Stella Lefty Song Debate, Lil Durk Verdict, Bruce Springsteen Ruling & More Top Music Law News
Categoria: Musica
In this week's Legal Beat newsletter, the Stella Lefty plagiarism controversy, a verdict clearing Lil Durk, a ruling for Bruce and much more.
Por Billboard | 16/09/2026
THE BIG STORY: They say all press is good press. They say that, right? Well, Stella Lefty is currently testing the absolute limits of the theory. Amid a meteoric rise, the country singer is the talk of the music industry. That’s partly because her viral breakout “Boston” is currently sitting at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 after 23 total weeks on the chart. But it’s also partly because large segments of the internet thinks she copied her way to the top. Related Stella Lefty Critics Say She Copied Old Hit Songs. Here’s What the Experts Say Billboard to Add Smart Media Albums As Chart-Eligible Sales Formats Duane 'Keffe D' Davis Gives First Interview After Tupac Shakur Murder Conviction “Boston” has a songwriting credit for Noah Kahan , owing to its similarities to his own megahit “Stick Season.” Another track, “Summer You Were Mine,” is an interpolation of The Chicks ’ 1998 hit “There’s Your Trouble.” And three more Stella songs have drawn plagiarism hackles on social media. Songs that sound similar are hardly a new phenomenon in the music industry, especially in pop and country, and such overlap is rarely the result of outright theft. And industry experts say the Stella situation is basically no different — similar sounds, but likely not infringement. And yet, here we are. The Washington Post called the criticism of Lefty “some of the most intense online vitriol in recent memory.” Rolling Stone said the internet is “tearing Stella Lefty apart.” So sure, this stuff happens a lot — but rarely does everyone get this mad about it. You’re reading the Legal Beat , a weekly newsletter about music law from Billboard Pro , offering you a one-stop cheat sheet of big new cases, important rulings and all the fun stuff in between. To get the newsletter in your inbox every Tuesday, subscribe here . Other top stories this week… — Lil Durk was acquitted on all charges over an alleged murder-for-hire plot to kill rival Quando Rondo . It was a big win for the rapper, but he’s still facing another trial next month on racketeering charges. — Cyril Vetter, the songwriter who won a landmark ruling on copyright termination, urged the Supreme Court to reject efforts by major music companies to overturn it, telling the justices there is no “emergency” and that publishers are “doing just fine.” — Macklemore was fired from Ed Sheeran ’s tour for making pro-Palestine statements on stage, sparking controversy and an exodus of all of Sheeran’s other supporting acts . It’s not a legal story (for now, at least), but raises many questions about the contracts that papered the tour. — Universal Music Group filed a scathing lawsuit against DistroKid, accusing the huge DIY distributor of flooding streamers with “AI-generated slop” and “polluting the listening experience.” — AI music firm Suno rolled out a new model created in “partnership” with Warner Music Group and other music companies. What exactly does that mean? It depends on who