Many fans are curious to know more about why Daryl Hall sued John Oates. Known together as Hall & Oates, the two were an iconic rock duo who produced unforgettable hits such as “Rich Girl,” “Kiss on My List,” and “Maneater.” They were at the height of their popularity in the 70s and 80s and continued to perform together in concerts in the following decades. This is why when the news broke that Daryll Hall sued John Oates, it caught some fans by surprise.
Here is what you may want to know about why Hall had filed a lawsuit against Oates.
Why did Daryl Hall sue John Oates in 2023?
In late 2023, various outlets reported that Hall had filed a lawsuit against his creative partner of about five decades to prevent the latter from selling his share of Whole Oats Enterprises LLP, a collaborative venture between the two.
Hall claimed that Oates had performed an “ultimate partnership betrayal” against him. In response, Oates initiated court filings of his own, in which he dubbed Hall’s accusations as “inflammatory, outlandish, and inaccurate,” adding that he was disappointed about what Hall said about him.
Daryl Hall and John Oates’ lawsuit explained
In arbitration, Hall claimed that Oates could not sell off his share of their collaborative venture to Primary Wave IP Investment Management LLC. Some of the assets that are a part of this joint venture are the duo’s trademarks, royalties from their records, and the rights to their names and likeness.
The legal battle between the former rock music duo continues as of May 2024. Earlier this month, Hall told Variety that Hall & Oates had finally broken up. “I haven’t had a creative relationship with John for at least 25 years,” he added. “We didn’t write songs together, we didn’t do anything together except perform live shows. We had an arrangement that I couldn’t play my solo songs onstage with Hall & Oates — and now I get to.”
On the other hand, speaking to Good Morning America’s Michael Strahan, Oates dismissed Hall’s accusations. However, he seemed to agree with the latter on one point: their partnership had truly ended.
