Eminem Publisher Sues Meta For $109M Over Music Library Infringement

Eight Mile Style filed a bombshell lawsuit against Meta last Friday, alleging the social media giant has been distributing Eminem's music across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp without proper licensing for years.

The Detroit-based publisher controls rights to 243 Eminem compositions and seeks up to $109 million in maximum statutory damages—$150,000 per track across three platforms.

Why it matters:

This case could reshape how social platforms handle music licensing and set precedent for publisher-platform liability disputes.

• Platform exposure: Meta allegedly knew it lacked licenses but continued distributing tracks through its music libraries.
• Scale impact: Eminem tracks appeared in "millions of videos" viewed "billions of times" across Meta platforms.
• Industry precedent: Publishers increasingly target platforms directly rather than individual users for infringement.

Zoom in:

The licensing breakdown

Eight Mile Style alleges Meta tried unsuccessfully to license Eminem's catalog through digital rights firm Audiam in 2020. When those negotiations failed, Meta proceeded anyway.

"Meta knew that no license was granted," the complaint states, yet continued making tracks like "Lose Yourself" and "Till I Collapse" available in platform music libraries.

Partial compliance problems

After Eight Mile contacted Meta, the platform removed some original tracks but left instrumental, karaoke, and cover versions live.

This partial removal strategy backfired—Eight Mile argues it proves Meta's awareness of infringement while demonstrating continued willful violation.

By the numbers:

• $109 million maximum statutory damages sought ($150,000 × 243 tracks × 3 platforms)
• 243 Eminem compositions allegedly infringed across Meta's ecosystem
• "Billions" of total views on videos using unlicensed Eminem tracks
• 5+ years of alleged ongoing infringement since 2020 licensing talks failed

The catch:

Eight Mile Style's track record complicates their position. The publisher recently lost a similar lawsuit against Spotify, with a federal judge criticizing them for "strategically exploiting" copyright law.

The court found Eight Mile attempted to "enrich itself and abuse the legal system by obscuring the ownership of Eminem songs." Meta's defense team will likely emphasize this precedent.

What's next:

Platform strategies

Expect platforms to audit music library licensing more aggressively. The lawsuit exposes gaps where partial licensing deals create ongoing liability.

Meta's response will likely focus on platform immunity and Eight Mile's litigation history, but the "willful infringement" allegations create significant exposure.

Publisher playbook

Other publishers are watching closely. A win here validates aggressive platform targeting over individual user enforcement.

Universal, Sony, and Warner have already filed similar cases against brands using unlicensed music on social platforms—this escalates the strategy to platform-level liability.

The bottom line:

Platform music libraries aren't bulletproof. Publishers are shifting from reactive takedowns to proactive platform liability claims.

For music marketers: verify every track's licensing status across all intended platforms. The "platform provided it" defense won't protect against direct infringement claims.