Ariana Grande Sues Hackers Over Years of Leaked Unreleased Songs

Ariana Grande sued unidentified hackers leaking her unreleased songs since 2011.

On July 27, 2026, pop artist Ariana Grande initiated legal proceedings in Los Angeles County Superior Court against unidentified cybercriminals labeled as 'John Doe 1' and 'John Does 2 through 100.' The complaint details unauthorized access to digital accounts and devices of Grande's collaborators—such as photographers and producers—to steal unreleased music, private photos, and videos.

The hacking campaign reportedly started in 2011 and has led to hundreds of leak incidents. For example, in 2023 alone, 45 unreleased songs were stolen and subsequently leaked online. These stolen items have been sold on the dark web, showing the commercial dimension of the theft.

Legal claims against the defendants include invasion of privacy, conversion—which refers to the unauthorized exercise of control over someone else's property—and violations of California's Comprehensive Computer Data Access and Fraud Act, a law targeting unauthorized computer access and data theft.

Ariana Grande's spokesperson emphasized the severity of these breaches, stating that cybercriminals continue to exploit technological vulnerabilities, harming artists' privacy and intellectual property without accountability.

This lawsuit highlights the complex challenges legal professionals encounter when pursuing cybercrime cases involving chains of collaborators and unknown defendants. It underlines the importance of combining legal strategies with cybersecurity measures to protect creative and confidential content.

Additional coverage by Billboard corroborates the scale of stolen content and the ongoing legal efforts to halt distribution and recover damages.

What's next: Legal experts will watch for court actions and discovery procedures that clarify hacker identities and set precedents for litigating cyber theft in creative industries.