USC 'respects the intellectual property rights of others' and is pleased to resolve this matter confidentially, moving forward with its athletic programs.
USC tried to duck this case by arguing it was improper to sue a California school in New York—meaning they never even addressed whether they actually had the right to use Beyoncé and Harry Styles' songs. They got caught, and Sony wasn't budging.
Sony sued USC in March 2025 over 250+ videos with 170+ unlicensed songs including 'Break My Soul,' 'As It Was,' 'Uptown Funk' and 'Sicko Mode.' Sony sought $150,000 per song (potential $25M+), noting USC generates over $200 million annually. Settlement terms undisclosed.
You'd think a school pulling in nine figures would drop coin for proper licenses, but apparently USC figured they'd just roll the dice with Beyoncé's catalog. The settlement amount is anyone's guess, but this sends a clear message: Sony is coming for every brand that thinks social media rules don't apply to them.
USC has officially settled Sony Music's lawsuit, bringing an end to a year-long legal battle that exposed just how casually the university treated intellectual property rights when it came to hyping up their sports teams on social media.
The settlement, described as a "settlement in principle" in federal court documents filed Wednesday (March 25), will end Sony's copyright infringement claims against the university. Neither side is disclosing the terms—which, let's be honest, rarely happens when a defendant feels good about their position. Both Sony and USC declined to comment on Thursday.
When Sony originally filed suit almost exactly a year ago, the complaint painted a damning picture. The music giant accused USC's athletic department of posting more than 250 videos across Instagram and TikTok featuring over 170 unlicensed songs from their catalog. We're not talking obscure deep cuts here—these were chart-dominating hits including Beyoncé's "Break My Soul," Harry Styles' "As It Was," Bruno Mars' "Uptown Funk," Travis Scott's "Sicko Mode," Lil Nas X's "Old Town Road," Doja Cat's "Paint the Town Red" and SZA's "Kill Bill."
Sony wasn't asking for a slap on the wrist. They sought the maximum statutory damages of $150,000 per infringed song—which would total more than $25 million. The lawsuit explicitly noted that USC could well afford proper synch licenses, pointing out that the college sports powerhouse generates more than $200 million in annual revenue. That's quite the contrast: hundreds of millions rolling in, but apparently not enough to budget for legitimate music licensing.
USC's legal strategy before the settlement? Not fighting the substance of the claims, but rather where the case was being heard. They argued it was improper to sue a California institution in New York federal court—a venue challenge that dodged the actual copyright infringement allegations entirely. That approach didn't scare Sony off, and now we've got a settlement instead of a trial.
This case fits into a much larger pattern of major labels cracking down on commercial social media accounts. While regular users get blanket licenses through Instagram and TikTok, businesses and organizations need proper synch licenses—and Sony, Warner, and Universal have been increasingly aggressive about going after anyone who thinks the rules don't apply to them. The list of targets has included Chili's, NBA teams, and cookie company Crumbl. Most settle quietly. USC just joined that club.
