USC Settles Sony Lawsuit Over Beyoncé and Harry Styles Songs in Sports Team Social Media Videos

The University of Southern California (USC) has settled a lawsuit with Sony Music over the use of Beyoncé and Harry Styles songs in sports team social media videos. The college sports powerhouse allegedly didn't get licenses to use chart-topping tracks like “Break My Soul” and “As It Was" in Instagram and TikTok posts.

According to a report by Billboard, the lawsuit was filed in February 2026, and the settlement was reached recently. The report states that USC has agreed to pay a significant amount to Sony Music for the use of the songs in their social media content.

The lawsuit highlighted the issue of music licensing in social media content, particularly in the sports industry. Many sports teams and colleges use popular songs in their social media videos, but often fail to obtain the necessary licenses from the copyright holders.

The settlement between USC and Sony Music is a significant development in this area, and it may set a precedent for other sports teams and colleges to obtain the necessary licenses for their social media content.

The use of popular songs in social media content is a common practice in the sports industry, but it can be a costly mistake if the necessary licenses are not obtained. The settlement between USC and Sony Music serves as a reminder of the importance of music licensing in social media content.

Sources

[1] USC Settles Sony Lawsuit Over Beyoncé and Harry Styles Songs in Sports Team Social Media Videos