Grooveshark

Grooveshark was a service of Escape Media Group Inc. (EMG), based in Gainesville, Florida,{{cite web|url=http://www.grooveshark.com/about |title=Grooveshark: About|access-date=October 17, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111016011154/http://www.grooveshark.com/about |archive-date=October 16, 2011}} with additional offices located in New York City.{{cite news|last1=McDermott|first1=John|title=Case Study: Can Grooveshark Get Its Groove Back?|url=http://www.inc.com/magazine/201211/john-mcdermott/hands-on-case-study-grooveshark.html|access-date=September 8, 2014|publisher=Inc.}} It was founded in March 2006 by three undergraduates at the University of Florida:{{cite web|url=http://www.startupsopensourced.com/groovesharks-interview/ |title=Interview with Grooveshark CTO Josh Greenberg | newspaper =Startups Open Sourced|access-date=October 17, 2011| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110527220518/http://www.startupsopensourced.com/groovesharks-interview/| archive-date= May 27, 2011 |url-status=dead}} Andrés Barreto, Josh Greenberg and Sam Tarantino{{cite news | last =Olle| first =Nick| title =Just Don't Call Him The Colombian Mark Zuckerberg… | work = The Global Mail| date =February 16, 2012 | url =http://www.theglobalmail.org/feature/just-dont-call-him-the-colombian-mark-zuckerberg/62/| access-date = July 22, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120831222012/http://www.theglobalmail.org/feature/just-dont-call-him-the-colombian-mark-zuckerberg/62/ |archive-date=August 31, 2012}}{{cite web|url=http://news.ufl.edu/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/inside_uf_1-15-08-low.pdf |title=Grooveshark Brings Legal Music Streaming to Gators and the World|access-date=October 17, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120229133909/http://news.ufl.edu/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/inside_uf_1-15-08-low.pdf |archive-date=February 29, 2012|url-status=dead}} (who became CEO). During its first two years, Grooveshark functioned as a paid downloadable music service,{{cite web|url=http://download.cnet.com/Grooveshark/3000-2141_4-10815043.html |title=CNET Editor's Review: Grooveshark|access-date=October 17, 2011}} with its content sourced from its proprietary peer-to-peer (P2P) network, which required users to install its "Sharkbyte" application. Grooveshark stated that it paid users who uploaded a transacted song a portion of the accounting costs for the song. Grooveshark positioned itself as a legal competitor to other popular P2P networks such as LimeWire, although questions about its legality arose from the beginning.{{cite web|url=https://venturebeat.com/2007/12/05/grooveshark-offers-p2p-music-downloads-but-is-it-legal/ |title=Grooveshark offers P2P music downloads but is it legal? |date=December 5, 2007 |access-date=October 17, 2011}}

Grooveshark entered beta in September 2007.{{cite news | title =Grooveshark's Interview | publisher =Startups Open Sourced | date =2012 | url =http://www.startupsopensourced.com/groovesharks-interview/ | access-date =July 22, 2014 | archive-date =May 27, 2011 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20110527220518/http://www.startupsopensourced.com/groovesharks-interview/ | url-status =dead }} In the beta, users bought and sold tracks among themselves for 99 cents.{{cite news | last =Morrison| first =Chris| title =Grooveshark offers P2P music downloads — but is it legal? | publisher = Venture Beat| date =December 5, 2007 | url =https://venturebeat.com/2007/12/05/grooveshark-offers-p2p-music-downloads-but-is-it-legal/| access-date = July 22, 2014}} Around 70 cents went to the record label, 25 cents to the user selling the track, and 4 cents to Grooveshark. Grooveshark's model had been approved by various small record labels, but not by any of the major record companies.

On April 15, 2008, the service launched its web service, enabling users to click and play songs on the site without having to download an application. The new web service was a Flash media player called "Grooveshark Lite",{{cite news| last =Ready| first =Julia| title =Legal P2P program Grooveshark debuts web media player| work =Paste| date =April 21, 2008| url =http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2008/04/legal-p2p-program-grooveshark-debuts-web-media-pla.html| access-date =July 22, 2014| archive-date =May 7, 2018| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20180507154210/https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2008/04/legal-p2p-program-grooveshark-debuts-web-media-pla.html| url-status =dead}} and added a feature for autoplaying recommended songs.{{cite news | last =Riley| first =Duncan| title =Grooveshark Autoplay: Pandora for the rest of us| publisher = Inquisitr| date =August 26, 2008 | url =http://www.inquisitr.com/2669/grooveshark-autoplay-pandora-for-the-rest-of-us/| access-date = July 22, 2014}} The service rose in popularity, with founders Greenberg and Tarantino named 2008 finalists for Bloomberg Businessweek{{'s}} list of "America's Best Young Entrepreneurs".{{cite news | title =2008 Finalists: America's Best Young Entrepreneurs| publisher = Bloomberg Businessweek| date =2008 | url =http://images.businessweek.com/ss/08/09/0908_2008_entrepreneurs/15.htm| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20080912220353/http://images.businessweek.com/ss/08/09/0908_2008_entrepreneurs/15.htm| url-status =dead| archive-date =September 12, 2008| access-date = July 22, 2014}}

As of 2009, Grooveshark had secured almost $1 million in seed funding.{{cite web|url=http://venturebeatprofiles.com//company/profile/grooveshark|title=VentureBeat Profile: Grooveshark|access-date=October 17, 2011|archive-date=October 17, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111017182101/http://venturebeatprofiles.com/company/profile/grooveshark|url-status=usurped}} Also in 2009, Grooveshark launched its artist platform called Grooveshark Artists,{{cite web|url=http://artists.grooveshark.com/|title=Grooveshark Artists|access-date=October 17, 2011|archive-date=March 6, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110306064030/http://artists.grooveshark.com/|url-status=dead}} which served as an analytics service for artists whose music was streamed on the site.{{self-published inline|date=July 2012}} {{cite web|url=http://blogcritics.org/music/article/musicians-find-fans-at-grooveshark-artists/|title=Musicians Find Fans at Grooveshark Artists|access-date=October 17, 2011|archive-date=August 23, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110823115510/http://blogcritics.org/music/article/musicians-find-fans-at-grooveshark-artists|url-status=dead}} On October 27, 2009, Grooveshark revised its interface, which featured skipping to any point in a song,{{cite web|url=http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/08/25/streaming-music-site-grooveshark-previews-new-look-features-to/ |title=Streaming Music Site Grooveshark Previews New Look, Features to VIPs|access-date=October 17, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110114040259/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/08/25/streaming-music-site-grooveshark-previews-new-look-features-to/ |archive-date=January 14, 2011}} left-hand navigation, customizable site themes, and drag-and-drop editing of playlists.{{cite web|url=http://www.russellheimlich.com/blog/grooveshark-2-0-keeps-getting-better/ |title=Grooveshark 2.0 Keeps Getting Better|date=August 25, 2009 |access-date=October 17, 2011}} On December 2, 2010, the site's interface was rewritten for HTML5. Another update occurred in October 2011.{{cite web|url=http://blog.grooveshark.com/post/11287127783/sneak-peek-at-the-new-grooveshark-redesign |title=Sneak Peek at the New Grooveshark Redesign |access-date=October 17, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111012163253/http://blog.grooveshark.com/post/11287127783/sneak-peek-at-the-new-grooveshark-redesign |archive-date=October 12, 2011}}

On January 18, 2012, Grooveshark removed service in Germany, stating that it closed due to the costs of licensing.{{cite web|url=https://venturebeat.com/2012/01/18/grooveshark-germany/ |title=Grooveshark denies service to Germany due to "unreasonably high" licensing costs |date=January 18, 2012 |publisher=VentureBeat |access-date=June 14, 2013}} On November 21, 2011, Grooveshark was a Mashable Awards 2011 Finalist in the Best Music Service or App category.{{cite web|url=http://mashable.com/2011/11/21/2011-mashable-awards-finalists |title=Mashable Awards 2011 Finalists |website=Mashable |date=November 21, 2011 |access-date=January 17, 2012}} On December 19, 2011, Grooveshark co-founders Sam Tarantino and Josh Greenberg were listed among the Forbes 30 Under 30 in Music.{{cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/special-report/2011/30-under30-12/30-under-30-12_music.html |title=Forbes 30 Under 30 in Music |access-date=January 17, 2012}}

On August 28, 2012, Google Play restored Grooveshark's app.{{cite news|url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57502151-93/music-streaming-grooveshark-app-back-in-google-play/ |title=Music streaming Grooveshark app back in Google Play |access-date=May 5, 2013}} On September 5, 2012, Grooveshark presented its full HTML5 player, effectively nullifying Google's and Apple's decisions to make the service unavailable to mobile apps.{{cite news|url=https://venturebeat.com/2012/09/05/screw-app-stores-grooveshark-rolls-out-full-html5-site-for-all-devices/ |title=No app store? No problem. Grooveshark rolls out full HTML5 site for all devices |access-date=May 5, 2013}} On November 12, 2013, executive Eddy Vasquez was murdered.{{cite news|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/eddy-vasquez-murdered-2013-11/ |title=Grooveshark Executive Murdered In St. Petersburg, Florida |access-date=December 14, 2015}} In 2013, Cydia repositories iHackStore, BigBoss Repo, c0caine, and all others brought back the Grooveshark app for the iPhone with the ability to download songs and import them directly to the music app within the Grooveshark app.{{Cite news|url=https://techcrunch.com/2010/02/26/grooveshark-iphone-app-cydia/|title=Rejected By Apple, Grooveshark Releases App For Jailbroken iPhones On Cydia|last=Wauters|first=Robin|work=TechCrunch|access-date=January 28, 2018|language=en}} From July 2014, Grooveshark announced that it would accept Bitcoin as a form of payment via Stripe.Hong, Kaylene. July 15, 2014, TheNextWeb. "[https://thenextweb.com/insider/2014/07/15/grooveshark-now-lets-you-pay-for-its-music-streaming-service-with-bitcoin/ Grooveshark now lets you pay for its music streaming service with Bitcoin]"

On April 30, 2015, it was announced that, as part of a settlement of the copyright infringement lawsuits between the service and Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, and Warner Music Group, Grooveshark would be shut down immediately. Furthermore, the ownership of the Grooveshark service, website, and all of its associated intellectual property would be transferred to the labels. The Grooveshark website was replaced with a message announcing the closure, and pointed users towards licensed music streaming services. The move came after it was disclosed that the company could have been liable for up to $736 million in damages if it were determined that the website's infringement of copyrights was willful.{{cite web|title=Grooveshark, the Free Music Service That Used to Scare the Big Labels, Gives Up|url=http://recode.net/2015/04/30/grooveshark-the-free-music-service-that-used-to-scare-the-big-labels-gives-up/|website=Re/code|access-date=May 1, 2015}}{{cite news|title=Grooveshark Shuts Down to Settle Copyright Infringement Suit| work=The New York Times | date=May 2015 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/01/business/media/grooveshark-shuts-down-to-settle-copyright-infringement-suit.html?_r=0|access-date=May 1, 2015 | last1=Sisario | first1=Ben }}

Shortly after the shutdown, a new Grooveshark-branded website surfaced under a different top-level domain, offering a basic MP3 search engine that claimed to use the site's previous library of music, and promising to restore much of its original functionality. Although the site's anonymous creator claimed to have had a prior "connection" to the site and promised future development, it was later found that the "new" Grooveshark was simply a re-branded version of an existing MP3 search engine.{{cite news|last= Kastrenakes |first=Jacob |title=Grooveshark has been cloned and its music is back online|date=May 5, 2015|url=https://www.theverge.com/2015/5/5/8555327/grooveshark-clone-revives-music-streaming-site|access-date=May 5, 2015|work=The Verge}}{{cite web|last1=Andy|url=http://torrentfreak.com/resurrected-grooveshark-is-actually-an-mp3juices-clone-150506/|work=TorrentFreak|access-date=May 10, 2015|title='Resurrected' Grooveshark is Actually an MP3Juices Clone}} After the labels were granted a temporary restraining order, the clone's domain name was seized, although the site quickly re-appeared on a new domain.{{cite web|title=Lawsuit takes down new Grooveshark site—and another one pops up|url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2015/05/lawsuit-takes-down-new-grooveshark-site-and-another-one-pops-up/|website=Ars Technica|date=May 15, 2015 |access-date=May 15, 2015}} Tools have been created for retrieving Grooveshark playlists, such as playlist.fish, Audiosplitter and StreamSquid.{{cite web|url=https://audiosplitterhelp.zendesk.com/hc/en-gb/articles/203839522-How-does-the-Grooveshark-import-work-|title=How Does The Grooveshark Import Work?}}{{cite web|url=http://www.jpost.com/Magazine/StreamSquid-saves-your-Grooveshark-playlists-409157|title=StreamSquid saves your Grooveshark playlists – Magazine|last=Sarah|first=Viva|date=July 16, 2015|publisher=The Jerusalem Post|access-date=July 16, 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://www.techhive.com/article/2948452/streaming-services/streamsquid-says-it-s-a-legitimate-spiritual-successor-to-the-sued-out-of-existence-grooveshark.html|title=StreamSquid says it's a legitimate spiritual successor to the sued-out-of-existence Grooveshark|last=Chandna|first=Pulkit|date=July 14, 2015|work=Techhive|publisher=IDG|access-date=July 16, 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://www.segs.com.br/info-e-ti/42997-melhores-servicos-para-ouvir-musica-online.html|title=Melhores Serviços Para Ouvir Música Online|date=July 16, 2015|work=Segs|language=pt|access-date=July 16, 2015|quote=Com o fim do Grooveshark nas últimas semanas, o audiosplitter surgiu como uma ótima opção para quem ficou órfão: o serviço oferece a possibilidade de recuperação das playlists do Grooveshark e conta com uma vasta biblioteca (além de ter integração com o YouTube).|archive-date=July 17, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150717185645/http://www.segs.com.br/info-e-ti/42997-melhores-servicos-para-ouvir-musica-online.html|url-status=dead}}

On July 19, 2015, Grooveshark co-founder Josh Greenberg died in his home at the age of 28 of undetermined causes.{{cite news|title=Grooveshark co-founder, 28, found dead in home|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150722174953/http://www.gainesville.com/article/20150720/ARTICLES/150729990|archive-date=July 22, 2015| url=http://www.gainesville.com/article/20150720/ARTICLES/150729990|access-date=August 3, 2016|work=Gainesville Sun|date=July 20, 2015}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.gainesville.com/news/20151222/autopsy-on-grooveshark-co-founder-josh-greenberg-no-cause-of-death-determined|title=Autopsy on Grooveshark co-founder Josh Greenberg: No cause of death determined|last=writer|first=Cindy Swirko Staff|work=Gainesville Sun|access-date=October 17, 2017|language=en}}

Grooveshark was a rich Internet application that originally ran in Adobe Flash. In December 2010, Grooveshark redesigned its site to provide an HTML5 interface.{{cite web|url=http://www.techdrivein.com/2010/12/grooveshark-interface-receives-html5.html |title=Grooveshark Interface Receives an HTML5 Boost! |access-date=December 17, 2010 }} Grooveshark displayed songs, playlists, and users. Grooveshark had a Java Web Start application that scanned user folders for MP3s, uploading and adding them to the user's online library. The ID3 information of the uploaded song was linked to the user, and the file would be uploaded to Grooveshark, which then would offer on-demand music playback. All content on the service was user-sourced.{{cite web|url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-10070510-2.html|title=Grooveshark Now Does Widgets, Music Uploads|access-date=October 17, 2011|archive-date=August 10, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120810234511/http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-10070510-2.html|url-status=dead}} In 2010 Time{{'s}} on-line supplement had listed Grooveshark among its 50 Best Websites.{{cite magazine|url=http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2012721_2012728_2012745,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100828101753/http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2012721_2012728_2012745,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 28, 2010 |title=50 Best Websites 2010: Grooveshark|access-date=October 17, 2011 | magazine=Time |date=August 25, 2010}}

Grooveshark streamed over 1 billion sound files per month, contained over 15 million songs, and had 20 million users.{{cite web|url=http://mashable.com/2012/09/05/grooveshark-html5-player/|publisher=Mashable|first=Joann|last=Pan|date=September 5, 2012|access-date=August 3, 2013|title=Grooveshark Circumvents Mobile Bans by Launching an HTML5 Player}} Users could search and find music by song, artist, album, browsing friends' recent activity, and even through other users' playlists. The service allowed users to create and edit playlists. Registered users could save playlists to an account, subscribe to other users' playlists, and share them through e-mail, social media, StumbleUpon, Reddit, or an embeddable widget. Users could listen to radio stations of particular genres or populate their own station via their list of songs. The site would use the song list to stream similar music, and this stream selection would update using user ratings of songs. Grooveshark featured a "Community" section, where users could view the activity of friends by "following" them. Users could also connect other social media accounts.

Users could obtain basic accounts without fees.{{cite web|url=http://help.grooveshark.com/customer/portal/articles/2137-is-grooveshark-free- |title=Is Grooveshark Free?|access-date=October 17, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101227080553/http://help.grooveshark.com/customer/portal/articles/2137-is-grooveshark-free- |archive-date=December 27, 2010}} Grooveshark offered two subscription services that gave users increased features, no banner ads, and playability on mobile devices.{{cite web|url=http://help.grooveshark.com/customer/portal/articles/9064-what-is-grooveshark-plus- |title=What is Grooveshark Plus?|access-date=October 17, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101222175318/http://help.grooveshark.com/customer/portal/articles/9064-What-is-Grooveshark-Plus- |archive-date=December 22, 2010}}{{cite web|url=http://help.grooveshark.com/customer/portal/articles/2223-grooveshark-anywhere |title=What is Grooveshark Anywhere?|access-date=October 17, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121127035523/http://help.grooveshark.com/customer/portal/articles/2223-grooveshark-anywhere |archive-date=November 27, 2012}}

In 2013, Entertainment Weekly compared a number of music services and granted Grooveshark a "B", rating, "Users upload libraries onto cloud servers, which means fewer catalog holes. But there's only an Android app, and the Web interface can get sluggish."{{cite magazine |last= Anderson |first= Kyle |title= What's the Best Music Service? |magazine= Entertainment Weekly |date= January 18, 2013 |location= New York |publisher= Time Inc. |page= 14}}

CEO Sam Tarantino stated that the company strictly follows the takedown procedures of the US's Online Copyright Infringement Liability Limitation Act, stating that usually Grooveshark expeditiously removes content.{{cite web | url=http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/content_display/industry/news/e3i724a018466b8941181f372784614637f |title=Grooveshark CEO Rails Against UMG-Forced App Takedown|access-date=October 11, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110907080205/http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/content_display/industry/news/e3i724a018466b8941181f372784614637f |archive-date=September 7, 2011}}{{cite web|url=http://www.grooveshark.com/dmca |title=Grooveshark DMCA Takedown Policy |access-date=October 12, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111010024824/http://www.grooveshark.com/dmca |archive-date=October 10, 2011}} However, representatives of the music labels argued that songs that are taken down due to infringement claims often reappear almost immediately. Due to copyright concerns and pressure from record labels, many third party companies distanced themselves from Grooveshark. Apple pulled the Grooveshark app for iOS from App Store on August 16, 2010, shortly after its release in response to a complaint from Universal.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.wired.com/epicenter/2010/08/apple-bows-to-label-pressure-yanks-grooveshark-from-app-store/ |title=Apple Bows to Label Pressure, Yanks Grooveshark From App Store|access-date=October 11, 2011 | magazine=Wired|first=Eliot|last=Van Buskirk|date=August 17, 2010}} On April 1, 2011, the Grooveshark application was pulled from the Android Market.{{cite web|url=http://mashable.com/2011/04/06/grooveshark-android-app-removed/ |title=Google Removes Grooveshark App from the Android Market|website=Mashable |date=April 6, 2011 |access-date=October 17, 2011}} In May 2012, Facebook removed Grooveshark "due to a copyright infringement complaint".{{cite news|title=Facebook confirms: 'We have removed the Grooveshark app...' |date=May 8, 2012 |url=http://digitalmusicnews.com/permalink/2012/120508grooveshark|first=Paul ("paul")|last=Resnikoff|journal=Digital Music News|access-date=May 30, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120511061848/http://www.digitalmusicnews.com/permalink/2012/120508grooveshark |archive-date=May 11, 2012}} At the end of April 2013 Google Search started censoring the term "grooveshark" from its autocomplete feature.[https://torrentfreak.com/google-adds-grooveshark-to-its-piracy-search-filter-130723/ Movie Studios Win ISP Blockade Against EZTV and YIFY-Torrents] In 2012, the British Phonographic Industry engaged Phonographic Performance Limited regarding Grooveshark's licensing, and as of November 2013, was attempting to have all United Kingdom ISPs block the website.{{cite web|url=http://consequenceofsound.net/2013/11/grooveshark-faces-ban-in-uk-top-executive-murdered/|title=Grooveshark faces ban in UK, top executive murdered |publisher=Consequence of Sound|author= Chris Coplan |date=November 13, 2013|access-date=December 13, 2013}}

File:Grooveshark screenshot of King Crimson work.png claimed Grooveshark continued to distribute his music, after repeated takedown notices and other complaints.{{cite news|title=Grooveshark lawsuit reveals details of Universal Music Group's allegations|first=Glenn|last=Peoples|date=November 21, 2011 |newspaper=Billboard.biz|publisher=Billboard.com|url=http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/industry/legal-and-management/grooveshark-lawsuit-reveals-details-of-universal-1005549582.story|access-date=May 30, 2012|archive-date=January 15, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130115135906/http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/industry/legal-and-management/grooveshark-lawsuit-reveals-details-of-universal-1005549582.story|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|title=King Crimson can't get their music off of Grooveshark, so they cc'd Digital Music News… |date=October 13, 2011 |url=http://www.digitalmusicnews.com/permalink/2011/10/13/cc|first=Paul ("paul")|last=Resnikoff|journal=Digital Music News|access-date=May 30, 2011}} His exchange was included in Universal's suit, filed in November 2011, against Grooveshark.{{cite news|title=Sony and Warner are said to sue web music service|first=Ben|last=Sisario|date=December 14, 2011|newspaper=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/15/business/media/sony-and-warner-are-said-to-join-suit-against-grooveshark.html?_r=1|access-date=May 30, 2012}} ]]

Universal Music Group filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against Grooveshark on January 6, 2010, alleging that Grooveshark maintained on its servers illegal copies of Universal's pre-1972 catalog.{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalmusicnews.com/uploads/fb/32/fb32701d5d705be04823ba01de133bd7/UMGvGrooveshark.pdf |title=UMG v. Grooveshark|access-date=October 11, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101008015905/http://www.digitalmusicnews.com/uploads/fb/32/fb32701d5d705be04823ba01de133bd7/UMGvGrooveshark.pdf |archive-date=October 8, 2010}} In July 2012, New York State Supreme Court Judge Barbara Kapnick ruled that pre-1972 recordings were covered by the "safe harbor" provision of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act[https://www.foxnews.com/tech/2012/07/18/does-revolution-in-music-industry-spell-end-mp3.html "You say you want a revolution? Music industry in turmoil again."], "FoxNews.com", July 18, 2012. Retrieved on 12-11-12.[https://www.forbes.com/sites/richardbusch/2012/07/17/the-shark-bites-back-judge-will-hear-groovesharks-counterclaim-against-universal "The Shark Bites Back – Judge will hear Grooveshark's counterclaim against Universal"]. Forbes Retrieved December 11, 2012. In April 2013, the New York State Supreme Court of Appeals reversed the decision, saying that pre-1972 licenses are not covered by the DMCA.{{cite web|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/universal-music-group-wins-appeal-444824|title=Universal Music Group Wins Appeal Against Grooveshark|work=Hollywood Reporter|first=Alex |last=Pham |date=April 23, 2013|access-date=December 13, 2013}}

In November 2011, Universal Music Group brought an additional lawsuit against Grooveshark for more than $15 billion.{{cite magazine|title=Universal Music sues music streaming service for 100,000 illegal uploads|first=Graeme|last=McMillan|date=November 21, 2011|url=https://techland.time.com/2011/11/21/universal-music-sues-music-streaming-service-for-100000-illegal-uploads/|access-date=May 30, 2011|magazine=Time}} UMG cited internal documents revealing that Grooveshark employees uploaded thousands of illegal copies of UMG-owned recordings.[http://news.cnet.com/8301-31001_3-57327815-261/lawsuit-claims-grooveshark-workers-posted-100000-pirated-songs/ Lawsuit claims Grooveshark workers posted 100,000 pirated songs]. Greg Sandoval, CNET, November 21, 2011 Six individuals were named as personally having uploaded between 1,000 and 40,000 songs each; other employees had uploaded 43,000 songs, according to page eight of the complaint. For each of the 113,777 alleged uploadings, a penalty of $150,000 was requested by Universal, amounting to an estimated $17.1 billion.{{cite news |date=November 23, 2011 |url=http://www.digitalmusicnews.com/permalink/2011/111123grooveshark|title= Grooveshark is now facing $17 billion in damages...|access-date=July 20, 2012|first=Paul ("paul")|last=Resnikoff|journal=Digital Music News|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111125064843/http://www.digitalmusicnews.com/permalink/2011/111123grooveshark |archive-date=November 25, 2011}} Grooveshark denied all the complaints, complaining there was a "gross mischaracterisation" of the documents obtained during the lawsuit's discovery phase. In September 2014, the case was decided in favor of the record companies, with damages not yet determined.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/30/business/media/judge-rules-against-grooveshark-in-copyright-infringement-case.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&_r=0|title=Judge Rules Against Grooveshark in Copyright Infringement Case|work=The New York Times|first= Ben |last=Sisario|date=September 29, 2014|access-date=December 6, 2014}}

Another major label, EMI, had also signed a license agreement for streaming music with Grooveshark in 2009 after settling a previous copyright lawsuit.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.wired.com/epicenter/2009/10/emi-drops-suit-against-grooveshark-music-service-licenses-it-instead/ |title=EMI Drops Suit Against Grooveshark, Licenses It Instead|access-date=November 1, 2011 | magazine=Wired|first=Eliot|last=Van Buskirk|date=October 13, 2009}} However, on January 5, 2012, EMI sued Grooveshark over non-payment of royalties{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-grooveshark-emi-lawsuit-idUSTRE80501S20120106 |title=Digital music service Grooveshark sued by EMI |access-date=January 5, 2012 | work=Reuters |date=January 6, 2012}} Jonathan Stempel, Reuters stating in their complaint that Grooveshark failed to provide "a single accounting statement".{{cite magazine|title=Now Grooveshark is being sued by EMI Music|first=Graeme|last=McMillan|date=January 6, 2012|url=https://techland.time.com/2012/01/06/now-grooveshark-is-being-sued-by-emi-music/|magazine=Time |access-date=May 30, 2011}} As a result, EMI dropped its licensing agreement with Grooveshark.{{cite news|last=Sandoval|first=Greg|title=EMI, Grooveshark's only major label, tears up contract|url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-31001_3-57408868-261/emi-groovesharks-only-major-label-tears-up-contract/|access-date=July 9, 2013|newspaper=Cnet|date=April 3, 2012}} Much of EMI is now owned by Universal Music Group.

Grooveshark had licensing deals with a number of independent record labels,{{cite web|last=Sanders|first=Rick|title=In Grooveshark's Defense: Red Flags and Financial Benefit (Part 7 in our Online Music Services Series)|url=http://www.aaronsanderslaw.com/blog/in-groovesharks-defense-red-flags-and-financial-benefit-part-7-in-our-online-music-services-series|work=Aaron Sanders PLCC|date=August 25, 2011 |access-date=July 9, 2013}} such as Sun Records.{{cite press release|url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/grooveshark-signs-licensing-deal-with-sun-records-130717218.html |title=Grooveshark Signs Licensing Deal With Sun Records|access-date=November 1, 2011}}{{cite web|url=http://www.grooveshark.com/labelslist |title=Grooveshark Labels List|access-date=October 17, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071013232811/http://www.grooveshark.com/labelslist/ |archive-date=October 13, 2007}}

• List of social networking services
• List of Internet radio stations
• List of online music databases
• Streaming media

{{Reflist}}

{{Music digital distribution platforms}}

Category:Internet properties established in 2007

Category:Internet properties disestablished in 2015

Category:Internet services shut down by a legal challenge

Category:Online music and lyrics databases

Category:Music streaming services

Category:Companies based in Gainesville, Florida

Category:American music websites

Category:Delisted applications

Category:Defunct digital music services or companies

Category:Defunct online music stores