Judge Will Clarify Whether Many Musicians Can Later Reclaim Rights From Record Labels

A lawsuit that seeks to vindicate the copyright termination rights of UMG recording artists continues to take shape. On Monday, a New York federal judge allowed an amended complaint that includes a request for declaratory relief for a proposed class of musicians who in the coming decade may have the ability to reclaim rights to their recorded works.
The case concerns the Copyright Act of 1976, under which many authors can terminate copyright grants after 35 years. John Waite and Joe Ely are two