Global Music Rights is suing Vermont Broadcast Associates for the station group’s repeated infringement of copyrighted songs licensed by GMR.

GMR has identified more than 1,600 instances of willful infringement by the seven-outlet VBA.

VBA is a member of the Radio Music License Committee that settled litigations with GMR in 2022. VBA did not to enter into a GMR license that other U.S. radio stations accepted.

Prior to filing the lawsuit, GMR repeatedly offered a license to VBA. When GMR received no response, GMR sent a cease-and-desist letter to VBA. GMR’s outside counsel, O’Melveny & Myers, subsequently sent VBA infringement notices. VBA took no action to stop performing the GMR songs, settle its prior infringements, or enter into a license with GMR. GMR then filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against VBA.

“While we only turn to litigation as a last resort, it is long established U.S. law that GMR’s clients’ copyrighted works cannot be publicly performed without a license,” GMR General Counsel Emio Zizza said. “All the radio stations that have entered into a GMR license and are paying their fees deserve the benefit of that license. Station groups who don’t want to pay for a GMR license are not entitled to play GMR’s immensely popular catalog of songs, depriving creators of their due.”

GMR is asking the court to require the defendants to pay maximum statutory damages in an amount not less than $150k per GMR composition infringed.

GMR, one of four PROs, represents just over 150 songwriters and their associated publishers, including Bruce Springsteen, Bruno Mars, Drake, Pharrell Williams, John Lennon and Eagles.