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Federal Judge partially tosses Designer Shoe Warehouse's declaratory judgment complaint against Sony Music - wider social media infringement battle rages on. Federal Judge partially tosses Designer Shoe Warehouse's declaratory judgment complaint against Sony Music - wider social media infringement battle rages on dylan smith august 7, 2026. A year and change later, a federal judge has partially dismissed the declaratory judgment complaint filed by Designer Shoe Warehouse (DSW) against Sony Music, Universal Music, and BMG. However, the wider copyright infringement battle, complete with multiple intensifying actions, is raging on. Beneath the surface, setting aside the competing cases, all manner of firmly worded filings, a marathon discovery process, and a venue-transfer motion - more on all this in a moment - the claims themselves are straightforward enough. Having spearheaded several similar suits, the rightsholder plaintiffs maintain that DSW (and specifically its Designer Brands parent) infringed a number of recordings and compositions in social media promo videos. And that's because social platforms' pre-cleared song libraries are approved for personal but not commercial use. As such, in the rightsholders' view, Designer Brands unlawfully incorporated their IP into marketing videos and must therefore pay up. Unsurprisingly, the situation isn't sitting right with Designer Brands, which, unlike the defendants in most of the aforementioned similar suits, has been firing back from the outset. In part, this refers to the aggressive assertion that the relevant platforms' own licensing deals also cover business users - and to seeking a declaratory judgment confirming that it didn't actually infringe the copyrights in question. Technically, the Columbus-headquartered company sued the initially highlighted parties after being slapped with a separate complaint from Warner Music. Now, Judge Michael H. Watson has granted Sony Music's motion to partially dismiss the declaratory action. According to the court, "first-to-file rule" aside, "this case is an improper anticipatory declaratory judgment action that should" make way for the major's subsequent case. Why use the singular "major" here? As if there wasn't enough going on in the convoluted dispute, due to "baseless threats" of additional litigation, Designer Brands demanded a declaratory judgment against Sony Music, Universal Music, and BMG alike. However, only Sony Music and a few of its subsidiaries followed Warner Music's lead and sued the Designer Shoe Warehouse owner. As such, it was Sony Music alone that moved to axe the declaratory complaint; though it's off the hook, BMG and Universal Music are still grappling with the suit. "The declaratory judgment claims asserted against the other Defendants" - meaning those aside from Sony Music - "and the counterclaims asserted in response thereto, shall proceed," Judge Watson wrote. Next, a motion to transfer Sony Music v. DSW from California to Ohio is still being considered. "If the Central District of California decides that transfer is warranted, the Court will welcome the return of this litigation between Plaintiffs and the SME Defendants," Judge Watson added. Back to the California case, then, Designer Brands just recently informed the court of the above-described decision - with an emphasis on the latter quote. Finally, in its own action, Warner Music last month confirmed plans to supersize its claims after uncovering "evidence of numerous additional infringements" during discovery. Said supersized claims will all but surely elicit a strong response from the Designer Shoe Warehouse owner. And while a pile of settlements suggests that the cases could be slam dunks for the rightsholders, until earlier in 2026, the same was true of their copyright litigation against ISPs. One unanimous Supreme Court decision later, the secondary infringement landscape looks dramatically different. Of course, this isn't to say that the DSW cases are necessarily on a similar trajectory. But it is to say that there's a clear-cut incentive for settlement-resistant defendants to pull out all the stops when fending off in-depth claims across sweeping suits.

Excel Entertainment launches Excel Music with Universal partnership. Excel Entertainment has entered the music business with the launch of Excel Music, backed by Universal Music Group as a strategic shareholder and distribution partner. Excel Entertainment has announced the launch of Excel Music, a dedicated music label that expands the production house's presence beyond film production into music. The new label has been launched by Excel Entertainment with Universal Music Group joining as a strategic shareholder as well as its marketing and distribution partner. The launch marks a new phase in Excel Entertainment's creative journey, with the label set to house original film soundtracks and scores from the company's productions alongside music from films produced by other filmmakers and production houses across India. Excel Music's first release will be the soundtrack album for 'Mirzapur: The Movie', which is scheduled to release in cinemas on 4 September 2026. The album's lead single features Dhanda, one of the leading names in the Haryanvi music industry, marking the artist's Bollywood debut. The track is scheduled for release this week. The move builds on Excel Entertainment's longstanding association with film music. Over the past two decades, the production house has released films known for their soundtracks, including 'Dil Chahta Hai', 'Lakshya', 'Rock On!!!', 'Karthik Calling Karthik', 'Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara', 'Dil Dhadakne Do', 'Baar Baar Dekho', 'Raees' and 'Gully Boy'. With the launch of Excel Music, the company aims to create a dedicated platform for original music while expanding its role within the Indian entertainment industry. Founders of Excel Entertainment, Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar, said, "Music has always held a special place in our creative journey. Launching Excel Music is a natural extension of that passion, and we're excited about the possibilities it brings. We look forward to collaborating with some of the finest creative talent and creating music that resonates with audiences across generations." Sanujeet Bhujabal, managing director, India & South Asia, Universal Music Group, said, "Excel Entertainment has shaped contemporary Hindi cinema for over two decades through storytelling that has resonated across generations. As strategic partners in the company we are delighted to partner with Excel on the launch of Excel Music and help build a distinctive destination for exceptional music across genres. Leveraging Universal Music's global artist roster, iconic catalogue, and world class marketing and distribution capabilities, we look forward to taking Excel Music to audiences across India and around the world." Through its partnership with Universal Music Group, Excel Music will benefit from the company's global artist network, catalogue, marketing expertise and distribution capabilities. The collaboration is intended to support the label's expansion across India and international markets while strengthening the reach of its music releases. The launch of Excel Music extends Excel Entertainment's storytelling ambitions beyond cinema, creating a dedicated platform for film music and original soundtracks while broadening its presence within the entertainment ecosystem.