Sony Music Entertainment (SME) and Ultra Records have filed a lawsuit against Moody Recordings over an allegedly unauthorized version of the house track "Dancin" by Aaron Smith. The legal dispute centers on a potential violation of a 2014 licensing agreement.

Key Details of the Case:

• In June 2014, Moody and Sony Music signed an exclusive 10-year licensing agreement for "Dancin"
• The agreement covered all versions except the "Laidback Luke Remix"
• SME transferred exclusive rights to Ultra for Canada and US distribution
• In 2019, Moody allegedly released an unauthorized version that gained over 200 million Spotify streams

Legal Claims:

• Copyright infringement (vicarious and contributory)
• Breach of contract
• Estimated damages exceed $1 million
• Sony seeks 4-year contract extension to compensate for the breach period

The lawsuit also targets Moody Recordings' owners Jonas Tempel and William Renkosik (DJ Bad Boy Bill), claiming:

• Personal liability for the company's actions
• Allegation that Moody is their "alter ego" without genuine corporate existence
• Failure to maintain proper corporate documentation and formalities

The unauthorized version has reportedly caused "irreparable harm" to the original track's popularity and resulted in substantial financial losses for Sony Music Spain and Ultra Records. As of the filing, the defendants have not publicly responded to the allegations.

Related Articles

Previous Articles