10 Times Musicians Were Sued For Plagiarism
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VOICE OVER: Ryan Wild
WRITTEN BY: Nick Spake
Music and legal battles collide in this eye-opening countdown of songs that landed their creators in hot water. From Coldplay to Led Zeppelin, discover the surprising copyright controversies that shook the music industry and led to courtroom showdowns. Our video explores iconic tracks like "Blurred Lines," "Stairway to Heaven," and "Ice Ice Baby," revealing the complex world of musical plagiarism and the legal battles that ensued. Which of these surprised you?
10 Songs That Were Sued for Plagiarism
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re looking at songs that faced legal action due to accusations of plagiarism.
Let’s revisit a simpler time when P. Diddy’s most pressing legal issue was a plagiarism case. “I’ll Be Missing You” dominated the US Billboard Hot 100 for eleven weeks, going on to win a Grammy. For this tribute to the late Christopher Wallace, Diddy sampled “Every Breath You Take,” incorporating the same melody. Diddy neglected to seek permission from the Police, who released their song in 1983. Songwriter Sting saw Diddy in court, walking away with 100% of the publishing royalties for “I’ll Be Missing You.” Regardless, Diddy and Sting would perform their songs side by side at the 1997 MTV Video Music Awards. Although people may look at Diddy’s music differently now, Sting feels “Every Breath You Take” isn’t tainted, calling it “[his] song.”
Who ya gonna call? A lawyer, assuming you were Ray Parker Jr. in 1984. When “Ghostbusters” hit the silver screen that year, Huey Lewis thought the film’s catchy theme song sounded similar to “I Want a New Drug,” which he recorded a year earlier. Parker might not be afraid of no ghost, but litigation is another story. The case was settled out of court with Columbia Pictures agreeing to pay Lewis an undisclosed settlement. That seemed to be the end of it until Lewis talked about the lawsuit in a 2001 “Behind the Music” interview. Parker argued that this violated their confidentiality agreement, retaliating against Lewis with legal action. It’s like Parker says in the song: bustin’ makes him feel good.
The Byrds originally recorded “You Showed Me” in 1964, but the Turtles turned the song into a certified hit a few years later. Since then, multiple groups have covered the song, from Salt-N-Pepa to the Lightning Seeds. We guess you can also include De La Soul, who sampled the Turtles tune for “Transmitting Live from Mars” in 1989. Mark Volman and Howard Kaylan of the Turtles filed a $1.7 million lawsuit against the hip-hop group, alleging they borrowed bars from their song without consent. A settlement was eventually reached out of court. It’s unclear how much the Turtles band members received, but according to De La Soul, it wasn’t the full $1.7 million. In any case, the Turtles showed them.
“Viva la Vida” marked a milestone for Coldplay, becoming their first song to top the charts in both the United States and the United Kingdom. Taking home the Grammy for Song of the Year, “Viva la Vida” had just one downside: accusations of copyright infringement. Multiple artists, including Cat Stevens and the band Creaky Boards, sensed parallels between “Viva la Vida” and their music. Guitarist Joe Satriani is the only one who took Coldplay to court, however. According to Satriani, “Viva la Vida” featured “substantial original portions” from “If I Could Fly,” which was released on his album, “Is There Love in Space?”. Coldplay would deny these claims as the case was ultimately dismissed. Both parties supposedly reached an out-of-court settlement for an unknown sum.
Best remembered for its Grammy-winning music video, “Got 'til It’s Gone” remains one of Janet Jackson’s most notable musical contributions. It was also a source of controversy, as singer Des’Ree suggested that Jackson drew from her 1991 debut single, “Feel So High.” Deliberate or not, Des’Ree was compelled to sue Jackson, saying that her case was more about “principle” than money. That said, Des’Ree would receive a significant payday. An out-of-court settlement not only guaranteed the British artist £2 million, but 25% of the song’s publishing royalties. Needless to say, the outcome left Des’Ree feeling so high. Meanwhile, Jackson didn’t know what she had ‘til it was gone… or at least a quarter of it was gone.
As 90s youth rocked out to “Ice Ice Baby,” the 80s music crowd couldn’t help but notice similarities to one of their decade-defining jams, “Under Pressure.” This wasn’t lost on Queen or David Bowie, claiming that Vanilla Ice had sampled their 1981 tune without going through the proper channels. The ensuing lawsuit - which would be settled out of court - resulted in Queen and Bowie receiving songwriter credit. Vanilla Ice was also required to pay royalties, although the rapper later declared that he purchased the rights to “Under Pressure,” implying it was less expensive. Technically, the rights are shared between parties according to a Queen spokesperson. Whoever holds the rights, it’s safe to say that any legal pressures have chilled.
Chuck Berry’s 1956 song “You Can’t Catch Me” was on John Lennon’s mind while writing “Come Together.” Lennon even borrowed a few lyrics, tweaking them slightly. Some might call this a homage. Others may say it’s plagiarism. Berry’s publisher, Big Seven Music, went with the latter. At Paul McCartney’s suggestion, the Beatles slowed the song down to distinguish it. However, this wasn’t enough to throw Big Seven Music off their scent. Rather than fight it out in court, Lennon agreed to record three of the publisher’s songs. This wasn’t the only time that a Beatle endured a copyright fiasco. Around the same time, George Harrison’s “My Sweet Lord” was compared to the Ronnie Mack scribed “He’s So Fine,” sparking a lawsuit.
“Frozen” emerged as a phenomenon in late 2013 with this Oscar-winning song unleashing a musical blizzard. Just when it seemed like the storm was dying down, “Let It Go” reentered the zeitgeist in November 2017 when Chilean singer Jaime Ciero cried copyright. Ciero asserted that the Disney song’s hook was derivative of his tune, “Volar,” which debuted in 2008. Along with Disney, songwriters Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez were named in Ciero’s suit. So were performers Idina Menzel and Demi Lovato. Although Disney argued the statute of limitations had passed, Ciero contended that the studio was still incorporating the song into new material. Nevertheless, Ciero dropped the suit in 2019. We suppose Ciero decided it was best to just let it go.
On more than one occasion, Led Zeppelin has gone to copyright court. A notable example was when 1969’s “Whole Lotta Love” echoed the lyrics and melody from the Muddy Waters song, “You Need Love.” The English band’s most famous tune that triggered accusations of plagiarism would have to be 1971’s “Stairway to Heaven.” The rock ballad’s opening resembles the Spirit song, “Taurus,” which was recorded a few years earlier. That instrumental song’s writer, Randy California, died in 1997. Yet, his estate filed a lawsuit in 2014, demanding California be credited as a co-writer. The case was strong enough to go to trial in 2016, but the jury ruled in Led Zeppelin’s favor. Despite multiple appeals, California’s estate eventually ran out of legal stairways.
Many music plagiarism suits get dismissed or settled without going to trial. Rarely has a case played out like Pharrell Williams v. Bridgeport Music. Robin Thicke, T.I., and Williams had a hit on their hands with “Blurred Lines,” although Bridgeport Music and Marvin Gaye’s family alleged that the song mimicked the late singer’s “Got to Give It Up.” Reminiscent of a certain “South Park” episode, the “Blurred Lines” team filed a declaratory relief complaint against their accusers, claiming their song didn’t violate any copyright laws. This backfired, as the jury would find the “Blurred Lines” writers liable. Initially awarded over $7 million, Gaye’s family was ultimately granted $5.3 million along with a cut of future royalties and a songwriter credit.
What music legal cases stand out to you? Let us know in the comments.
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re looking at songs that faced legal action due to accusations of plagiarism.
“I’ll Be Missing You” (1997)
Puff Daddy & Faith Evans feat. 112Let’s revisit a simpler time when P. Diddy’s most pressing legal issue was a plagiarism case. “I’ll Be Missing You” dominated the US Billboard Hot 100 for eleven weeks, going on to win a Grammy. For this tribute to the late Christopher Wallace, Diddy sampled “Every Breath You Take,” incorporating the same melody. Diddy neglected to seek permission from the Police, who released their song in 1983. Songwriter Sting saw Diddy in court, walking away with 100% of the publishing royalties for “I’ll Be Missing You.” Regardless, Diddy and Sting would perform their songs side by side at the 1997 MTV Video Music Awards. Although people may look at Diddy’s music differently now, Sting feels “Every Breath You Take” isn’t tainted, calling it “[his] song.”
“Ghostbusters” (1984)
Ray Parker Jr.Who ya gonna call? A lawyer, assuming you were Ray Parker Jr. in 1984. When “Ghostbusters” hit the silver screen that year, Huey Lewis thought the film’s catchy theme song sounded similar to “I Want a New Drug,” which he recorded a year earlier. Parker might not be afraid of no ghost, but litigation is another story. The case was settled out of court with Columbia Pictures agreeing to pay Lewis an undisclosed settlement. That seemed to be the end of it until Lewis talked about the lawsuit in a 2001 “Behind the Music” interview. Parker argued that this violated their confidentiality agreement, retaliating against Lewis with legal action. It’s like Parker says in the song: bustin’ makes him feel good.
“Transmitting Live from Mars” (1989)
De La SoulThe Byrds originally recorded “You Showed Me” in 1964, but the Turtles turned the song into a certified hit a few years later. Since then, multiple groups have covered the song, from Salt-N-Pepa to the Lightning Seeds. We guess you can also include De La Soul, who sampled the Turtles tune for “Transmitting Live from Mars” in 1989. Mark Volman and Howard Kaylan of the Turtles filed a $1.7 million lawsuit against the hip-hop group, alleging they borrowed bars from their song without consent. A settlement was eventually reached out of court. It’s unclear how much the Turtles band members received, but according to De La Soul, it wasn’t the full $1.7 million. In any case, the Turtles showed them.
“Viva la Vida” (2008)
Coldplay“Viva la Vida” marked a milestone for Coldplay, becoming their first song to top the charts in both the United States and the United Kingdom. Taking home the Grammy for Song of the Year, “Viva la Vida” had just one downside: accusations of copyright infringement. Multiple artists, including Cat Stevens and the band Creaky Boards, sensed parallels between “Viva la Vida” and their music. Guitarist Joe Satriani is the only one who took Coldplay to court, however. According to Satriani, “Viva la Vida” featured “substantial original portions” from “If I Could Fly,” which was released on his album, “Is There Love in Space?”. Coldplay would deny these claims as the case was ultimately dismissed. Both parties supposedly reached an out-of-court settlement for an unknown sum.
“Got 'til It’s Gone” (1997)
Janet Jackson feat. Q-Tip & Joni MitchellBest remembered for its Grammy-winning music video, “Got 'til It’s Gone” remains one of Janet Jackson’s most notable musical contributions. It was also a source of controversy, as singer Des’Ree suggested that Jackson drew from her 1991 debut single, “Feel So High.” Deliberate or not, Des’Ree was compelled to sue Jackson, saying that her case was more about “principle” than money. That said, Des’Ree would receive a significant payday. An out-of-court settlement not only guaranteed the British artist £2 million, but 25% of the song’s publishing royalties. Needless to say, the outcome left Des’Ree feeling so high. Meanwhile, Jackson didn’t know what she had ‘til it was gone… or at least a quarter of it was gone.
“Ice Ice Baby” (1990)
Vanilla IceAs 90s youth rocked out to “Ice Ice Baby,” the 80s music crowd couldn’t help but notice similarities to one of their decade-defining jams, “Under Pressure.” This wasn’t lost on Queen or David Bowie, claiming that Vanilla Ice had sampled their 1981 tune without going through the proper channels. The ensuing lawsuit - which would be settled out of court - resulted in Queen and Bowie receiving songwriter credit. Vanilla Ice was also required to pay royalties, although the rapper later declared that he purchased the rights to “Under Pressure,” implying it was less expensive. Technically, the rights are shared between parties according to a Queen spokesperson. Whoever holds the rights, it’s safe to say that any legal pressures have chilled.
“Come Together” (1969)
The BeatlesChuck Berry’s 1956 song “You Can’t Catch Me” was on John Lennon’s mind while writing “Come Together.” Lennon even borrowed a few lyrics, tweaking them slightly. Some might call this a homage. Others may say it’s plagiarism. Berry’s publisher, Big Seven Music, went with the latter. At Paul McCartney’s suggestion, the Beatles slowed the song down to distinguish it. However, this wasn’t enough to throw Big Seven Music off their scent. Rather than fight it out in court, Lennon agreed to record three of the publisher’s songs. This wasn’t the only time that a Beatle endured a copyright fiasco. Around the same time, George Harrison’s “My Sweet Lord” was compared to the Ronnie Mack scribed “He’s So Fine,” sparking a lawsuit.
“Let It Go” (2013)
Idina Menzel“Frozen” emerged as a phenomenon in late 2013 with this Oscar-winning song unleashing a musical blizzard. Just when it seemed like the storm was dying down, “Let It Go” reentered the zeitgeist in November 2017 when Chilean singer Jaime Ciero cried copyright. Ciero asserted that the Disney song’s hook was derivative of his tune, “Volar,” which debuted in 2008. Along with Disney, songwriters Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez were named in Ciero’s suit. So were performers Idina Menzel and Demi Lovato. Although Disney argued the statute of limitations had passed, Ciero contended that the studio was still incorporating the song into new material. Nevertheless, Ciero dropped the suit in 2019. We suppose Ciero decided it was best to just let it go.
“Stairway to Heaven” (1971)
Led ZeppelinOn more than one occasion, Led Zeppelin has gone to copyright court. A notable example was when 1969’s “Whole Lotta Love” echoed the lyrics and melody from the Muddy Waters song, “You Need Love.” The English band’s most famous tune that triggered accusations of plagiarism would have to be 1971’s “Stairway to Heaven.” The rock ballad’s opening resembles the Spirit song, “Taurus,” which was recorded a few years earlier. That instrumental song’s writer, Randy California, died in 1997. Yet, his estate filed a lawsuit in 2014, demanding California be credited as a co-writer. The case was strong enough to go to trial in 2016, but the jury ruled in Led Zeppelin’s favor. Despite multiple appeals, California’s estate eventually ran out of legal stairways.
“Blurred Lines” (2013)
Robin Thicke feat. T.I. & Pharrell WilliamsMany music plagiarism suits get dismissed or settled without going to trial. Rarely has a case played out like Pharrell Williams v. Bridgeport Music. Robin Thicke, T.I., and Williams had a hit on their hands with “Blurred Lines,” although Bridgeport Music and Marvin Gaye’s family alleged that the song mimicked the late singer’s “Got to Give It Up.” Reminiscent of a certain “South Park” episode, the “Blurred Lines” team filed a declaratory relief complaint against their accusers, claiming their song didn’t violate any copyright laws. This backfired, as the jury would find the “Blurred Lines” writers liable. Initially awarded over $7 million, Gaye’s family was ultimately granted $5.3 million along with a cut of future royalties and a songwriter credit.
What music legal cases stand out to you? Let us know in the comments.
