The war between musicians and records labels is nothing new. While pop and rock artists have famously gone after them over the years, the EDM world has been relatively untouched by a high-caliber dispute, save the Deadmau5 vs. Ultra Records contract feud that went on in 2013.
Earlier this year, Martin Garrix announced that he split from both Dutch megalabel Spinnin’ Records and his management MusicAllStars. Immediately, it turned into a he said, she said argument, with Garrix claiming that the label refused to grant him the rights to his music and Spinnin’ saying that they had agreed to his requests but left anyway. Unfortunately, the issue still hasn’t been resolved, and now Garrix is taking both Spinnin’ and former manager Eelko van Kooten to court.
According to the Dutch producer, van Kooten deceived him with “false and misleading information,” which led him to transferring the ownership rights of his music to Spinnin’. The situation sounds entirely plausible considering Garrix was only 17 when he released his smash hit “Animals” back in 2013, and had zero experience in the music industry to make such a major decision. The lawsuit defends this theory, citing that Van Kooten was only looking out for himself instead of his artist during contract negotiations with Spinnin’ Records.
Though the case seems pretty cut and dry, history tells us that Garrix could have a lengthy battle on his hands. When it comes to copyright ownership vs. artists, it ends up taking years and years for courts to finally side with artists, if they even side with them at all.
UPDATE: Martin Garrix won the lawsuit!