Eight Mile Style, the music publisher that controls many of Eminem's compositions, has secured an important victory in its copyright dispute with Meta after a judge allowed part of its $109m lawsuit to proceed. According to court documents first reported by Billboard, US District Judge Brandy R McMillion denied Meta's request to dismiss the direct copyright infringement claims brought by Eight Mile Style. The ruling means the case will now move into the discovery phase, where both sides can gather evidence and exchange information.
Details of the Lawsuit
Eight Mile Style filed the lawsuit in 2025, alleging that Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp included 243 songs from its catalogue in their music libraries without obtaining proper licences. The catalogue includes some of Eminem's most recognisable tracks, including 'Lose Yourself'. The publisher requested maximum statutory damages of $150,000 for each alleged infringement. Applied across the three Meta platforms and all 243 songs, the claim totals approximately $109.4m.
Court Ruling
Meta previously described the lawsuit as excessive and argued that the allegations lacked sufficient detail. However, Judge McMillion concluded that Eight Mile Style had presented enough information to support a plausible claim. In her ruling, the judge wrote that the publisher alleged Meta had placed all 243 compositions in the music libraries of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. She stated that, if proven, the storage of those songs without authorisation could constitute unauthorised reproduction under copyright law.
While the judge allowed the direct infringement claim to continue, she dismissed Eight Mile Style's secondary infringement allegations. Those claims argued that Meta encouraged users to upload infringing content through its platforms. Judge McMillion found that the publisher had not identified specific examples of infringing posts and ruled that encouraging users to use platform tools was not the same as encouraging copyright violations. The decision leaves open the possibility that Eight Mile Style could revise those claims in a future amended complaint.
Background and Context
Eminem himself is not a party to the lawsuit. The case is being pursued by Eight Mile Style, which has previously engaged in licensing disputes involving digital platforms. In 2019, the publisher sued Spotify over similar issues. That case ultimately ended in a settlement after several years of litigation. Neither Meta nor representatives for Eight Mile Style immediately issued public comments following the latest ruling. The case now heads into the next stage, potentially setting up a lengthy legal battle over music licensing practices on some of the world's largest social media platforms.
