Spotify will block user-generated playlists that mimic compilations from Ministry of Sound, after the two reached an out-of-court settlement on copyright infringement. Ministry of Sound sued Spotify in September over users replicating its compilation mixes as playlists. Although Spotify legitimately held licences for the individual tracks, Ministry argued users had breached its copyright by making and sharing playlists that mimicked its own compilations.
Dance brand Ministry of Sound and streaming service Spotify have reached an “amicable” out-of-court settlement in their legal battle over music playlists. Ministry sued Spotify in September 2013, claiming that the latter had refused to delete playlists based on Ministry compilations that had been created and shared by users. The company sought an injunction forcing Spotify to remove the playlists and permanently block others that copied the track listings of Ministry compilations, and used its brand name and/or artwork. The case caused a stir in legal circles due to Ministry’s belief that while the individual tracks on the playlists had been correctly licensed by Spotify from their original labels, its compilations qualified for copyright protection due to the selection and arrangement involved.
