unauthorized use (across streaming, downloads, physical, and sync) of over 100 compositions. And Sony Music is still facing accusations of improperly engaging in direct negotiations with Ultra Publishing-signed songwriters.
(Those songwriters “did not have the ability to grant licenses,” and consequently, any resulting agreements “are a nullity and invalid,” per Ultra Publishing’s amended action.)
That said, a few fresh components jump out. First, Ultra Publishing is pushing back against the major’s alleged mischaracterization of the suit as “revenge” amid the broader conflict.
“Most recently,” some of the relevant text reads, “Sony Music has misrepresented this lawsuit as a hasty ‘revenge’ tactic that purportedly was filed by Plaintiffs in response to a trademark dispute between the parties. Nothing could be further from the truth. This is a copyright lawsuit that does not involve trademarks or any sort of ‘revenge.’”
Next, bearing in mind the alleged deficiencies Sony Music called out, the amended suit features a comparatively detailed breakdown of the allegedly infringed works.
Besides the already-present titles, artists, registration numbers, and labels, the bolstered action includes the alleged infringement’s initial dates, the involved digital platforms (chief among them Spotify), and more.
Lastly, the filing parties went ahead and expanded on their position that the suit is “just the first of numerous copyright-infringement actions” they intend to launch against Sony Music.
Per the amended complaint, as other alleged infringement is uncovered, Ultra Publishing will spearhead these actions either through further amendments or “additional lawsuits” yet.
Content shared from www.digitalmusicnews.com.