Fifty-Six Hope Road Music Ltd. v. UMG Recordings, Inc.
United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
2010 WL 3564258 (2010)
- Written by Sarah Holley, JD
Facts
In 1972, Bob Marley entered into a recording agreement with Island Records, Ltd. (Island) pursuant to which Marley agreed to perform services as a recording artist for Island and to the produce sufficient acceptable recordings for two albums. Island agreed to pay Marley certain advances against royalties for the creation of the sound recordings. Island and Marley were to “[m]utually agree” as to the lyrics and music to be recorded, but Island had the right to “[d]ecide in its discretion whether or not such lyrics and music as recorded as acceptable and satisfactory for the manufacture and sale of records.” Marley entered into new recording agreements with Island in 1974 and 1975 with terms similar to the 1972 agreement. Following Marley’s death in 1981, Marley’s widow and nine children (Marleys) (plaintiffs) sued UMG (defendant) as predecessor-in-interest to Island, seeking a declaratory judgment that the Marleys owned the renewal terms in the copyrights in the sound records created pursuant to the 1972, 1974, and 1975 agreements.
Rule of Law
Issue
Holding and Reasoning (Cote, J.)
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