Taylor is suing Warner Bros., in a California federal court, claiming he’s owed nearly $2 million under a 1979 agreement that granted him 50 percent of net receipts from licensing deals for his master recordings.
The lawsuit claims two audits covering 2004 to 2007 and 2007 to 2010 showed Warner Bros. underreported and underpaid Taylor for album sales, digital downloads, ringtones, reissues and compilations, according to Courthouse News.
Meanwhile, REO Speedwagon and Scaggs are separately suing Sony Music Entertainment in Manhattan federal court stemming from contracts with Sony’s predecessor, CBS Records. Both acts say the alleged underpayments began in 2009 and also stem from third-party licensing.
Scaggs and REO Speedwagon are each seeking $150,000 in royalties and a judgment that Sony pay each act 50 percent of the net receipts for the leased master recordings, CN said.
Eminem and Peter Frampton have separately sued Universal Music Group on similar allegations of withheld royalties.