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Global Music Rights Files Copyright Suit Against Music Choice Over 95 Songs
On Monday, June 8, 2026, performance‑rights organization Global Music Rights (GMR) filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, accusing music‑programming company Music Choice of willfully playing 95 GMR‑controlled compositions after their licensing agreement expired.
The complaint alleges that Music Choice began public performances of the listed works on January 1, 2026—one day after the contract’s expiration on December 31, 2025—and did so without authorization. GMR characterizes the conduct as “willful, intentional, purposeful, and in disregard of and indifferent to the rights of GMR.” The suit seeks the maximum statutory damages of $150,000 per infringed work, or alternatively, actual damages plus Music Choice’s profits, and also requests a permanent injunction, attorneys’ fees, and costs. With 95 songs, the potential statutory exposure tops out at roughly $14.25 million.
The parties’ agreement, signed November 14, 2022 and amended in May 2023, contained a clause that all rights granted by GMR to Music Choice would terminate immediately upon the contract’s December 31, 2025 expiration. According to the complaint, GMR offered Music Choice several renewal opportunities before the deadline, but the company declined and confirmed around December 30, 2025 that it would not renew.
On December 31, 2025, GMR sent Music Choice a formal notice letter warning that any public performance of its works from January 1, 2026 onward would constitute willful infringement and could expose the company to statutory damages of up to $150,000 per work. The letter also listed GMR’s entire repertoire so that Music Choice could avoid playing the songs.
Despite the warning, the complaint alleges that Music Choice continued to play the compositions starting January 1, 2026. It further claims that the company “made the strategic decision not to pay GMR for these uses and hoped to get away with it,” but was caught in the act.
The lawsuit names a roster of high‑profile artists whose works are allegedly infringed. The largest group is written by Bruce Springsteen, including “Born to Run,” “Dancing in the Dark,” “Glory Days,” “I’m on Fire,” “Streets of Philadelphia,” and ten tracks from his 2007 album Magic. Other cited songs come from Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas—such as “Bad Guy,” “Bury a Friend,” “Happier Than Ever,” and the Academy‑Award‑winning “What Was I Made For?” from the Barbie soundtrack—plus tracks by Pearl Jam (Alive, Black, Jeremy), Bill Withers (Ain’t No Sunshine, Lean on Me, Use Me), the Eagles (New Kid in Town, Heartache Tonight), Jimmy Buffett, John Mayer, Smokey Robinson, The Who, and OneRepublic.
Music Choice, headquartered in Horsham, Pennsylvania, delivers music programming through linear television channels, streaming apps, and on‑demand services. The company is owned by a consortium that includes Sony Corporation of America, Charter Communications, Comcast Corporation, Cox Communications, and Microsoft.
GMR is one of four major U.S. performance‑rights organizations, alongside ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC. The complaint states that GMR represents just over 175 songwriters and publishers, including Bruce Springsteen, Bruno Mars, Drake, Pharrell Williams, John Lennon, and the Eagles.
The suit follows a history of litigation involving Music Choice. In 2019, SoundExchange sued the company for underpayment of royalties for sound recordings. GMR had also spent more than five years in litigation with the Radio Music License Committee, which represents about 10,000 commercial radio stations, before settling in 2022.
GMR’s legal team for the case is Daniel Petrocelli and David Marroso of O’Melveny & Myers.
The complaint is available for public review, and the case will proceed in federal court. Stakeholders in the music‑licensing market will watch closely to see how the court interprets the contractual termination clause and the statutory damages framework. The outcome could shape how performance‑rights organizations enforce licensing agreements and how music‑programming services manage post‑expiration usage of copyrighted works.
The complaint alleges that Music Choice began public performances of the listed works on January 1, 2026—one day after the contract’s expiration on December 31, 2025—and did so without authorization. GMR characterizes the conduct as “willful, intentional, purposeful, and in disregard of and indifferent to the rights of GMR.” The suit seeks the maximum statutory damages of $150,000 per infringed work, or alternatively, actual damages plus Music Choice’s profits, and also requests a permanent injunction, attorneys’ fees, and costs. With 95 songs, the potential statutory exposure tops out at roughly $14.25 million.
The parties’ agreement, signed November 14, 2022 and amended in May 2023, contained a clause that all rights granted by GMR to Music Choice would terminate immediately upon the contract’s December 31, 2025 expiration. According to the complaint, GMR offered Music Choice several renewal opportunities before the deadline, but the company declined and confirmed around December 30, 2025 that it would not renew.
On December 31, 2025, GMR sent Music Choice a formal notice letter warning that any public performance of its works from January 1, 2026 onward would constitute willful infringement and could expose the company to statutory damages of up to $150,000 per work. The letter also listed GMR’s entire repertoire so that Music Choice could avoid playing the songs.
Despite the warning, the complaint alleges that Music Choice continued to play the compositions starting January 1, 2026. It further claims that the company “made the strategic decision not to pay GMR for these uses and hoped to get away with it,” but was caught in the act.
The lawsuit names a roster of high‑profile artists whose works are allegedly infringed. The largest group is written by Bruce Springsteen, including “Born to Run,” “Dancing in the Dark,” “Glory Days,” “I’m on Fire,” “Streets of Philadelphia,” and ten tracks from his 2007 album Magic. Other cited songs come from Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas—such as “Bad Guy,” “Bury a Friend,” “Happier Than Ever,” and the Academy‑Award‑winning “What Was I Made For?” from the Barbie soundtrack—plus tracks by Pearl Jam (Alive, Black, Jeremy), Bill Withers (Ain’t No Sunshine, Lean on Me, Use Me), the Eagles (New Kid in Town, Heartache Tonight), Jimmy Buffett, John Mayer, Smokey Robinson, The Who, and OneRepublic.
Music Choice, headquartered in Horsham, Pennsylvania, delivers music programming through linear television channels, streaming apps, and on‑demand services. The company is owned by a consortium that includes Sony Corporation of America, Charter Communications, Comcast Corporation, Cox Communications, and Microsoft.
GMR is one of four major U.S. performance‑rights organizations, alongside ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC. The complaint states that GMR represents just over 175 songwriters and publishers, including Bruce Springsteen, Bruno Mars, Drake, Pharrell Williams, John Lennon, and the Eagles.
The suit follows a history of litigation involving Music Choice. In 2019, SoundExchange sued the company for underpayment of royalties for sound recordings. GMR had also spent more than five years in litigation with the Radio Music License Committee, which represents about 10,000 commercial radio stations, before settling in 2022.
GMR’s legal team for the case is Daniel Petrocelli and David Marroso of O’Melveny & Myers.
The complaint is available for public review, and the case will proceed in federal court. Stakeholders in the music‑licensing market will watch closely to see how the court interprets the contractual termination clause and the statutory damages framework. The outcome could shape how performance‑rights organizations enforce licensing agreements and how music‑programming services manage post‑expiration usage of copyrighted works.
