What was the core issue in the Pandora comedian royalties lawsuit?

The core issue was whether comedians should receive royalties for spoken-word content streamed on Pandora similar to how music artists are compensated for both sound recordings and underlying written compositions.

Did comedians win their fight for music-like royalty structures on Pandora?

While a settlement was reached, Pandora's parent company stated that the agreement does not grant comedians past royalties or future licenses for spoken-word rights, indicating they did not fully achieve their initial goal.

What was the outcome of the Pandora and comedian settlement?

A confidential settlement was reached, with Pandora affirming the legality of their existing licensing practices for spoken-word comedy recordings.

Home / Arts and Entertainment / Pandora Settles Comedian Royalties Lawsuit

Pandora Settles Comedian Royalties Lawsuit

3 Feb

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Summary

Pandora and comedians reached a confidential settlement in a royalties dispute.
The lawsuit aimed to align spoken-word royalties with music streaming standards.
Pandora maintains its current licensing practices for spoken-word content.

Pandora Settles Comedian Royalties Lawsuit

A confidential settlement has been reached between Pandora and a group of comedians over streaming royalties for spoken-word content. The dispute, initiated in 2022, involved nine comedians and their heirs, including notable figures like George Lopez and the estates of Robin Williams and George Carlin. They had sought to establish a royalty system for comedy similar to that of music streaming, which compensates for both recordings and the underlying written material.

Pandora's parent company, SiriusXM, confirmed the settlement but clarified that it does not provide the comedians with past royalties or future licenses for spoken-word rights. A spokesperson for SiriusXM expressed satisfaction with the resolution, stating it upholds the legality of Pandora's long-standing licensing approach for comedy recordings and that they anticipate continuing their relationship with comedians using standard industry practices.