Copyright infringement

[Haustoria]

There is a song on Spotify that is a direct copy of a popular song by a legitimate artist. It's titled Chill by someone named NJmadstylezz. It's a direct copy of Crave You by Adventure Club. The copied version is of lower quality and has gained this NJmadstylezz guy over 30k plays. I know spotify is aware of this song, because the same problem has been posted a while back on the forums. I have also taken the time to email Spotify Support where I got a canned message replied back. That was a month ago and so far nothing has been done about it. I have emailed Adventure Club directly as well as iTunes, because this individual has been making money off of something that is not his property. What else can be done?

[MattSuda · Accepted solution]

Hey @Haustoria

This song has already been passed to the content team for review.

Sometimes it can take a while before a song is removed. Hopefully the problem will be fixed soon.

[luciferius]

It's like 12 bucks now for anyone to get a mechanical license to use anything. For 60 bucks you get unlimited streams and downloads. Usually the aggregator witholds the 10% he original composer is due. It's called US Copyright Law man.

[FlightHouse]

for a cover. you dont understand copyright law at all Rex. I'm sorry but there is more than one copyright contained in that work. And it wasn't ever released so this wouldn't be considered a cover for which you can get a mechanical license. Go back to school with your broke **bleep**

[luciferius]

I'm well versed in copyright law, I have a legal background with 6 case cites in the USSC. So the song is not published, then no copyright exists. You claim someone is using a song with a copyright, that means it was published, now you say it's not released (published), so then it's a possible 'theft of idea' case. Yet you also say the song is from a well known artist, so what is it, is the famous artist published or not? Or do you think the cover isn't published since it's streaming. Public play on digital sites is now defacto publishing. As soon as it is published (the original song) it has a defacto copyright on it whether the artist(s) apply for one or not as long as they put (c) on it, it is notice to the world of a claimed copyright claim. Anyway the song if not plublished then how do you know of it, or didn't you make yourself clear as to which song is published. If the original song was not published there is no copyright for the original artist and the person that stole the work may have a valid first to publish copyright claim. While this isn't that common in music, it is very common in patents with companies stealing ideas to be the first one to file a patent claim. Music works a little different, the first to 'publish' it is the valid copyright owner. I'm not sure about if playing it in public establishes a valid copyright claim, but the bottom line is, I'm probably one of the most knowledgeable musicians in regards to copyrights and mechanical licenses due to I have a legal background. Most musicians do not and most musicians don't own a publishing company and I own three of them. Anyway, I think you meant the offending work is not 'published' in your opinion, but all the new digital services such as Spotify are defacto publishers of anything they use. So both songs are probably 'publshed' and the 2nd artist can obtain a mechanical license for almost nothing, that is the music industry today, the courts ruled that original composers and song writers are only entitled to 10% of what all the new digital downloads and streams produce. So if multiple people on the original, then that 10% gets paid to the group artists as a whole. 3 original artists on the work they get 1/3 of the 10%, etc. And yeah, the mechanical license aspect of music as it is done today with digital music has resulted in original artists having very little say as to what is done with their work in regards to new digital media distribution.

[WILBERT2]

The album all i want is you by bap kennedy is not owned by the label that have uploaded it. the report function won't work and the thieves have no contact details to have it dealt with - help!!!!!