Peanuts Music Owner Sues US Government Over ‘Charlie Brown Christmas’

The company that owns the iconic jazz music from “A Charlie Brown Christmas” filed four lawsuits Wednesday, accusing the U.S. Department of the Interior and three other companies of illegally using Vince Guaraldi’s famous compositions on social media and in a video game.

The music—those instantly recognizable jazzy melodies that define the beloved Peanuts television specials—is owned by a music rights company that says the defendants never asked permission or paid licensing fees to use the tracks. The lawsuits specifically target the Interior Department, though details on the other three defendants weren’t immediately available.

Guaraldi, a pianist who died in 1976, composed the original music for the Peanuts specials starting in the 1960s. His work became synonymous with the Charlie Brown Christmas special and other holiday programs that aired on television for decades.

The music rights holder is seeking damages for what it characterizes as unauthorized use across digital platforms and entertainment products.

Based on reporting from WPRI.