BMG’s BBR Music Group (BBRMG) is facing a lawsuit over its decision to drop Jimmie Allen in the wake of sexual assault allegations against the once-rising country star.
The civil complaint, filed on Jan. 8 in Nashville, alleges BBRMG violated contractual duties when it “publicly and swiftly” booted Allen from the label after two anonymous women accused him of sexual assault in 2023. Allen denies the sexual misconduct claims.
“Defendant BBRMG, without a moment’s hesitation, threw Mr. Allen under the proverbial bus to avoid any notion of public scrutiny,” reads the lawsuit. “Defendant’s actions caused plaintiff significant emotional, physical, financial and reputational damages.”
The case is not actually being brought by Allen. Rather, it was filed by Joseph Marsh, a Florida-based live events producer who loaned money to Allen after the singer was dropped by BBRMG. In exchange for discharging some of this debt, Allen granted Marsh the right to sue over his lost record deal. A lawyer for Marsh, Robert Housman, tells Billboard, “Jimmie’s 100% behind this, and he’s agreed to help us throughout the course of the litigation.”
Allen signed with BBRMG in 2017 and broke through with a series of No. 1 hits on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart, including 2018’s “Best Shot” and 2020’s “Make Me Want To.” The label suspended Allen in May 2023 after his former day-to-day manager sued him for sexual assault, then dropped him completely in the wake of a second assault lawsuit the following month.
Marsh now claims BBRMG’s “knee-jerk” reaction constituted a breach of contract. This legal question will likely turn on the status of Allen’s record deal at the time of the sex assault claims; the contract’s most recent extension had expired in April 2023, but Marsh’s lawsuit alleges BBRMG had created an “ongoing contractual obligation” by releasing a music video for Allen’s single “Be Alright” following the expiration.
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According to Marsh, BBRMG neglected “essential duties” after dropping Allen. The label supposedly stopped updating Allen’s social media accounts and ceased all promotion of “Be Alright” right after it had been sent to radio, ultimately letting “a hit song die on the music vine.” Marsh claims BBRMG’s public repudiation of Allen led to the singer being “black-balled” throughout Nashville, torpedoing a once-promising country music career.
Without a record deal, Marsh says, Allen has not had the funds to get himself back to the top of the charts — or even pay for lawyers to fight his sexual assault cases. Allen settled one of these cases in 2024, and he was judged liable by default in the other this summer after missing multiple key deadlines.
“Without monies derived from the promotional and other efforts owed him under the contract, Mr. Allen was unable to effectively counter these allegations,” reads Marsh’s lawsuit. “Had defendant not breached the contract, and had Mr. Allen had the financial wherewithal to wage a vigorous defense, Mr. Allen’s fate in these civil trials may have been vastly different — and perhaps more advantageous to him.”
The lawsuit seeks “extensive damages” from BBRMG, including for harm to Allen’s career and unpaid royalties. BBRMG has allegedly maintained that Allen isn’t entitled to royalties because of remaining unrecouped advances, but Marsh questions the truth of this assertion.
“Mr. Allen is a multi-platinum, Grammy-nominated artist,” the lawsuit says. “His songs have been streamed tens of millions of times. Upon information and belief, the suggestion that Mr. Allen has not recouped indicates that the accountings here are likely false. Discovery as to these facts is necessary to establish whether or not defendant has defrauded Mr. Allen.”
A rep for BBRMG did not immediately return a request for comment on the allegations on Monday (Feb. 2).
