Musicians sue streaming site Spotify for USD 150m for unpaid royalties

A 150 million dollar class action suit has been filed by several musicians against music streaming site Spotify for distributing the latter's work without permission and not handing over royalties.

David Lowery, the front man of Camper Van Beethoven and Cracker, is leading the suit, filed at California's central district court in Los Angeles on December 28 by the law firm Michelman and Robinson LLP against Spotify for knowingly and willingly reproducing and distributing their music without permission, the Billboard reports.

Almond Grove, Get on Down the Road, King of Bakersfield and Tonight I Cross the Border were all made available to Spotify's 75 million users, the suit alleges, but did not attempt to notify the rights holders.

Spotify is understood to have reserved as much as 25 million dollars to settle royalty disputes.

According to The Guardian, the suit brought by Lowery is a class action, which means other musicians can join the suit if they identify their work on Spotify without permission.

Jonathan Prince, Spotify's global head of Communicationss and public policy, said, the streaming site is committed to paying songwriters and publishers every penny that is due to them.

Price said Spotify is working closely with the National Music Publishers Association to find the best way to pay the royalties correctly.