Four Tet prevails in court dispute with Domino Records over streaming royalties

Four Tet has prevailed in his legal dispute with Domino Records over streaming royalties. Over the past year, Kieran Hebden has been engaged in a legal conflict, arguing that he should receive 50 percent of royalties from streaming as fair compensation. Domino responded by removing his albums from streaming services. Now, in what Hebden calls a “bodacious update” via social media, the court has decided in his favor.

Hebden says in a statement, “They have recognised my original claim, that I should be paid a 50% royalty on streaming and downloads, and that they should be treated as a license rather than the same as a CD or vinyl sale. It has been a difficult and stressful experience to work my way through this court case and I’m so glad we got this positive result, but I feel hugely relieved that the process is over.”

He adds, “Hopefully I’ve opened up a constructive dialogue and maybe prompted others to push for a fairer deal on historical contracts, written at a time when the music industry operated entirely differently. I really hope that my own course of action encourages anyone who might feel intimidated by challenging a record label with substantial means.”