Bird & Bird LLP advises music industry clients on a wide range of rights, licensing and commercial matters. The team is particularly active in mandates involving copyright, royalties, music financing and licensing arrangements, and has recently been engaged on issues arising from the use of AI in the sector, including AI-generated music, the licensing of works for AI training and the development of digital music technologies. Regulatory compliance relating to AI is another key area of focus. Practice head Phil Sherrell focuses on music-related disputes and regularly represents media and entertainment companies in copyright litigation and CMA investigations.
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Key clients
- Ticketmaster UK Limited
- Sony Music Publishing
- TuneIn
- UK Radioplayer Limited
- Radioplayer Worldwide Limited
Work highlights
Represented Ticketmaster in reaching a successful conclusion (without enforcement action) to the CMA's investigation into ticket practices for the Oasis Reunion Tour.
Advised Sony Music Publishing on an international copyright enforcement programme targeting unauthorised use of Sony-controlled musical works in commercial advertising campaigns.
Advised TuneIn on a copyright case, which was the first to determine whether the UK courts would keep step with the EU in relation to the law of hyperlinking.
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Practice head
Phil Sherrell