Sony Music Entertainment is facing a new lawsuit in a London court that began on December 9, 2025. The claim is brought by the estates of former Jimi Hendrix band members Noel Redding, bassist, and Mitch Mitchell, drummer, who are asserting performers’ rights over the guitarist’s classic 1960s catalog, including the albums Are You Experienced, Axis: Bold As Love, and Electric Ladyland.
The plaintiffs argue that the contracts signed in the 1960s and 1970s did not anticipate modern digital exploitation such as streaming, and that UK law now grants performers a residual right to royalties from new uses of their performances. Sony counters that the band members signed away those rights in the original agreements and that the original recording copyright belongs to the producers, not the musicians. Sony also points to a 1970s settlement in New York where the estates received payments in exchange for dropping earlier claims.
The trial is a liability‑only proceeding that began on December 9 and is expected to conclude on December 18, 2025, with a separate damages trial to follow if the plaintiffs prevail. The court will decide whether the performers’ rights claim is valid and, if so, the extent of any reallocation of royalty payments.
Sony has warned that a ruling in favor of the estates could trigger a wave of retrospective claims from other session musicians and artists whose contracts predate the digital era. The company cautions that such a precedent could “throw the music industry into chaos,” potentially forcing record labels to renegotiate licensing agreements and reassess royalty structures across decades of catalog rights.
For Sony, the lawsuit represents a significant legal and financial risk. A favorable ruling could result in substantial additional royalty payments, legal costs, and reputational damage that may influence future negotiations with artists and estates. The outcome could also set a precedent that reshapes how older catalogs are monetized in the streaming age, affecting Sony’s long‑term revenue streams and its competitive position in the music‑rights market.
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