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Universal Music has agreed to pay up to $11.5 million and bump up royalties going forward to resolve a contention lawsuit that alleged it had cheated recording artists by improperly classifying digital downloads off of services like Apple's iTunes as "sales" rather than "licenses." The settlement, filed on Tuesday and needing judge's approval, would compensate an estimated 7,500 artists including named plaintiffs Chuck D. of Public Enemy, Rick James (by way of trust), Dave Mason of Traffic, Whitesnake, Andres Titus of Black Sheep, Ron Tyson of The Temptations, Martha Davis of the Motels, Feliciano Tavares and a

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An important chapter in the legal history of the music business may be coming to conclusion soon as Universal Music Group is close to submitting a settlement resolving claims that it cheated recording artists of royalties from digital downloads. The putative class action from artists including Chuck D. of Public Enemy, Rick James (by way of trust), Dave Mason of Traffic, Whitesnake, Andres Titus of Black Sheep, Ron Tyson of The Temptations, among others, alleges that record labels should be treating digital download income off of venues like Apple's iTunes as "licenses" rather than "sales." By accounting the other

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Another major class-action lawsuit has just been filed on the digital royalties front. The Temptations, the pioneering male vocal group from the 1960s, is suing Universal Music in federal court in California, seeking millions of dollars after allegedly being cheated out of revenue from digital downloads and ringtones. Otis Williams, one of the original members of The Temptations, and Ron Tyson, one of the later members, are the latest to join a growing chorus of musicians who are going to court with allegations that record labels have stiffed musicians by accounting for downloads off of iTunes as "sales" rather

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