The Turtles File Lawsuit Against Sirius XM

Flo & Eddie of rock band The Turtles have filed a lawsuit that claims Sirius XM has infringed the rights of millions of older recordings made before Feb. 15, 1972, from numerous artists, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The Turtles are known for several hits including 1965’s “It Ain’t Me Babe,” 1966’s “You Baby” and 1967’s “Happy Together.”

The class action lawsuit states that damages are allegedly at least $100 million.

The legal dispute centers around recordings made prior to Feb. 15, 1972, the day that sound recordings began falling under federal copyright protection. Laws covering recorded music created prior to this date are not as clear. Yet Sirius XM transmits thousands of pre-1972 recordings, under the confidence that the §114 of the Copyright Act gives the company the authority to do so. The §114 of the Copyright Act states limitations on exclusive rights and structures the way owners are compensated for their recordings.

The duo filed a complaint on Thursday (Aug. 1) stating that the federal law cannot be relied upon in situations involving pre-1972 music being played on satellite radio. The complaint can be viewed here.

Mark Volman (aka “Flo”) has also been part of the faculty of Belmont University’s Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business. In June 2013, for the second consecutive year, 10 Belmont University students joined Volman on the road for an East Coast run of the Happy Together Tour.