August 6, 2026, Toronto: International music firms Sony Music Group and Common Music Group are commencing authorized proceedings in Canada towards the builders of Musi, an unlawful streaming app that sources music content material from YouTube with out authorization.
Coordinated by IFPI, representing the recorded trade worldwide, and its nationwide group Music Canada, the motion states that Musi is making copyright-protected sound recordings accessible to the general public with out authorization. It additionally states that Musi is intentionally circumventing the technical protections put in place by YouTube as a way to steal content material from the service and subsequently denying artists and proper holders earnings that’s legally theirs.
Musi is a ‘parasitic’ service providing lots of the options of licensed music streaming providers whereas counting on unauthorised entry to copyright-protected content material on third-party platforms. It income from the content material by its personal promoting and subscription mannequin, thereby competing unfairly with the legit music market. Though Musi was faraway from Apple’s App Retailer in September 2024 following complaints from proper holders and YouTube primarily based on copyright infringements and violations of YouTube’s phrases of service, the service stays accessible to customers who beforehand downloaded the applying.
The transfer comes alongside a name from the recorded music trade for motion to deal with the operations and availability of such apps. This contains swifter and more practical motion by the app shops facilitating entry to those apps to dam or take away them.
Victoria Oakley, CEO of IFPI, stated:
“We’re serving discover on parasitic apps, that are designed particularly to take advantage of artists and their music, and undermine legit music providers. Musi and comparable unlawful providers don’t have any place in at the moment’s music ecosystem which is constructed on the premise of empowering innovation by licensing.
“This authorized motion is a crucial step, and we hope it will likely be additional supported by efficient, direct motion from the cell app shops and the music providers being immediately exploited by these apps.”
Patrick Rogers, CEO of Music Canada, stated:
“This litigation sends a transparent message that providers designed to avoid platform protections and exploit music with out authorization are usually not legit companies.
“The trade will proceed taking coordinated motion to guard artists and followers from illegal exploitation. Our purpose is straightforward: guarantee artists are paid when their music is performed – and shutting down parasitic apps is one strategy to obtain that.”
ENDS
Observe to editors:
Regardless of Musi initially pitching itself as a ‘startup success story’ on actuality TV present Dragons’ Den, studies have proven that its legitimacy has been questioned prior to now. [LINK]
Musi sued Apple in 2024 in relation to Apple’s resolution to take away the app from its app retailer. The lawsuit was dismissed earlier this yr. [LINK]