Beastie Boys agree to settle Sabotage lawsuit against Chilis parent company

Beastie Boys have reached an agreement in principle to settle their lawsuit against Brinker International, the parent company of Chili’s. The suit alleged that the restaurant chain infringed on the copyright of the band’s song “Sabotage” and its video. In a court document filed Wednesday, viewed […]

Beastie Boys have reached an agreement in principle to settle their lawsuit against Brinker International, the parent company of Chili’s. The suit alleged that the restaurant chain infringed on the copyright of the band’s song “Sabotage” and its video.

In a court document filed Wednesday, viewed by ABC Audio, attorneys for Beastie Boys requested a stay of proceedings while they finalize the settlement agreement with Brinker. They add that they expect to file a dismissal by July 7.

As previously reported, Adam “Ad-Rock” Horovitz and Michael “Mike D” Diamond, along with the estate of the late Adam “MCA” Yauch, sued Brinker in July 2024, alleging that Chili’s created and posted a video that “included musical compositions and sound recordings that were used without the permission of the rights owners,” specifically from “Sabotage.”

The suit also alleged that the Chili’s video copied the “Sabotage” music video by featuring “three characters wearing obvious 70s-style wigs, fake mustaches, and sunglasses.”

Yauch, who died in 2012, famously included in his will that he did not want Beastie Boys’ music to be used for product advertisements, which has resulted in lawsuits with several other companies. However, the Beasties have licensed “Sabotage” for select uses, including for the Star Trek reboot films and a campaign video for Joe Biden during his 2020 presidential run.

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