by FMC legal intern Michelle Davis

Same issue, new lawsuit. The big three record labels (Sony, Universal and Warner Bros), along with indie ABKCO, are the latest to sue SiriusXM for underpayment of royalties for pre-1972 sound recordings.

Earlier this summer, 1960s rock band The Turtles sued the satellite broadcaster in a proposed class action; performance rights organization SoundExchange followed just weeks after, claiming similar allegations.

So why are artists, labels and rights organizations suddenly so litigious over songs released more than 40 years ago?