Blur drummer Dave Rowntree loses court case over royalty distribution

Blur drummer Dave Rowntree has lost a class action lawsuit against the royalties organization PRS For Music. The dispute concerned the distribution of "black box" royalties-payments that cannot be matched to specific songwriters or publishers due to incomplete data.

Blur drummer Dave Rowntree has lost a class action lawsuit against the royalties organization PRS For Music, which dealt with the distribution of so-called "black box" royalties.

Rowntree challenged in court PRS For Music's practice of distributing royalties that cannot be matched to a specific songwriter or publisher due to incomplete or defective data among other members of the organization on a proportional basis. This system means that some royalties ultimately go to other musicians rather than to those who are rightfully owed them.

The musician argued that this distribution method is unfair, as the owners of original rights miss out on their royalties. However, the court rejected the arguments put forward by Rowntree and the other parties involved in the class action, and ruled in favour of PRS For Music.