Brief
Musician Sues Kroger and LG Over Unlicensed Use of TikTok Hit “Cheese Tax”
The lawsuits allege the retailers posted the dog‑themed song on commercial TikTok accounts for years without paying royalties.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Musician Matthew Hobbs, who posts dog‑focused songs to a TikTok following of more than 800,000, filed copyright infringement lawsuits against Kroger and LG Electronics on Oct. 19, 2026, alleging the companies used his viral track “Cheese Tax” in commercial TikTok videos without obtaining synch licenses.
“Cheese Tax,” which went viral in March 2023, was reportedly employed by Kroger in a social‑media advertisement that same month, aiming to capitalize on the song’s popularity. LG is said to have paired the track with a video showing a dog beside an open refrigerator sold by the brand, also in March 2023.
Both videos remained on the companies’ commercial TikTok pages for more than three years, according to the complaint, before being removed in April 2026 after Hobbs’ lawyers issued legal demands. Hobbs claims he has never licensed the song to TikTok’s commercial library, though he has previously signed synch deals with brands such as BarkBox, Purina, Petco and DoorDash.
The lawsuit seeks monetary damages from Kroger for copyright infringement and from LG for both infringement and the alleged unauthorized removal of copyright management information. Hobbs’ filing states that each day the videos were publicly available constituted a separate act of infringement.
A representative for LG declined to comment. Kroger’s response was not included in the filing.
Key facts
- Musician Matthew Hobbs filed lawsuits against Kroger and LG on Oct. 19, 2026. (billboard.com)
- "Cheese Tax" went viral on TikTok in March 2023. (billboard.com)
- Kroger used the song in a March 2023 social‑media ad; LG used it in a March 2023 video of a dog next to a refrigerator. (billboard.com)
- The videos stayed up for over three years before being removed in April 2026 after legal demands. (billboard.com)
- LG declined to comment; Kroger’s response was not provided. (billboard.com)
Sources
- [1] billboard.com — originally reported as “Kroger and LG Sued for Allegedly Using Dog-Themed ‘Cheese Tax’ TikTok Song Without Licenses”
