**Elon Musk’s X Corp Files Antitrust Lawsuit Against Major Music Publishers**
**Meta Description:** X Corp, led by Elon Musk, has filed an antitrust lawsuit against major music publishers, alleging collusion to inflate licensing fees.
**URL Slug:** x-corp-antitrust-lawsuit-music-publishers
**Elon Musk’s X Corp Takes Legal Action Against Music Publishers Over Licensing Fees**
In a significant legal move, X Corp, the social media platform founded by Elon Musk, has filed a lawsuit against 18 prominent music publishers and a major U.S. music industry trade association. The lawsuit, submitted to a federal district court in Texas, accuses these entities of conspiring to stifle competition and coercing X into purchasing licenses for musical works at exorbitant rates.
The complaint specifically targets the National Music Publishers’ Association, along with major players like Sony Music, Universal Music, and Warner Chappell. It alleges that these publishers have violated federal antitrust laws by refusing to engage in negotiations for individual licensing agreements with X. According to the lawsuit, X has been systematically denied the opportunity to obtain U.S. musical-composition licenses from any individual publisher on competitive terms.
The lawsuit claims that the publishers, representing over 90% of U.S. copyrighted music, have collaborated through the National Music Publishers’ Association to undermine X’s operations. X asserts that these publishers have inundated the platform with weekly takedown notices aimed at thousands of posts featuring copyrighted music, including content from high-profile accounts. This pressure tactic is alleged to be an attempt to force X into accepting unfavorable industry-wide licensing terms.
As a result of these actions, X has reportedly removed thousands of posts and suspended more than 50,000 users, which has adversely affected its user base and advertising revenue. The lawsuit seeks to restore competitive conditions in music licensing and demands compensation for the lost advertising revenue.
In a related context, X previously won the dismissal of most claims in a 2023 lawsuit filed by 17 music publishers, including Sony and Universal, which accused the platform of copyright infringement involving nearly 1,700 songs. The publishers had sought over $250 million in damages. Notably, X’s current lawsuit mentions that some of the publishers involved in the previous case have shown a willingness to negotiate individual settlement terms.
As this legal battle unfolds, it raises important questions about the future of music licensing and the competitive landscape for social media platforms.
**FAQ**
**What is the main allegation in X Corp’s lawsuit against music publishers?**
X Corp alleges that major music publishers conspired to block competition and inflate licensing fees, violating federal antitrust laws.
