Universal Music Group NV, the world’s biggest record company, sued Paris-based digital distributor Believe SAS, alleging copyright infringement and seeking at least $500 million. UMG hasn’t been shy in its media outreach, and Believe has responded.

UMG, a Dutch-American company, sued in New York federal court Nov. 4, alleging that Believe distributes unauthorized copies of copyrighted recordings to platforms including TikTok, YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music and Instagram. In its complaint, UMG alleges Believe does this by notating that the versions are “sped up” or “remixed” or by changing the names of the artists, including “Llady Gaga,” “Kendrik Laamar” and “Arriana Gramde.”

“Believe’s client list is overrun with fraudulent ‘artists’ and pirate record labels who rely on Believe and its distribution network to seed infringing copies of popular sound recordings throughout the digital music ecosystem,” UMG says in the complaint.

Serious Coverage

The suit is getting serious coverage including from Bloomberg, Reuters, Billboard, Variety and a slew of music news sites. What’s interesting from a litigation-communications point of view is that UMG also fed reporters a statement, which the stories are featuring. UMG is taking the court of public opinion seriously on this.

And the statement doesn’t hold back. Bloomberg had one of the fuller renditions:

“Believe is a company built on industrial-scale copyright infringement. Their 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.”

It goes on: “It’s no wonder that Believe has been outspoken against the streaming reform principles for which so many major and independent labels have been advocating. Why? Because such reforms would undermine and expose their system of building scale and market presence by distributing music for which they have no rights and illegally collecting royalties to enrich themselves and their coconspirators.”

Scorching Statement

That’s a pretty scorching statement. It shows it’s possible to be bold in one’s crisis and litigation communications.

At first we didn’t see a reply from Believe, which is publicly traded in Paris and has nearly $1 billion in revenue. Most articles said the company didn’t respond for comment. But then we saw Billboard’s, with a Believe statement about as long as UMG’s.

The company said: “Believe and [subsidiary] 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.”

‘Robust Tools’

It went on: “We have developed robust tools and processes to tackle this industrywide challenge, working collaboratively with partners and peers and will continue to do so. 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.”

So there you go. It shows you can also have a bold litigation statement even when you’re the defendant — and, apparently, even if you say you don’t comment on litigation and then proceed to comment on the litigation.

Photo Credit: JHVEPhoto/Shutterstock

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