Dionne Warwick is accusing a rights management company of improperly taking millions of dollars from the royalties generated by some of her most famous recordings, escalating a legal fight that began late last year.
Why She’s Suing
In a countersuit filed Monday against Artists Rights Enforcement Corp. (AREC), the legendary singer claims the company used a decades-old agreement to claim a large share of income tied to her catalog, including songs like “Walk On By,” “I Say a Little Prayer” and “Do You Know the Way to San Jose.” The filing was obtained and first reported by Billboard.
The dispute stems from a lawsuit AREC filed in December, in which the company alleged Warwick tried to walk away from a longstanding partnership. AREC said it had worked for years to increase the singer’s royalty income, including helping secure the use of her music in Doja Cat’s hit “Paint the Town Red.”
Warwick’s attorneys now argue the company dramatically overstated its role while collecting an outsized share of her earnings.
According to the countersuit, Warwick signed a one-page agreement with the company in 2001 related to a royalty dispute involving Warner Bros. Records. Her legal team says she believed the deal applied only to that matter but claims AREC later interpreted the contract far more broadly and continued collecting a percentage of royalty income tied to her recordings for more than two decades.
The complaint says the arrangement allowed the company to receive half of certain funds connected to Warwick’s music, including revenue linked to songs such as ”I’ll Never Fall in Love Again,” “That’s What Friends Are For,” and “Alfie.”
Warwick also alleges the company interfered with a possible catalog-related deal she was exploring with Primary Wave by contacting the firm and asserting she lacked the authority to complete the transaction.
AREC, founded by industry executive Chuck Rubin, has said its work helped boost Warwick’s earnings and recover royalties she had not previously received. In a statement to Billboard, the company said its efforts increased the revenue she receives from her recordings and expanded uses of her music.
“We look forward to proving that Artists Rights is entitled to its fee for the extensive work it has done for Ms. Warwick,” the company said.
Warwick’s attorneys argue the company’s role did not justify the amount it collected and say its work amounted largely to administrative tasks.
The countersuit also claims the company controlled the flow of Warwick’s royalty payments for years without providing clear accounting records. The issue surfaced after Warwick retained music attorney Douglas J. Davis last year, who requested documentation and later ended the relationship with AREC.
Warwick’s filing accuses the company of fraud, breach of fiduciary duty and breach of contract as the legal dispute moves forward.
