APM, a major production music company owned by Sony Music Publishing and Universal Music Publishing Group, has filed a lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson for alleged copyright infringement in the Central District of California, Western Division.

Photo Credit: Wesley Tingey

The lawsuit alleges that Johnson & Johnson used APM's copyrighted sound recordings without permission in promotional videos across social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter (now X), and YouTube. After discovering the unauthorized use earlier this year, APM claims Johnson & Johnson refused to obtain proper licenses or acknowledge any wrongdoing.

APM is pursuing:

• Unspecified damages
• An injunction to stop further infringement
• Attorney's fees
• Up to $150,000 in statutory damages per infringed work

APM's catalog includes:

• Over 1 million tracks
• Multiple production libraries (Bruton, Cezame, KPM Music, Kosinus, and Sonoton)
• Music featured in major productions like Westworld, Stranger Things, Game of Thrones, and SpongeBob SquarePants

This case follows similar recent lawsuits against major companies for unlicensed music use in promotional content, including actions against NBA teams by Kobalt Music Publishing for unauthorized use in promotional videos on official NBA platforms.

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