X and Major Music Publishers Settle Parallel Copyright and Antitrust Cases

The settlement brings to a close litigation that had pitted X against some of the world’s largest music rights holders, including publishers affiliated with Universal Music Group and Sony Music. Court documents filed in Tennessee and Texas indicate that both sides requested the dismissal of their claims with prejudice, preventing the cases from being refiled.

Reuters first reported, citing filings submitted to the courts and reporting by Reuters legal correspondent Blake Brittain. According to Reuters, neither X nor representatives for the music publishers publicly disclosed the terms of the agreement, and the parties did not immediately comment on the resolution.

The dispute originated in 2023, when a group of 17 music publishers filed suit in federal court in Nashville, accusing X—then recently rebranded from Twitter—of allowing users to upload and distribute copyrighted songs without obtaining the necessary licenses. The publishers sought damages exceeding $250 million and argued that the platform had failed to adequately address repeated infringement.

The case became one of the largest copyright actions brought against a major social media platform over music licensing practices. Rights holders alleged that X stood apart from rival platforms such as YouTube, TikTok and Meta’s social networks, all of which maintain extensive licensing arrangements with music companies.

In March 2024, U.S. District Judge Aleta Trauger dismissed several of the publishers’ legal theories but allowed a contributory copyright infringement claim to proceed. Reuters reported at the time that the court found allegations related to X’s handling of verified accounts and responses to takedown notices sufficient to survive dismissal, even as broader claims of direct and vicarious infringement were rejected.

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The litigation expanded in January 2026 when X launched a separate lawsuit in Texas against 18 music publishers and the National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA). In that complaint, X alleged that the publishers had coordinated their licensing strategies in a manner that violated U.S. antitrust law.

According to Reuters, X argued that major publishers collectively controlled more than 90% of commercially significant music publishing rights in the United States and had refused to negotiate individual licensing agreements, instead pressuring the company to accept licensing terms that it characterized as inflated and anti-competitive.

The antitrust allegations highlighted broader concerns surrounding concentration within the global music industry. The music publishing market is dominated by a small number of major companies—including Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony Music Publishing and Warner Chappell—which collectively represent vast catalogs of commercially valuable songs. Regulators in multiple jurisdictions have increasingly examined consolidation trends across digital media, content licensing and platform markets as policymakers debate the competitive effects of concentrated ownership of intellectual property.

The publishers and the NMPA rejected X’s claims. NMPA Chief Executive David Israelite previously said the company’s allegations were an attempt to divert attention from what rights holders described as years of unauthorized use of copyrighted works. The publishers maintained that licensing requirements applied equally to social media platforms and that enforcement actions were necessary to protect songwriters and copyright owners.

Source: Reuters