5 Music Copyright Lawsuits
Underwriters Should Know
Five public cases over music in brand social media, and the underwriting lesson in each.
By Liam Doolan, Founder & Director
Most music copyright claims against brands settle privately. The ones that reach court are a small window onto a much larger volume of demands, but they show clearly how the exposure works and where it lands. All figures below come from public filings and press coverage, and claimed amounts are not settlements or judgments.
1. Marriott: franchise accounts count
Sony Music's claim against Marriott covered recordings used across hotel and franchisee social posts, with claims reported at around $140M. The case settled. Lesson: exposure follows every account posting under the brand, not just the corporate handle. Location and franchise accounts belong in scope.
Coverage: Music Business Worldwide
2. Crumbl: viral brands carry concentrated risk
Warner Music Group sued Crumbl in 2025 over 159 songs allegedly used in its social posts, with statutory damages reported around $24M. The parties settled in 2026. Lesson: brands built on social-first marketing can accumulate hundreds of potential violations quickly.
Coverage: Billboard
3. Chili's: hospitality is squarely in scope
Universal Music Group's claim against Brinker International, parent of Chili's, cited unlicensed songs in 62 social media videos, with claims reported around $12M. It settled. Lesson: restaurant and hospitality groups, some of the most common insureds in any book, are active targets.
Coverage: Bloomberg Law
4. Gymshark: ads and influencer content
Sony Music sued Gymshark in 2021 over 297 recordings allegedly used in TikTok and Instagram ads, statutory exposure of up to roughly $44M at the per-work maximum. It settled in 2022. Lesson: paid social and influencer campaigns multiply exposure, and fitness brands run on music.
Coverage: Bloomberg Law
5. Bang Energy: the platform library is not a licence
In 2022 a US federal court granted summary judgment finding Bang Energy liable for music in its TikTok videos, including influencer videos posted on its behalf. Lesson: access to a song inside the app does not mean a brand has the right to use it commercially, and brands can be liable for content they did not post themselves.
Coverage: Digital Music News
What this means for your book
Each of these businesses looked like an ordinary risk on paper. The exposure was sitting in public, in their own feeds, the whole time. Measuring it before binding, and again at renewal, turns an unpriced tail into a number you can underwrite.