Paul McCartney Sues Sony/ATV For Beatles Music Rights

Paul McCartney

Former BEATLE PAUL MCCARTNEY has filed suit against SONY/ATV MUSIC PUBLISHING in a NEW YORK federal court, seeking the copyrights to music of his former band, REUTERS reports. It seeks a declaration from the court that MCCARTNEY can reclaim his copyright interests in the songs, as well as attorneys' fees.

In OCTOBER, 2008, the famed artist began sending notices to SONY/ATV MUSIC PUBLISHING of his desire to reclaim the copyrights of songs he and JOHN LENNON co-wrote from SEPTEMBER 1962 to JUNE 1971. His lawyers continued to press SONY/ATV to acknowledge the musician's rights to terminate copyright transfers of the music, and the company has declined to do so. The suit said the singer-songwriter would be able to begin to reclaim his rights to the music as of next OCTOBER under the U.S. Copyright Act.

"Because the earliest of PAUL MCCARTNEY's terminations will take effect in 2018, a judicial declaration is necessary and appropriate at this time so that PAUL MCCARTNEY can rely on quiet, unclouded title to his rights," the suit said.

SONY/ATV MUSIC PUBLISHING called the lawsuit "unnecessary and premature," noting in an official statement, "SONY/ATV has the highest respect for SIR PAUL MCCARTNEY With whom we have enjoyed a long and mutually rewarding relationship with respect to the treasured LENNON & MCCARTNEY song catalog. We are disappointed that they have filed this lawsuit, which we believe is both unnecessary and premature."

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