The Beatles' Lawsuits
Ever since the world's most famous rock band ended in 1970, the Beatles have continuously been in court over a variety of topics revolving around the band. The main lawsuits since 1970 and lasted off and on for the next 35 years, involved royalties due from EMI, their record company via Capitol Records. The most recent 2005 lawsuit over the matter awarded the band over 30 million dollars from long overdue royalties since 1962! EMI simply could not explain the discrepancies to convince the judge that it had been fair.
The Beatles' Apple Inc., created in 1968, also went after Apple Computers twice in the 1980's. Once, over the similar Apple computer logo that Steve Jobs had created (it is no secret that Jobs loved the Beatles and emulated them). The Beatles easily won that for obvious reasons-they are similar in logo and name! Just where do you think Apple computers got their name from???? However, later that decade, the Beatles went after Apple again over the similarity of the Apple name. Again, Apple computers paid $26 million to the Fab 4 for infringement.
Having won twice against Apple Inc. of California, the Beatles tried again in 2003, this time over iTunes for distributing rights but lost this one, However, it has been on appeal since 2007.
The most recent lawsuit filed in Florida is against 48 Internet sellers in 2018 for selling products with The Beatles name, likeness, use of their yellow submarine images and not paying royalties or having permission to do so. This will be another sure win.
The Beatles are still present in 2020. Their songbook is now estimated worth over $1 billion. As it was back in 1964 onward, the mere name, The Beatles, sells and is recognized throughout the world.
Maybe I'm amazed.
