Sony, UMG and other labels settle lawsuit vs. the Internet Archive over the Great 78 Project

In 2023 Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group and several other labels sued the Internet Archive over its Great 78 Project, which digitized 78 rpm shellac records. The parties have now filed that they reached a confidential settlement and will file to dismiss the lawsuit within 45 days.

Key points

• Settlement is confidential; details not disclosed and the Archive said it will have no further public comment.
• The original complaint focused on thousands of recordings (initially 2,749, later amended to 4,142) including artists like Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Miles Davis and Louis Armstrong.
• Labels argued the tracks face no risk of loss since they are available through music services; had the court sided with labels, damages could have been up to $150,000 per recording.
• Background: the Internet Archive previously lost a suit by publishers over the National Emergency Library, where fair use was rejected on appeal.

What this means for preservation, access and copyright law remains to be seen. Read more: https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/music/sony-and-other-music-labels-settle-copyright-lawsuit-against-the-internet-archive-130023986.html