Three old farts owned by Sony? Well, yes, but they also just sued MP3.com:
- Rock stars Bob Dylan, Billy Joel and James Taylor filed a lawsuit against Vivendi Universal's MP3.com music Web site for allegedly distributing their songs without authorization, sources familiar with the suit said on Tuesday.
A spokesman for MP3.com declined comment.
Sources familiar with both the artists and the company said they had been made aware of the lawsuit in the last few days.
The artists are not the first to sue MP3.com, which was the target of major litigation brought against it on behalf of the world's major record labels in January 2000 for infringement.
MP3.com settled the copyright battle by paying out about $175 million and was then later bought by Vivendi Universal, one of its legal foes, for about $372 million.
The pioneering music portal sparked the wrath of the recording industry with its My.MP3.com service, which allowed users to register compact discs they own through the company's software and then listen to that music on any computer hooked into the Internet.
Before launching the service, the company failed to get permission from record labels and publishers.
In January, MP3.com sued its former counsel for fraud and legal malpractice, claiming its lawyers advised MP3.com that its My.Mp3.com service was a legal undertaking.
The musicians' suit, reportedly filed Tuesday in Manhattan federal court, claims MP3.com digitally copied their tracks from commercial CDs and then offered the music files to users.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Evan
my favorite artists include Billy Joel James Taylor Elton John
2 - Evan
my favorite music is Billy Joel Elton John and James Taylor
3 - Evan
my favorite singers are Elton John James Taylor and Billy Joel
4 - Evan
i like Billy Joel Elton John and James Taylor music i dont like is rap hiphop disco and funk grunge and heavy metal and punk artist i dont like are the Villiage people McHammer and Carl Douglas
5 - Evan
i never thought Billy Joel Elton John and James Taylor could infleaunce Bob Dylan the Beatles and Simon and Garfunckle
6 - Evan
okay next thursday im going to a classic rock concert
7 - Evan
i meant on next wendesday not thursday
8 - Evan
i like James Taylor and Billy Joel not Hilary Duff
9 - Evan
i wont buy a cd from Hilary Duff i hate Hilary Duff and Farrah you cry like that not me
10 - Evan
i like Billy Joel Cat Stevens Elton John and James Taylor not Hilary Duff
11 - Evan
and Farah youre stupid not me im too old to get called a spoiled brat now Farah im gonna punch you if you dont run is that understood my friend
12 - Evan
Farahs not gonna mess with me again just like i took care of Amy Juilanne Fred and Jaryd
13 - Evan
Cat Stevens Elton John and John Denver rock
14 - Evan
i whooped Farahs butt
15 - Evan
Farah cries like that not me im not obsessed i dont use that word i will whoop Farah
16 - Evan
anyway im gonna come off of that Elton John should have been on the cosby show not Stevie Wonder
17 - Evan
im not obsessed now im gonna come of of it
18 - Evan
Billy Joel in a disney adventure magazine
19 - Evan
Farah youre not tough youre week and im not 7 im 17 and i am too old to get called a brat but youre not my friend now run for your life youre lucky i dont punch you in your eyes
20 - Evan
anyway Billy Joel will be in nashville on febuary
21 - Evan
i dont Hilary Duff i like Billy Joel Cat Stevens Elton John James Taylor and Jim Croce
22 - Evan
Elton John is not hip hop Elton John is 70s soft rock
23 - Evan
i dont like the Backstreet Boys eather
24 - Evan
to Michaela the idiot from come here if u like music club Elton John is not eww and im not 89 years old im 17 say that again i will break you and to Lil Jesse and Britney from the Jesse Mccartney club Elton John is cooler then Jesse Mccartney im not wrong im right and too Alinya from the Switchfoot club Elton John is not eww nather is Billy Joel thats good music
25 - Evan
disney adventure magazine should be ashamed Billy Joel should be in one