The Black Keys are suing a New York ad agency for using their song Tighten Up in a commercial for New Jersey’s Valley bank.
The complaint has been filed on behalf of the band by their label Nonesuch Records, who claim both the bank and the ad agency ignored 2 cease-and-desist letters and continued to air the commercial over 2 weeks.
The complaint states:
“For at least a two-week period in February 2011 coinciding with the period leading up to and the aftermath of the 2011 Grammy Awards, the Agency and VNB knowingly created and ran a television commercial incorporating significant portions of (Tighten Up) without having sought or obtained a license from Nonesuch to do so”.
Using a song without the artists permission is pretty poor form but this case is especially bad as Tighten Up has previously been used in other ads (with the band’s permission) so the agency has no excuse. Nonesuch is seeking to stop the ad from airing again as well as damages “in proportion to the popularity of the song”. The song is a big one for The Black Keys so we hope they take the ad agency and the bank to the cleaners.
Watch the cute video for Tighten Up by The Black Keys below.
