Digital Home Thoughts: BetaNews: Sony Sued for Shortchanging Artists

"Sony Music could be the target of a class action lawsuit from its artists, if a suit filed in a New York Federal Court is successful. Musicians The Allman Brothers and Cheap Trick say the company is not giving its artists a fair share, which under contract was half of the licensing revenue. "Sony Music is presently engaged in a widespread attempt to underpay its recording artists; with the technological advancements in the music industry, it is essential that artists receive the royalty income to which they are entitled," Attorney Brian Caplan said in a statement... Sony on average is receiving about 70 cents of the average 99-cent per track charge for digital downloads, the suit alleges. The group is looking to make the case a class action suit, covering any band that signed a deal with Sony between 1962 and 2002. This would cover approximately 2,500 bands. If successful, Sony may be forced to pay millions in royalties to artists. So far, Sony BMG has not commented on the suit."

Gee, Sony acting like a faceless, thoughtless, money-grubbing evil empire corporation? I'm shocked. :wink: I really hope that with all this negative press they're getting they feel it in their pocketbooks. The only way corporations will learn is if we don't give them our money. Sony in particular listens to nothing the consumer says (aside from "duh, das coo"). I for one am not going to be contributing my money to them, and am hoping 'pilot error' will fix this problem for us.