The Black Keys are not shilling power tools or pizza, the band said in copyright infringement lawsuits against The Home Depot and Pizza Hut.
The “Lonely Boy” band filed the federal lawsuits Thursday, claiming Home Depot did not have permission to use elements of the hit song in an ad promoting power tools and that Pizza Hut misused “Gold on the Ceiling” in a recent ad.
Both songs appeared on the rock group’s seventh album, “El Camino,” which was released last year and has sold nearly 840,000 copies. The Black Keys are comprised of Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney. Musician-producer Brian Burton, who is known as Danger Mouse, is also suing the companies.
“The experts confirmed that this was copyright infringement,” band spokeswoman Mary Moyer said in a statement.
The cases seek unspecified damages of more than $75,000 apiece and an order preventing the continued use of the songs in the commercials.
“We haven’t seen the complaint yet, but respect for intellectual property rights is a matter we take very seriously,” said Home Depot spokesman Stephen Holmes.
Pizza Hut spokesman Christopher Fuller said the company also hasn’t seen the case, but fully respects artists’ rights. He directed inquiries to the ad’s creators, The Martin Agency and The Interpublic Group of Companies.
A Martin Agency spokesman said the company doesn’t respond to pending lawsuits, and a spokesman for the Interpublic Group of Companies was not immediately available.
The suits claim both companies were given written notices that the ads misused The Black Keys’ music. The Home Depot ad touts Ryobi power tools, while the Pizza Hut ad touts its new “Cheesy Bites Pizza.”
Neither company received permission to use musical elements from the songs. The ads do not include any vocals.
“Lonely Boy” and “Gold on the Ceiling” both topped the Billboard alternative music chart after their release.
The Black Keys won two Grammy Awards in 2010 for music from their album “Brothers,” which won the Best Alternative Music Album award that year.
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Associated Press writer Mesfin Fekadu contributed to this report.
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt Reach Divorce Settlement After 8 Years
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have reached a divorce settlement, ending one of the longest and most contentious divorces in Hollywood history but not every legal issue between the two.
Jolie and Pitt signed off on a default declaration filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday, saying they have entered into a written agreement on their marital and property rights. The settlement was first reported by People magazine.
"More than eight years ago, Angelina filed for divorce from Mr. Pitt," Jolie's attorney, James Simon, said in a statement. "She and the children left all of the properties they had shared with Mr. Pitt, and since that time she has focused on finding peace and healing for their family. This is just one part of a long ongoing process that started eight years ago. Frankly, Angelina is exhausted, but she is relieved this one part is over."
The filing says they give up the right to any future spousal financial support, but gives no other details. A judge will need to sign off on the agreement. An email late Monday night to Pitt's attorney seeking comment was not immediately answered.
Jolie, 49, and Pitt, 61, were among Hollywood's most prominent pairings for 12 years, two of them as a married couple. The Oscar winners have six children together.
Jolie filed for divorce in 2016, after a private jet flight from Europe during which she said Pitt physically abused her and their children. The FBI and child services officials investigated Pitt's actions on the flight. Two months later, the FBI released a statement saying it would not investigate further, and the U.S. attorney did not bring charges.
A heavily redacted FBI report obtained by The Associated Press in 2022 said that an agent provided a probable cause... Read More