Blur drummer turned solicitor David Rowntree has lost his claim on behalf of 160,000 musicians regarding the distribution of £200m ‘black box’ or unidentified royalties to producers but not songwriters
The Competition Appeal Tribunal rejected his claim last year, prompting him to appeal. However, his appeal has now been rejected by the Court of Appeal, in Rowntree v Performing Right Society and another [2026] EWCA Civ 814.
Lord Justice Miles said: ‘The black box royalties problem arises precisely from the absence of accurate information; if accurate information were available [to the distributor], the relevant royalties would be matched.’
