The Dixie Chicks have sued Sony Music Entertainment, accusing the company of cheating them out of more than $4 million in royalties, the Los Angeles Times reported today (Aug. 28). The Grammy-winning country-pop group also seeks to terminate a seven-album deal it signed with the international corporation in 1997.
The trio — Emily Robison, Martie Seidel, and Natalie Maines Pasdar — has sold nearly 20 million albums that have generated more than $175 million. The singers contend Sony engaged in “systematic thievery” to rob recording artists out of royalty earnings. “We refuse to sit back and silently endorse this behavior simply because this is a ‘standard’ practice at Sony,” the group said in a statement. “This is about people keeping their word.”
Sony officials declined to comment on the suit.
In July, Sony sued the Dixie Chicks, claiming the group owes it more than $100 million for five undelivered albums. In court documents, the company has called the group’s allegations a “sham attempt” to get out of its record contract.
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