CD Antitrust Suit Against Big Music Distributors/Retailers Nets $67.4M

The Salt Lake Tribune is reporting that Utah, along with 41 other states just settled an anti-trust lawsuit against five big music distributors and retailers, including Sony Music Entertainment, BMG, EMI, Warner-Elektra-Atlantic, Universal Music, Transworld Entertainment, Tower Records and Musicland Stores for conspiring together to inflate the price of popular music. The claim is that distributors prohibited retailers to sell CDs below a certain cost. While all defendents deny the allegations, they have decided to stay out of federal court and have agreed to a 67.4 million settlement. \”Utah State Library Director Amy Owen looks forward to a musical windfall. The defendents in the lawsuit will donate 43,358 CDs to Utah\’s libraries. Read More.