Kroger and LG Sued Over Unauthorized Use of Viral 'Cheese Tax' Song in TikTok Ads

Kroger and LG Electronics are facing separate federal copyright lawsuits after the creator of TikTok's viral "Cheese Tax" song accused both companies of using his music in promotional videos without permission or payment.

Musician Matthew Hobbs, who runs the popular Puppy Songs account, filed the lawsuits on October 19, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. He alleges that both companies used his song in commercial TikTok posts and is seeking damages for infringement of the recording and its underlying composition.

Hobbs released "Cheese Tax" in February 2023, and the dog-themed song quickly spread across TikTok, appearing in tens of thousands of user-created videos. According to the complaints, Kroger and LG posted promotional videos featuring the track the following month, while its popularity was growing.

Kroger allegedly used the song in a March 10, 2023, video on its corporate TikTok account. Hobbs claims the supermarket chain lacked permission to use the recording for advertising and kept the video publicly available for more than three years before removing it in April 2026.

The allegations against LG go further. Hobbs claims the electronics company downloaded a TikTok video originally posted by another user showing a dog beside an open LG refrigerator, then uploaded it to its corporate account with "Cheese Tax" playing in the background.

According to the complaint, LG also falsely identified the track as its own "original sound," displaying the company's logo rather than crediting Hobbs. Those allegations form the basis of two additional claims under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, which prohibits certain forms of falsifying, removing or altering information identifying copyrighted works.

TikTok allows businesses to use music from its designated Commercial Music Library under applicable licensing terms. Hobbs alleges that "Cheese Tax" was never included in that collection, requiring companies to obtain separate permission to use it in advertising. He says he has previously licensed his music to brands including BarkBox, Purina, Petco and DoorDash.

Commercial use of a recorded song in a video generally requires permission covering both the musical composition and the recording itself. Those permissions are commonly obtained through synchronization and master-use licenses. Hobbs maintains that neither Kroger nor LG secured the necessary rights.

Both lawsuits seek damages for alleged infringement of the song's composition and recording. Federal law permits statutory damages of up to $150,000 per work for willful copyright infringement, meaning each company could face up to $300,000 in copyright damages if the court finds willful infringement of two separately protected works. LG also faces additional potential penalties under the DMCA.

The timing of Kroger's alleged infringement could become another issue. Its video was posted more than three years before the lawsuit, while federal copyright law generally imposes a three-year limitations period. Hobbs says he discovered the post in December 2025 and argues that the video continued infringing his rights while it remained online.

The lawsuits follow a separate copyright case Sony Music filed against Kroger in August 2026, accusing the retailer of using protected recordings by artists including Harry Styles, Mariah Carey, Miley Cyrus and SZA in social media promotions without authorization.

Hobbs is seeking monetary relief and court orders preventing further infringement by both companies. The allegations remain unresolved in the two federal cases.