Michael McDonald Sues His Label For Underpaid Royalties

Michael McDonald

MICHAEL MCDONALD has filed a lawsuit in NASHVILLE against WARNER MUSIC GROUP, claiming WMG underpaid him for online music sales. MCDONALD is suing for at least a half-million dollars in royalties suit claims were deliberately underpaid for sales through iTUNES and for cellphone ringtone sales.

THE TENNESSEAN reports "MCDONALD's lawsuit is the latest in a growing list of breach-of-contract suits brought by artists against the nation’s major record labels over accounting and payment practices for music sold and streamed online. Since DECEMBER, country singer KENNY ROGERS, rocker PETER FRAMPTON, 'WEIRD AL' YANKOVIC, members of the 1980s rock band TOTO and an heir to the drummer for 1970s-era rock band THE KNACK have filed suit on similar grounds."

NASHVILLE attorney RICHARD BUSCH represents all the musicians, and told the paper more suits are likely. "We continue to be contacted by similarly situated artists who are interested in pursuing similar claims."

« see more Net News