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Beastie Boys Win Copyright Fight

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

And our last word in business today is monster settlement.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "MAKE SOME NOISE")

BEASTIE BOYS: (Singing) Yes, here we go again, give you more nothing lesser. Back on the mic is the anti-depresser...

GREENE: Oh, yeah, when the Monster Beverage Company used this Beastie Boys song "Make Some Noise" in an online promotional video, the band made some noise in court. They sued for copyright infringement.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

And yesterday they won a $1.7 million dollar verdict. The energy drink company said it believed it had permission to use the music and it will appeal. The Beastie Boys are famously protective of their songs. They have sued to stop their music from being used in commercials before.

GREENE: Band member Adam Yauch, who died in 2012, even left instructions in his will saying that in no event could his artistic property be used for advertising. The Beastie Boys learned the hard way themselves about copyright law. They were sued years ago for a sample of another song that they inserted in their tune "Car Thief."

INSKEEP: You got to fight for your right to sample.

GREENE: (Laughing) There you go.

INSKEEP: Anyway.

GREENE: And that's the businesses news from MORNING EDITION on NPR News. I'm David Greene.

INSKEEP: I'm Steve Inskeep. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

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