Fitness Company Peloton Settles Legal Fight With Music Publishers

Variety reports

Peloton settled a lawsuit filed by members of the U.S.’s music-publishing trade organization that had sought more than $300 million in damages over the interactive-fitness company’s alleged use of 2,468 unlicensed songs.

The National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA), which represents American music publishers and songwriters, and Peloton together announced that they have “fully settled” the litigation brought last year by 14 NMPA members.

Financial terms of the settlement were not disclosed. As part of the agreement, Peloton and the trade association have entered into a “joint collaboration agreement and will work together to further optimize Peloton’s music-licensing systems and processes.”

On Feb. 5, Peloton in reporting results for the December 2019 quarter disclosed “content costs for past use” of $1.0 million for 2019 and $5.1 million for 2018, under agreements “whereby we are released from all potential licensor claims regarding our alleged past use of copyrighted material in our content in exchange for a mutually-agreed payment.” It’s not clear whether any of those payments fall under the NMPA settlement.

More at. https://variety.com/2020/digital/news/peloton-settles-music-publishers-lawsuit-1203517495/