Global Music Rights and Music Choice Settle Copyright Case Over 95 Songs
Global Music Rights (GMR) has settled its copyright infringement lawsuit against Music Choice, ending a dispute over the unauthorised performance of 95 songs. The case was dismissed with prejudice on August 7 in the US District Court for the Central District of California, according to a joint stipulation filed by both parties Music Business Worldwide.
A dismissal "with prejudice" means GMR cannot refile the same claims. Each side will bear its own attorneys' fees, costs and expenses.
GMR, a performance rights organisation that licenses the public performance of songs on behalf of songwriters and composers, filed the lawsuit on June 8. The complaint alleged that Music Choice continued to publicly perform 95 copyrighted compositions after a licensing agreement between the two companies lapsed on December 31, 2025. GMR characterised the unauthorised use as "willful" infringement Music Business Worldwide.
The songs at issue included works by major-name writers. An exhibit to the complaint named Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run" and "Dancing in the Dark," along with "Bad Guy" and "What Was I Made For?" by Billie Eilish and Finneas. GMR had sought the maximum statutory damages of USD $150,000 per composition — a potential ceiling of roughly USD $14.25 million — plus a permanent injunction and recovery of attorneys' fees and costs Music Business Worldwide.
The settlement arrived just ahead of a court deadline. The judge had twice extended Music Choice's time to respond to the complaint, first to July 27 and then to August 10. The joint stipulation of dismissal was filed the day before that second deadline expired.
GMR General Counsel Emio Zizza said in a statement that the organisation "only turns to litigation as a last resort" and that clients' copyrighted works cannot be publicly performed without a license Music Business Worldwide.
The Music Choice case was the fifth copyright infringement suit GMR has filed in federal court since October 2022. In that month, GMR launched three separate cases against Red Wolf Broadcasting, One Putt Broadcasting, and a joint grouping of Southern Stone Communications and Black Crow Media Group. GMR settled with Red Wolf and One Putt on January 20, 2023. Terms of those settlements were not disclosed.
For Music Choice, a digital music service that delivers curated audio channels to cable and satellite subscribers, the settlement closes a case that carried a potential eight-figure liability. For GMR, it adds another resolution to a litigation strategy that has now produced settlements in at least two of its five federal copyright filings. The terms of the Music Choice settlement itself have not been made public.
