Reuters reported earlier this month that Wixen Music Publishing Inc. has sued Spotify. Wixen alleges that Spotify used thousands of songs (owned by Wixen) without a license and without compensation to the music publisher.

Wixen is an exclusive licensee of songs including “Free Fallin” by Tom Petty, “Light My Fire” by the Doors, “(Girl We Got a) Good Thing” by Wheezer, and works of Stevie Nicks, Neil Young, Steely Dan, and Rage Against the Machine (to name just a few). Wixen is seeking damages worth at least $1.6 billion. They also want injunctive relief.

Reuters also reported: Wixen also alleged that Spotify outsourced its work to a third party, licensing and royalty services provider the Harry Fox Agency, which was “ill-equipped to obtain all the necessary mechanical licenses.”

Scribd.com has a copy of the Complaint filed by the attorneys for Wixen Music Publishing, Inc. In the Complaint, Wixen alleges:

…Spotify has repeatedly failed to obtain necessary statutory, or “mechanical,” licenses to reproduce and/or distribute musical compositions on its service. Consequently, while Spotify has become a multibillion dollar company, songwriters and their publisher, such as Wixen, have not been able to fairly and rightfully share in Spotify’s success, as Spotify has in many cases used their music without a license and without compensation…

Wixen filed the lawsuit in December 29, 2017, at California Central District Court. The case is called Wixen Music Publishing, Inc. v. Spotify USA Inc. Judge George H. Wu is presiding over this case. Justia has more information and may update their information when new things occur.