Sony Music, several of its subsidiaries, and Designer Brands, the parent company of DSW, have reached a settlement in principle in their social media copyright lawsuit in the United States, according to a joint notice filed with the court.
The filing says the parties will finalize details through a "negotiation and execution" process. They also asked the court to clear the case’s scheduled hearings.
Settlement terms still to come#
Specific terms have not been disclosed. Designer Brands, which trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker DBI, may provide more information in forthcoming earnings reports.
Related lawsuits remain active#
Warner Music has a separate but similar complaint against DSW that is still pending. A settlement conference took place in late July, and the docket has been mostly quiet since then, indicating a resolution may be near.
The court also recently shelved a conference in a third action, filed by DSW seeking a non-infringement declaratory judgment. Sony Music defeated that case earlier in August, but Universal Music and BMG remain defendants.
Shift toward pre-cleared music#
DSW and many other brands have moved away from pairing their newest TikTok and Instagram uploads with major label hits.
DSW has not stopped using music entirely. Most, but not all, of the songs it now uses are classified as "original audio" and appear to come from libraries and labels that specialize in social media tracks.
Pre-cleared libraries offer:
- Large song selections
- Faster turnarounds
- One-stop licenses covering worldwide uses in perpetuity
These features are expected to support continued growth for pre-cleared libraries.
