Universal record label settles UK dispute with King Crimson over Kanye West ‘Power’ sample

The Universal Music Group (UMG) has settled a UK lawsuit with a representative for English rock band King Crimson over royalties for Kanye West’s ‘Power’ song.

UMG was hit with legal action in 2022 in the English High Court over allegedly failing to pay royalties over West’s 2010 song ‘Power’. The song had used a sample of the 1969 song ’21st Century Schizoid Man’ by King Crimson.

The claimant in this case was City-based Declan Colgan Music, the owner of the mechanical licence for the ’21st Century Schizoid Man’ song, which launched the legal action against UMG.

The record company UMG owns and operates a record label business known as The Island Def Jam Music Group, a division of which US rapper Kanye West (now Ye) was signed as an artist.

The US rapper was not involved in the dispute, only his song was the target of the legal action.

For its case, Declan Colgan Music had instructed City-based boutique law firm Clintons, while the record label called on music-focused law firm Russells for its defence.

According to the Variety, in the week that case was due to go to trial in the High Court, the parties have reached a settlement. The details of the settlement were not disclosed, but Variety reports that Declan Colgan Music received payment as part of the agreement.

UMG declined to comment on the matter.