Universal Music Australia yesterday revealed its list of 100 top songs that it will pursue in a lawsuit against Sharman Networks, makers of the peer-to- peer file sharing software KaZaA. Universal’s laywer, John Nicolas, presented the list yesterday, which includes songs from the Universal catalog that seem to have been picked for their ironic titles — among them, The Cranberries’ “No Need to Argue” and Shaggy’s “It Wasn’t Me.” The prosecution will focus on these 100 songs as the primary evidence during the trial.
The Universal parties were forced to compile the relatively select list of 100 songs after the prosecution was asked earlier this year to reduce the scope of their proceedings. Even still, this case will mark one of the largest music copyright infringement cases that Australia has ever witnessed.
One of the case’s main goals is to uncover the identity of the owner and corporate structure of Sharman Networks, which remains a well-guarded secret, despite legal scrutiny. In a preliminary hearing, Nicolas asked the judge, “So we will at some time have to make an application, your Honour, for an order that those documents (relating to the identity of Sharman’s owner) be produced. They are not going to be volunteered and despite the best will in the world as between my learned friend and myself, that’s not going to bring them out.”
More hearings on the case will occur before November 29, the date when the main part of the trial, regarding the 100 key songs from Universal’s catalog, will begin.
Thanks to Cold Winter for the tip.
Source: ZDNet Australia