Create Music Group Faces Lawsuit Over Artist Poaching and Copyright Violations
Artist Partner Group (APG) has filed a lawsuit against Create Music Group, alleging copyright violations through artist poaching and unauthorized song uploads to YouTube. The lawsuit centers on multiple forms of alleged copyright infringement and contract interference.
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According to the complaint, Create Music Group allegedly:
- Uploaded APG artists' songs to streaming services without permission
- Collected royalties without authorization
- Approached APG-signed artists with YouTube monetization deals
- Made false claims about APG's performance to lure artists
- Misled artists about contract violations
Create Music Group has dismissed the allegations as "unfounded," suggesting APG is struggling to adapt to digital changes in the music industry. Founded in 2015, Create has established itself through YouTube royalties collection and owns several music-related businesses, including Label Engine and Flighthouse.
This isn't Create's first legal challenge. In 2022, multiple executives reported instances of Create claiming unauthorized YouTube royalties. In 2023, DigiGlo sued Create over similar allegations involving over 400 works on YouTube, with that case still pending.
Create's co-founder Jonathan Strauss previously defended the company's practices, noting they had never been sued by lawyers or managers for their activities prior to these recent legal challenges.
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