Toto latest band to sue for digital royalties

Toto is the latest artist to take on their current or former record company, in this case Sony, by disputing the amount they are being paid in royalties for digital product.

As with Kenny Rogers, Peter Frampton and a number of others, the group wants digital downloads of their music to be paid as licenses versus a simple sale as with records and CDs. The precedent was set last year when Eminem won a lawsuit that established that downloads were a license and not a sale for ownership. The difference in royalties can be significant, in some cases 50% instead of 12%.

Toto's suit seeks $605,000 plus interest and legal fees along with a full accounting of their sales.

Toto's hits include Africa (1983/#1 Pop/#3 Adult Contemporary), Rosanna (1982/#2 Pop/#17 Adult Contemporary/#8 Mainstream Rock) and Hold the Line (1979/#5 Pop)