Apple, Eminem publisher reach out-of-court settlement
updated 01:45 pm EDT, Fri October 2, 2009
Puts an end to old iTunes dispute
Apple and Eight Mile Style, the publisher for rapper Eminem, have come to an out-of-court settlement in a long-running music dispute, writes the Associated Press. Matters were concluded only after five days of a Detroit trial, during which lawyers contested sales at the iTunes Store. The rights to Emimem's albums are owned by Aftermath Records, which years ago signed an agreement with Apple to sell tracks through iTunes.
Eight Mile protested the arrangement, saying that while Aftermath may have control over Eminem's recordings, it did not have a right to negotiate without Eight Mile's approval. The terms of the settlement are unknown, though plaintiff laywer Richard Busch explains that a deal was reached sometime Thursday night. Sales of Eminem's music have been uninterrupted during legal problems; Apple was, however, forced to pull music from an iPod commercial in a related complaint.
