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# The Week In Music Publishing 1.27.12
- URL: https://www.hypebot.com/this-week-in-music-publishing-jan-27-2012/
- Published: 2012-01-27T11:23:51.000Z
- Updated: 2012-01-27T11:23:51.000Z
- Description: There may be trouble afoot for EMI and its two separate businesses – recording and publishing – are heading towards merger with Universal and Sony respectively. With EMI set to meet with. Continue reading [https://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2012/01/this-week-in-music-publishing-jan-27-2012.html]
- Author: admin
- Tags: Songwriting & Music Publishing, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-01-21 10:55

**[![image from www.google.com](http://hypebot.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451b36c69e20168e6308c2b970c-120wi "image from www.google.com")](http://hypebot.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451b36c69e20168e6308c2b970c-popup?ref=hypebot.com)**

**There may be trouble afoot for EMI** and its two separate businesses – recording and publishing – are heading towards merger with Universal and Sony respectively. With [EMI set to meet with lenders in New York City](http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-01-26/emi-music-said-to-set-lender-meeting-on-1-8-billion-in-loans.html?ref=hypebot.com) to discuss the **$1.8 billion loans** needed to support the Sony Corp acquisition, there are rumblings that of a [battle with independent labels](http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/markets/article-24030903-is-universal-emi-merger-good-for-music-biz.do?ref=hypebot.com) to halt the deal – Universal's acquisition of EMI would give them near **40% market share of the recorded music industry.** If Universal loses this battle, it may effect both Universal and Sony's ability to merge with the branches of EMI.

**MORE:**

- **[Sony/ATV Music Publishing filed a legal action in Nashville against karaoke giant KTS Karaoke](http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/karaoke-lawsuit-kts-sony-283540?ref=hypebot.com)** for the willful copyright infringement of 6,715 songs. Sony is claiming that any time a bar or club patron has performed one of the songs they own, the act is infringing on their copyright to the music – even though though the music has been re-recorded by KTS Karaoke.
- **The gloves were off also for Ray Dorset, frontman for Mungo Jerry**, the '70s group responsible for the smash hit *In The Summertime*, whose management company is **[suing Associated Music International](http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2089980/Nazi-twist-Mungo-Jerry-stars-2m-royalties-battle-hit-song-In-The-Summertime.html?ito=feeds-newsxml&ref=hypebot.com)** (AMI) claiming the company made deductions from his royalties without his knowledge. The lawsuit took an interesting turn when AMI alleged that Dorset was involved in creating an anti-Semitic film called *Nail That Snail* in which AMI's Eliot Cohen's head was superimposed onto the body of a Nazi.
- Also in court, there's a **royalty battle involving the late [country singer Jim Reeves' widow and the man she remarried](http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120125/BUSINESS01/301250090/Jim-Reeves-royalties-fight-focuses-treatment-singer-s-widow?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7CFRONTPAGE%7Cs&ref=hypebot.com)** over how much money and land from the Reeves estate he should be entitled to. In this week's big deals: publishing rights to the [Irving Berlin catalog](http://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/101403/umpg-lands-irving-berlin-catalog?ref=hypebot.com) has picked up by Universal Music Publishing Group; the entire [5-decade long career catalog of music by Pete Townsend](http://www.marketwatch.com/story/spirit-music-acquires-classic-song-catalog-of-pete-townshend-and-the-who-partners-with-rock-icon-in-promoting-legacy-and-future-work-2012-01-24?ref=hypebot.com) has been acquired by Spirit Music Group.
- **Spirit Music Group** also announced that they're the **[first U.S.-based member of IMPEL](http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/industry/legal-and-management/spirit-music-group-joins-impel-pan-european-1005981152.story?ref=hypebot.com) (Independent Music Publishers' European Licensing**) – an initiative launched by the U.K two years ago to allow music publishers with American repertoires to successfully navigate the pan-European digital music licensing space.
- More encouraging news from the digital music services, with **[Spotify announcing its 3 millionth paid customer](http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/blogs/gear-up/spotify-reaches-3-million-subscribers-while-rhapsody-aims-to-relaunch-napster-in-europe-20120127?ref=hypebot.com)** – up from 2.5 million just two months.

[![Songtrust](http://blog.songtrust.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/SongtrustLogo.jpg)](http://www.songtrust.com/?ref=hypebot.com)

**This music publishing roundup is posted weekly by [Songtrust](http://www.songtrust.com/?ref=hypebot.com) – royalty collection for all songwriters.*