Stella Lefty Plagiarism Debate & UMG DistroKid Lawsuit

Country singer Stella Lefty is facing intense online criticism over plagiarism allegations as her viral track "Boston" reaches No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 after 23 weeks on the chart. The song includes a songwriting credit for Noah Kahan due to its similarities to his hit "Stick Season." Another track, "Summer You Were Mine," interpolates The Chicks' 1998 song "There's Your Trouble." Three additional songs by Lefty have drawn plagiarism accusations on social media. Despite industry experts stating the similarities likely do not constitute copyright infringement, the backlash has been severe. The Washington Post described the reaction as "some of the most intense online vitriol in recent memory," and Rolling Stone noted the internet is "tearing Stella Lefty apart."

According to Billboard, Universal Music Group has filed a lawsuit against DIY distributor DistroKid, accusing the company of flooding streaming platforms with "AI-generated slop" and "polluting the listening experience." In a separate artificial intelligence development, AI music firm Suno launched a new model created in partnership with Warner Music Group and other music companies.

Rapper Lil Durk was acquitted of all charges regarding an alleged murder-for-hire plot targeting Quando Rondo, though he faces a separate racketeering trial next month. In New Jersey, an appeals court ruled in favor of Bruce Springsteen, ending a second lawsuit over the use of a local man's 1967 Pontiac GTO on a 2022 album cover. Meanwhile, Lady Gaga has requested repayment of nearly $250,000 in legal fees after successfully defending against a lawsuit concerning her Mayhem album.

Ed Sheeran fired Macklemore from his tour following pro-Palestine statements made on stage, prompting all other supporting acts to leave the tour. In copyright news, songwriter Cyril Vetter urged the Supreme Court to reject major music companies' attempts to overturn his landmark copyright termination ruling, stating publishers are "doing just fine."