A largish chunk of the internet seems upset about the litigation between Daryl Hall and John Oates, but the law professor in me is fascinated. Most of the conversation is about the history and music of Hall & Oates (whose official name, by the way, is Daryl Hall & John Oates). Commentary is tinged with sadness over the bandmates’ acrimony. But while I don’t know much about popular music, I’ve been teaching contracts long enough to appreciate that a business relationship is a lawsuit waiting to happen.

That’s what a band is — a business. For all the aura of celebrity, the fight between the longtime musical partners has the markings of a typical contract dispute that will likely be resolved in the typical way, with money being paid to an aggrieved business partner.