My Block Records settles $1m royalty case against SRG after 15 days

My Block Records has settled its royalty lawsuit against distributor SRG/ILS Group just 15 days after filing it.

The gospel label withdrew its case in New York federal court on October 2, according to court papers. It had filed the complaint on September 17 seeking more than $1 million in alleged unpaid royalties. Music Business Worldwide

The claim centred on three albums with more than 113 million streams. My Block said SRG, the distributor hired to put music on streaming services and pass earnings back to the label, had never sent a single royalty statement, the regular accounting that shows what is owed and how the total was worked out.

The October 2021 licensing deal at the heart of the case covered three releases. They were Brand New by Lena Byrd Miles, Four Walls by The Walls Group and I Love You by Erica Campbell. My Block is the label founded by producer Warryn Campbell, the husband of Erica Campbell.

My Block said the agreements with SRG ended in December 2023. SRG kept the right to distribute the My Block releases through March 1, 2024, a wind-down period in which it could still sell and stream the music while the handover was finalised.

The dismissal notice says My Block “voluntarily dismisses the action without prejudice as the parties reached a settlement prior to joinder”. In plain terms, the label asked the court to close the case because a deal had been reached before SRG had formally answered the claim. Without prejudice means the case is closed for now but has not been decided on its merits.

The terms were not disclosed. The case lasted 15 days.

Billboard first reported the settlement. SRG said in a statement to Billboard that it had resolved the matter with My Block Inc. and wished My Block continued success.

I Love You, the 2023 gospel album by Erica Campbell named in the dispute, was nominated for Best Gospel Album at the 66th Grammy Awards. Billboard

For listeners, the speed is the story. A fortnight-long court fight means no long public battle over the streaming money behind those three records, and no court ruling on who owed what.