I Hear America Suing: Implications of Unsettled Copyright Infringement Jurisprudence for American Music and Musicians

The GW Law Intellectual Property Law Program invites you to join a conference on March 20, focusing on actual and potential effects of the increasing number - and contentious dispositions - of copyright infringement claims involving musical works. Popular songwriters, and more broadly the American music and entertainment industries, are concerned that recent findings of infringement based primarily on stylistic or sonic similarities will inhibit musical innovation and cross-pollination of styles and genres inherent in American popular music. Those pursuing these claims, on the other hand, contend that such results will deter well-known musicians from unfairly capitalizing upon the innovative work of earlier or lesser-known songwriters without permission or compensation.