The Beastie Boys have filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against Brinker International, Chili's parent company, over the alleged unauthorized use of their song "Sabotage" in a social media promotional video.

Michael Diamond, Adam Horovitz, and Adam Yauch's estate claim Brinker produced and posted social media videos promoting Chili's using "Sabotage" without permission as early as November 2022. The lawsuit alleges infringement of the song's composition, recording, and original music video concept.

The Beastie Boys typically don't license their music for advertising, with Adam Yauch's will specifically prohibiting such usage. However, there are some exceptions, such as the song's appearance in a Destiny 2 promotional trailer after Yauch's death.

This case joins a growing trend of music copyright disputes involving social media marketing:

• Monster Energy was ordered to pay the Beastie Boys $1.7 million in 2014 for unauthorized music use
• Sony Music sued OFRA Cosmetics in late 2023 for copyright infringement across social platforms
• Marriott faced similar charges from Sony Music in May for "rampant infringement"

The surge in such cases highlights a common misconception about social media music libraries, which are cleared for personal use only, not commercial purposes. As restaurants increasingly turn to social media marketing amid operational challenges, proper music licensing remains a crucial consideration.

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