Sony Music Entertainment (SME) faces a new copyright lawsuit from Ultra International Music Publishing, which alleges "willful, ongoing, and massive piracy" of their musical works.

This latest legal action adds to an existing dispute that stems from SME's acquisition of Ultra Records. In 2012, Sony purchased 50% of Ultra Records (excluding publishing), followed by complete acquisition in early 2022. The original agreement allowed Patrick Moxey to continue operating Ultra International Music Publishing under its original name.

The conflict escalated when:

• SME attempted to terminate the name-licensing arrangement
• Sony sued to remove "Ultra" from the separate publisher
• A jury trial for this dispute began recently

The new lawsuit alleges that:

• An audit revealed unpaid royalties for Ultra's compositions
• Sony continues to use Ultra's works without proper licensing
• The alleged infringement occurs across streaming platforms, sync activities, and physical releases
• Sony directly approached Ultra-published songwriters (including Flavour, Allie Crystal, Purple Disco Machine, and Rudimental) to obtain licenses

Despite multiple written demands to cease the alleged infringement, Ultra Publishing claims Sony and its subsidiaries "flatly and unequivocally refuse to do so." The publisher seeks damages for both copyright infringement and interference with songwriter contracts.

The defendants in this case include:

• Sony Music Entertainment
• Ultra Records
• AWAL
• Various Sony subsidiaries

The case continues to develop as both the original trial and this new lawsuit proceed through the legal system.

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