Whitney Houston biopic sued by Sony Music over unpaid licenses

Whitney Houston, the late singer who rose to fame thanks to her incredible music and impeccable vocal abilities, is being celebrated with the release of a new biopic about her life. Unfortunately, the filmmakers are now being accused of not paying the fees to license the music for the film.

When Whitney Houston tragically passed away at the age of 48 back in 2012, the world was shocked to have lost such a star so young. While Houston would go on to be a global star, selling over 220 million records, her life was unfortunately marred by drug use and other public escapades that landed her in the press for all the wrong reasons. Despite her demons, her music and voice continue to inspire fans new and old, so much so that a biopic film was produced in 2022 to tell the story of her life. The film, Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody, allowed fans to celebrate her life and music on the big screen.

Now, the filmmakers, whose movie hit theaters back in December of 2022, find themselves in a legal battle with Sony Music Entertainment claiming that the film’s producers, Anthem Films, NYBO Productions, and Black Label Media have failed to pay the fees for the music used. For the film, 20 songs were licensed to be used within the movie, with an agreement formally signed days before the official release. The team at Sony alleges that despite the signed agreement, these fees were never paid. In a statement, the label said:

“Unlike other types of films, musical biopics by their nature require use of the subject musician’s music, as it is nearly impossible to explain the importance of a musician’s creative genius or unique style and talent without the use of the musician’s music.”

Possible consequences

For the uninitiated, using music in films requires a license from the copyright holder, which is often the label, and through the sync license, filmmakers can add music to their works. The court case will certainly be of interest to both the music and movie industry, as the outcome with have severe consequences either way. If Sony wins. it could mean that obtaining a license for music becomes a more difficult process for future films. Conversely, if the production companies win the argument, it creates a gray area for copyright and usage of art for future products.

Since her passing, the catalog of Whitney Houston has seen the company Primary Wave purchase a 50% stake in approximately 60 songs. While the outcome of the lawsuit is anxiously awaited, the music and film industry will be paying close attention to the case as it occurs.