Parkwood Fights Back in Beyoncé Sample Lawsuit

Parkwood Entertainment has filed a motion to dismiss a copyright infringement lawsuit concerning the sample featured at the beginning of Beyoncé's 2022 track 'Alien Superstar.' The legal challenge comes from Soundmen on Wax Records, which asserts ownership of the 1998 song 'Moonraker,' the source of the sample. Parkwood contends that it obtained the necessary licenses for both the recording and composition directly from the artist John Holiday for $10,000 and a share of future royalties.

The core of the dispute lies in whether John Holiday was the correct party to grant the license, as Soundmen on Wax claims to have acquired the rights to 'Moonraker' in 1998. However, Parkwood's legal team states that there is no documentation supporting this alleged transfer of rights. Without such evidence, Parkwood argues it could not have been aware of any conflicting claims to 'Moonraker,' rendering the lawsuit unfounded.

Parkwood maintains that its good-faith, nonexclusive license from Holiday supersedes any undocumented claims. Supported by Sony Music and Warner Chappell, Parkwood views the lawsuit as meritless and easily dismissible. This legal battle is one of several sample-related lawsuits that have arisen following the release of Beyoncé's critically acclaimed album 'Renaissance,' which prominently features various samples and interpolations.