Musk's X, major labels end dispute over music on social-media platform

Musk’s X and major music labels have agreed to end their dispute over music on the X social-media platform, according to federal court filings dated July 17. The group of publishers, including Universal Music Group and Sony Music, asked a Tennessee federal court to dismiss their lawsuit accusing X Corp of infringing hundreds of copyrights by letting users post songs without licenses. X Corp and the labels also sought dismissal of X’s countersuit in Texas, which alleged the publishers conspired to block competition and forced licensing at inflated rates. The filings requested the courts dismiss the claims with prejudice, meaning they cannot be refiled. A group of 17 publishers sued X in Nashville in 2023 seeking more than $250 million for alleged infringement of nearly 1,700 copyrights. In 2024, the court dismissed much of the original case after X convinced the judge that X could not be held liable for direct or vicarious infringement, though part of the contributory claim continued.