Hmmm, maybe Ellen doesn't know a lot about music.Right on the heels of Ellen being named as the replacement judge for Paula Abdul on American Idol comes this news: she's being sued by various record companies. You know the segment at the start of the show where Ellen dances onstage and often in the audience? Yup, it looks like she's been playing those songs illegally (over 1000 times), and the record companies don't like it.
What's interesting is that the spokesman for TelePictures (they produce Ellen's show) says they've been trying to work with the record companies for months to get a resolution to the issue.
There's no amount of money mentioned, but I'm guessing it's a gazillion dollars, since the music includes songs by Michael Jackson, Will Smith, The Beach Boys, and ... well, jeez, everybody. I mean, have you seen her show? She plays a ton of popular, well-known songs. Click the link above and read the list of record companies that are suing.
Maybe Ellen took the Idol gig because she knew she was going to need some extra cash.
(This is the second copyright infringement news we've had today. Here's the other.)
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
9-11-2009 @ 11:48AM
nffcnnr said...
Sheesh. What a buncha creeps.
Ok, Ellen, here's how to send a big F.U. to those money-grubbing record companies:
Announce that you are accepting submissions from bands that want their song as the boogie track. Each day, a new song is chosen and the album cover is shown on the screen along with a link to the band's page of choice (FB, MySpace, whathaveyou).
Hopefully, Ellen will choose good indie bands that would actually appreciate the exposure.
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9-11-2009 @ 12:53PM
mj said...
Oh, for Pete's sake. I wouldn't know HALF those songs, if not for hearing them on Ellen. She introduces singers I've never heard of. Some of the people who sing the songs USED in the beginnings are there. What's the big deal? She's helping the artists.
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9-11-2009 @ 2:23PM
Nate said...
The big deal is that, as the article points out, it is illegal to use copywrited material without paying for it. It isnt money grubbing for a business to expect to be payed for their product or services.
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9-11-2009 @ 10:44PM
Deborah said...
The reason for this is ...yes Ellen is coming up. They tried to destroy her when she "came out". Hell I like to see her dance she is such a happy person. Yeah she is helping some people out by playing their music.
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9-11-2009 @ 8:07PM
Nate said...
Yeah, uh record companies?
This is why the American public and your own artists treat you like a big joke. I highly doubt they're whining at you because they didn't get their five cents for playing their song on "Ellen". They probably made it up quite well in iTunes and album purchases after it became a wonderful earwig in someone's head.
Is there anything better the record companies can think to do these days besides litigation?
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