National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA) members Downtown Music Publishing, Pulse Music Publishing, ole, peermusic, Ultra Music, Big Deal Music, Reservoir, Round Hill, TRO Essex Music Group, and The Royalty Network have filed a lawsuit against the digitally-connected workout company, Peloton, for infringement of more than a thousand musical works. The plaintiffs are seeking damages of over $150 million.

While the fitness technology company has licensed with some of the music publishing industry, it has failed to do so with a significant number of publishers, leaving a great deal of income lost to songwriters.

NMPA President & CEO David Israelite said:

“Music is a core part of the Peloton business model and is responsible for much of the brand’s swift success. Thousands of exclusive videos and playlists are a major reason hundreds of thousands of people have purchased Peloton products.

“Unfortunately, instead of recognizing the integral role of songwriters to its company, Peloton has built its business by using their work without their permission or fair compensation for years.

“It is frankly unimaginable that a company of this size and sophistication would think it could exploit music in this way without the proper licenses for this long, and we look forward to getting music creators what they deserve.”

Peloton has released thousands of music-driven videos that include unlicensed music recorded by artists such as Rihanna, Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Justin Timberlake, Shawn Mendes, Ed Sheeran, Wiz Khalifa, Thomas Rhett, Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, Florida Georgia Line, Drake, Gwen Stefani and many more.

The company has been alleged to be willfully infringing since it launched at-home streaming capabilities in 2014. The brand offers a subscription service with over 13,000 workouts and the company was recently valued at $4 billion.

Florida Georgia Line, Eric Church, Dierks Bentley, Brooks & Dunn, Brandi Carlile, Kelly Clarkson, Luke Combs, Dan+Shay, and Ashley McBryde have been added to the powerhouse lineup of performers for the upcoming 54^th Academy Of Country Music Awards.

Those artists join the previously announced performers including Brothers Osborne, Kane Brown, Miranda Lambert, Little Big Town, Reba McEntire, Maren Morris, Thomas Rhett, Chris Stapleton and George Strait along with ACM Dick Clark Artist of the Decade Award honoree Jason Aldean. Additional acts and presenters will be announced in the coming weeks.

The awards telecast, hosted by Reba McEntire, will air live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, April 7, 2019 at 8:00 PM ET on CBS.

SESAC is hosting a special showcase during Tin Pan South featuring affiliate songwriters Cary Barlowe, Craig Campbell, Rob Hatch and Josh Hoge at the Analog at Hutton Hotel at 9 p.m., on Wednesday, March 27.

The PRO has been a sponsor of the five-day songwriters festival, which brings together over 250 writers to showcase their talents, for more than 20 years.

The four accomplished writers will swap stories and songs during the event. Hoge recently celebrated a No. 1 hit with Chris Young’s “Hangin’ On” at the end of 2018, Barlowe co-wrote Young’s newest single, “Raised On Country,” Hatch co-wrote a cut on Florida Georgia Line’s newest album Can’t Say I Ain’t Country titled “Can’t Hide Red,” and Campbell released his latest EP, See You Try last summer.

Kane Brown’s Experiment Goes Gold, “Lose It” Goes Platinum

Kane Brown is doubling up this week with the Gold certification of his album Experiment and the Platinum certification of his third career No. 1 “Lose It.” The certifications come on the heels of his ACM-nominated hit “Heaven” being certified 4X Platinum, making Brown one of only five country acts with multiple 4X Platinum hits, including Luke Bryan, Florida Georgia Line, Sam Hunt and Taylor Swift.

The updated Platinum certifications of both “Lose It” and “Heaven” follow Brown’s earlier certification of his chart-topping single “What Ifs” as 4X Platinum. Brown’s “Heaven” is also nominated for Single of the Year at the 2019 ACM Awards and was country radio’s most-played airplay hit of 2018.

 

Amber Williams Starts Boutique Public Relations Entertainment Agency, Beaucoup Media

Music executive Amber Williams has started Beaucoup Media, a boutique public relations entertainment agency that specializes in bespoke media campaigns and distinct event activations for lifestyle brands.

Williams’ has nearly 20 years of experience in the entertainment industry, most recently serving as the Vice President of Communications and Talent Relations for The Country Music Association in Nashville, overseeing media for the CMA Awards, CMA Fest, and Country Music Hall of Fame Induction announcement press conference, as well as booking the CMA Songwriters Series. Prior to that she spearheaded opening a New York City office for Beck Media where she led a team for six years while working with clients Amazon, Hulu, National Geographic Channel, Netflix, Sony Pictures International Television and The Wendy Williams Show. Williams entered the Nashville music business scene originally via Universal Music Nashville in 2004. She launched her public relations career in 2000 in Los Angeles at Sony Pictures International Television, followed by the then newly-formed cable network Hallmark Channel.

Contact Williams at amber@beaucoupmedia.co or www.beaucoupmedia.co.

 

Jerry Lee Lewis Transferred To Rehabilitation Center Following Stroke

After suffering a stroke and spending two weeks in the hospital, Jerry Lee Lewis has been transferred to a rehabilitation center.

“Jerry Lee Lewis is expected to fully recover with aggressive and intensive rehab. From what I have seen thus far, he is heading in the right direction,” said Dr. Rohini Bhole, M.D., Lewis’ Neurologist.

As such, Lewis will unfortunately have to cancel his appearances on April 28 at the New Orleans Jazz Festival, May 18 at the Tennessee Theatre in Knoxville, Tenn. and on June 8 at The Birchmere in Alexandria, Va.