EMI Sues AOL, MGM Over Use of Songs

EMI Group is suing AOL Time Warner Inc. and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. for “tens of millions of dollars” in damages, claiming the two media companies made unauthorized use of “We’re Off to See the Wizard” and other songs in movies, TV shows and ads.

AOL Time Warner and MGM must pay royalties for songs such as “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” from “The Wizard of Oz” and the theme from the 1976 film “Rocky,” said EMI, the world’s largest music publisher, in a lawsuit filed Wednesday in Manhattan federal court.

AOL Time Warner and MGM declined to comment.