• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content

Harvard Journal of Sports and Entertainment Law

  • About Us
    • JSEL Leadership
    • Contact
  • Print Edition
    • Previous Editions
    • Submissions
  • Online Content
    • Career Spotlights
    • Highlights
    • Sponsor Articles
    • Commentary
  • Special Issues
    • Special Issue 2020: Name, Image, and Likeness
    • Special Issue Fall 2021 – NCAA v. Alston
  • Events
    • Symposium

“Happy Birthday” Suit Settled for $14 Million

hlsjrnldev · February 10, 2016 · Leave a Comment

 

pastedGraphic.png

This past Monday, Warner Music agreed to pay $14 million dollars to end its lawsuit involving the rights to the song “Happy Birthday to You.” Back in 2014, a film producer and two New York music producers filed the class action lawsuit after paying exorbitant licensing fees for use of the popular song. One plaintiff, Jennifer Nelson, was asked to pay $1,500 to use the song in her documentary about the history of “Happy Birthday.” Some plaintiffs allegedly paid up to six-figures to use the song. In September, a federal judge concluded that Warner had not properly acquired rights to “Happy Birthday,” declaring that it was in the public domain. According to the Hollywood Reporter, the recent settlement will allow Warner to avoid a potentially more costly trial. The price of settling is still steep though—last week, Warner attributed an operating loss in its quarterly earnings to the “Happy Birthday” settlement. Warner expected to continue to earn licensing fees on until 2030. The fees would add up to $14 million to $16.5 million dollars, according to the plaintiff’s IP expert. This number appears to be the source of the $14 million settlement figure.

Filed Under: Highlight Tagged With: Happy Birthday, intellectual property, licensing, music

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Contact Us

Journal of Sports and Entertainment Law: jsel@mail.law.harvard.edu

Committee on Sports and Entertainment Law: csel@mail.law.harvard.edu

Copyright © 2023 · Daily Dish Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in