Top 5 Musicians Alleged of Music Copyright Breach
Music copyright breach, also known as music copyright infringement, happens when someone uses a piece of music without permission from the copyright holder.
In this post, we will discuss what is a music copyright breach and the top 5 musicians who have been accused of breaching music copyright.
What is Music Copyright Breach?
A music copyright breach is severe and is a legal form of music piracy. A music copyright breach could have the effect of suing the copyright holders of songs for having broken the copyrights.
This form of copyright breach and music piracy is illegal, and it could have long-term and damaging repercussions.
Dua Lipa v. Artikal Sound System
Artikal Sound System sued Dua Lipa for her song “Levitating” in March 2022. According to the reggae band, “Live Your Life” is a copyright violation. From a Rolling Stone story, you can hear musicologists’ views on the matter.
The lawsuit was dismissed in June 2023 by U.S. District Judge Sunshine Sykes. The judge ruled that Artikal Sound System failed to prove access, a crucial element in any copyright case. They couldn’t show that the creators of “Levitating” had access to “Live Your Life” before writing their song. While the judge acknowledged some similarities between the two songs, she deemed them insufficient to constitute copyright infringement.
Robin Thicke & Pharrell Williams vs. Marvin Gaye Estate
The case of Robin Thicke & Pharrell Williams vs. Marvin Gaye Estate was a high-profile copyright infringement lawsuit that sparked discussions about creativity, originality, and the boundaries of musical inspiration.
The Marvin Gaye Estate sued Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams in 2013, alleging their song “Blurred Lines” infringed on the copyright of Gaye’s 1977 hit “Got to Give It Up. The lawsuit claimed similarities existed in musical elements like melody, harmony, rhythm, and overall feeling/vibe.
In 2015, a jury found Thicke and Williams liable for copyright infringement.
They were ordered to pay $7.3 million in damages, later reduced to $5.3 million, along with a share of future royalties for “Blurred Lines.”
The case was appealed, with the final ruling in 2018 upholding the jury’s verdict against Thicke and Williams.
BTS & Big Hit Entertainment (HYBE) v. Bryan Kahn
A television show called I-Land included BTS as guests in 2020. a Florida man named Bryan Kahn alleges that his concept for a similar programme was stolen. Bryan claims to be “involved in the business of generating and producing television shows and audio music.” Back in 2013, the programme, which was titled “Island Hip Hop,” was registered with the WGA. As preparation for the show, he travelled to many Asian nations and was reportedly scheduled to begin filming in 2020. Is it possible to copyright a concept for a reality show? That appears to be the most pressing issue.
Lizzo (Melissa Jefferson) v. Justin Raisen, Jeremiah Raisen, & Justin ‘Yves’ Rothman
Lizzo’s “Truth Hurts” lines, “I recently did a DNA test, turns out, I’m 100 per cent That Bitch,” were allegedly conceived by Raisen, Raisen, and Rothman during a writing session with Lizzo. They also wrote another song called “Healthy” with the same lyrics. Since “Truth Hurts” is an offshoot of their original song, they should receive a cut of the revenues. It was rejected in August 2020 because of the fact that Raisen, Raisen, and Rothman did not claim authorship or co-creation of “Truth Hurts.” As a result, there have been many countersuits filed. To learn more about these situations, please visit this link: Listening to a recording of “Healthy” does not appear to be available.
The Estate of Jimmy Smith v. Drake
Drake used a portion of a song called “Jimmy Smith Rap” in his song “Pound Cake/Paris Morton Music 2” similar to several of the notable incidents below. A group of people alleged Drake had not licenced the song (though he licenced the master). The court of appeals concluded that Drake’s sample use constitutes fair use since it is transformational after years of back and forth. The Hollywood Reporter has a story on this case that may be of interest to you.
