Associated Production Music (APM) has filed a new copyright lawsuit against the American Hockey League (AHL), alleging unauthorized use of APM's music in promotional videos across social media platforms.

The lawsuit targets both the AHL and several of its teams, claiming "rampant infringement" of APM's protected works on team-specific social media channels. The allegedly infringing content appears on multiple platforms, including Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter/X.

Key points of the lawsuit:

• APM seeks relief for direct, contributory, and vicarious infringement
• Multiple works are listed in the suit
• Some infringing videos have been removed, while others remain online
• The AHL has allegedly refused to obtain proper licenses or admit wrongdoing

This action follows a pattern of similar copyright lawsuits targeting unauthorized music use on social media:

• APM's recent lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson
• Kobalt and Prescription Songs' action against NBA teams
• Sony Music's suit against Marriott
• Beastie Boys' complaint against Chili's parent company
• Major labels' litigation against Bang Energy
• Sony Music's ongoing case against OFRA Cosmetics

The trend highlights the growing issue of commercial entities using music without proper licensing on social media platforms, where pre-licensed song libraries are typically cleared only for personal, not commercial, use.

This lawsuit represents the latest in an ongoing series of legal actions by music rights holders to protect their intellectual property in the digital age.

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