Spotify has reportedly been hit with a massive lawsuit. Wixen Music Publishing has reportedly slapped the Swedish streaming company with a $1.6 billion copyright lawsuit for using music without obtaining the correct license, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
According to the latest report, Spotify is accused of using tens of thousands of music material from various artists without a license and compensation. “Spotify brazenly disregards United States Copyright law and has committed willful, ongoing copyright infringement,” the complaint reads. “Wixen notified Spotify that it had neither obtained a direct or compulsory mechanical license for the use of the Works. For these reasons and the foregoing, Wixen is entitled to the maximum statutory relief.”
Spotify’s legal team reportedly argues that Wixen’s contracts with songwriters do not allow the company to file claims on their behalf.
Spotify has been hit with a number of copyright infringement lawsuits throughout its history as a company. In July 2017, Spotify proposed a $43 million settlement with several publishers and songwriters regarding the matter, THR reports.
If the streaming company loses this lawsuit, it will reportedly be required to “develop and implement procedures for identifying and properly licensing songs.”