Spotify Sued for Patent Infringement over ‘Remote Group Session’ and ‘Jam’ Features
- Martina
- 27 August 2024, Tuesday
Spotify is facing a new legal challenge over patent infringement. In early August 2024, British startup Bluejay Technologies filed a lawsuit against the music streaming platform, alleging that Spotify’s “Remote Group Session” and “Jam” features infringe on one of its patents.
Alleged patent infringement
The suit, filed in the US District Court for the Central District of California, claims that Spotify’s features have violated Bluejay’s U.S. Patent titled “System for Streaming.” The startup, established in 2014, developed a curation system that allows a host to curate and share playlists with friends in real time. The system enables members to join sessions at any time and enjoy the music simultaneously, creating a virtual DJ-like experience.
After establishing its system, Bluejay launched a streaming service, operating as an ‘internet broadcaster,’ and licensed by the PRS and PPL in the UK. The company later sought capital and engaged in several B2B discussions, pitching its concept to various streaming companies and record labels.
One such discussion was reportedly held with Spotify in 2018, where Bluejay demonstrated the system's functionalities. While Spotify initially showed interest in the application, Bluejay claims it “heard nothing more from Spotify.”
“We knew Spotify was interested in the technology because it kept referring to it or similar engagement features in public statements and media,” the startup stated in their complaint.
Spotify first introduced its “Remote Group Session” feature in 2020, allowing up to 5 Premium subscribers to join a remote music or podcast listening session together after receiving an invitation via SMS, messaging apps, or social media.
In 2023, this feature was replaced by “Jam,” allowing up to 32 users to collaboratively create a playlist in real-time. With Jam, Spotify premium users can invite others to contribute to a shared queue, enabling each member to add songs for real-time listening.
Bluejay argues that both Spotify features infringe on its patent by providing “a method of simulated live broadcasting of a programmed audio music playlist session from a host device to multiple recipient devices over an Internet network.” The company is therefore seeking a court ruling to find Spotify guilty of patent infringement and to secure monetary compensation.
Ongoing legal battle with MLC
Spotify has yet to respond to Bluejay’s lawsuit, possibly due to its ongoing legal battle with The Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC). The MLC sued Spotify for classifying its Premium subscription as a 'bundle.’
Under the US system, a bundle classification allows Spotify to compensate publishers and songwriters with lower mechanical royalty rates than standalone music subscriptions. This could lead to a significant reduction in payments to songwriters, potentially amounting to $150 million over the next year.
While Spotify has asked the US federal court to dismiss the lawsuit, arguing it would be “a substantial waste of time and resources,” The MLC doesn’t second this proposal. The MLC’s lawyers have recently hit back at Spotify, stating, “The MLC opposes Spotify’s proposed motion to dismiss because it is based on mischaracterizations of the well-pleaded allegations in the MLC’s complaint, new purported facts that go well beyond or contradict the MLC’s pleading, and merits-based arguments that are inappropriate on a motion to dismiss.”
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