Lyrics website LiveUniverse.com has been ordered to pay $6.6m to a group of music rights holders, following a copyright infringement lawsuit. The default judgement related to 528 specific songs whose lyrics were published on the site (thus: $12.5k per song), after LiveUniverse was sued by Peermusic, Bug Music and Warner Chappell Music. LiveUniverse owner Brad Greenspan is also on the hook for the fine, with the site itself having been shut down in late 2010. “He engaged in serial misconduct, and refused to pay the court sanctions. Towards the end he would show up, and have either a new lawyer, or no lawyer,” opposing attorney Paul Fakler tells Ars Technica. It’s a result for the litigating publishers, but the more positive news is that a number of big lyrics sites are now fully licensed, and generating a new digital revenue stream for publishers and songwriters.
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