After seeking $2 million in damages from Monster Energy for using the band’s songs without permission in promotional videos, the Beastie Boys will walk away from the legal battle with $1.7 million. Monster had argued that it should only fork over $125,000, and the company says it plans to appeal the decision. [via NPR News] [More]
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Beastie Boys Want $2M From Monster For Copyright Infringement, Unauthorized Use Of Band’s Coolness
By 6.5.14
Listen, when someone’s got their own cool, it’s very bad manners to try to use some of that cool without asking permission first. Because clearly, we all own our personal coolness. Or at least we should, and that’s part of the reason the Beastie Boys are asking for $2 million from Monster for trying to benefit from that without permission. [More]
Beastie Boys Head To Court Against Monster Energy, Everyone Learns What “Dope” Means
By 5.28.14
After filing a copyright infringement lawsuit against Monster Energy Drink back in August 2012, the Beastie Boy are facing off against the beverage company in a New York City court this week. And because not everyone in the legal system is down with rap lingo, the players involved had to get down to brass monkeys — err, brass tacks about some terms when the case went to trial yesterday. [More]
GoldieBlox Settles Lawsuit Against Beastie Boys Over Use Of Parody Song
By 3.18.14
Back in November of last year, the toy company GoldiBlox found itself with a hit commercial on its hands, showing little girls learning the joys of engineering while playing. The only problem? The ad used a parody of the Beastie Boys’ hit “Girls,” prompting GoldieBlox to preemptively sue the band, lest it sue for copyright infringement. After getting countersued by the Beastie Boys, the toymakers have decided to settle the suit. [More]
The Beastie Boys Have Gone Ahead And Countersued GoldieBlox Over “Girls” Parody Ad
By 12.11.13
Remember when we thought, “Oh good, the fight between GoldieBlox and the Beastie Boys is over because they totally apologized for using the band’s song in their ad and switched it out!”? Yeah well, it ain’t over until it’s over and in this case, that involves a countersuit from the Beastie Boys. [More]
Goldieblox Ends Beastie Boys Parody Dispute By Taking Down Ad
By 11.27.13
Everyone loved the online ad from GoldieBlox that used a parody version of the Beastie Boys song “Girls” to help make its point about encouraging girls to be interested in toys that are more science-y than princess-y. Even the Beastie Boys praised the ad…but that doesn’t mean they want their music used to sell a commercial product. [More]
Beastie Boys In Copyright Infringement Tussle With GoldieBlox Over Use Of “Girls” Parody In Ad
By 11.25.13
It seems like you couldn’t go on Facebook or Twitter this week without seeing at least eleventy billion posts sharing a new ad from GoldieBlox, a company that makes toys and games aimed at getting girls interested in science, engineering and tech stuff. It’s a fun video, with a Rube Goldberg-esque “set’em up and watch’em” fall bit and a reworked parody of “Girls” by the Beastie Boys. But the company is now suing the band over what it sees as its right to use the song, something the Boys are not cool with at all. [More]
Copyright Infringement Universe Collapses In On Itself As Beastie Boys Sue Monster Energy Drink
By 8.9.12
So here’s a copyright infringement lawsuit involving the makers of Monster Energy Drink in which they are the ones being sued and not the ones claiming ownership of an incredibly common word. Instead, the beverage company is the target of a lawsuit brought by the Beastie Boys, who claim Monster cobbled together dozens of their tunes to create promotional videos. [More]
