Beyoncé Sued for Copyright Infringement on Alien Superstar
The judge found the plaintiff failed to show valid ownership of the 1998 recording, and court records say Parkwood had licensed the sample from John Holiday’s companies.
- A lawsuit targets Parkwood, Sony Music Entertainment, Sony Music Publishing, Warner Chappell, and musician John Holiday over the alleged unauthorized use of a sample in Beyoncé's "Alien Superstar" from her 2022 album Renaissance.
- Hirose Enterprises alleges Parkwood used an unauthorized sample of "Moonraker" when composing "Alien Superstar" in 2020, claiming the company obtained ownership through a 2008 transfer from Soundmen on Wax, Ltd.
- Court filings confirm Parkwood obtained a license directly from John Holiday in 2022, while the judge's order flagged inconsistencies in Hirose's filings, noting the company claimed "100% ownership" after previously stating "1/2 ownership of the publishing rights."
- US District Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong dismissed the suit in March 2026, finding Hirose failed to adequately plead ownership, and Judge Scarsi later dismissed it again on June 26, 2026, citing the company was not legally formed until 2025.
- Beyoncé herself has never been named as a defendant in the case. "Alien Superstar" reached number 19 on the Billboard Hot 100, and the album's samples have drawn scrutiny, including a now-dismissed suit over "Break My Soul.
27 Articles
27 Articles
Beyoncé sued for copyright infringement on Alien Superstar
Beyoncé is being sued for alleged copyright infringement over her song Alien Superstar. According to TMZ, a company called Hirose Enterprise, and a producer named Shuji Hirose, are asking for unspecified damages from the world-famous singer and various music companies over the track, which f...
Beyoncé accused of alleged copyright infringement with his song "Alien Superstar"
Hirose Enterprise and producer Shuji Hirose argue that the singer used an unauthorized fragment of “Moonraker” on her album “Renaissance”
Beyoncé Accused of Music Theft in Damning Lawsuit Over Alleged Stolen Sample on Renaissance Album Track
A four-second spoken-word sample has kept Beyoncé's record label tied up in federal court for over a year. Court filings show that Parkwood Entertainment, LLC, has twice defeated a copyright lawsuit over the sample that opens 'Alien Superstar', only for the underlying dispute to resurface again this month. Beyoncé herself has never been named as a defendant in the case. The suit instead targets Parkwood, alongside Sony Music Entertainment, Sony …
Beyoncé Is Getting Sued Over “Alien Superstar” & The Legal Drama Is Getting Messy
Beyoncé is facing legal drama again over one of the standout tracks. Here’s how her latest legal drama is getting sticky. The post Beyoncé Caught In Copyright Clash Over ‘Alien Superstar’ Sample: Here’s What We Know appeared first on Bossip.
The singer was sued for copyright infringement.
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