new song copyright claims in US court

[Robin, Wales]

Ed just needs to play this to the judge = case dismissed.

[Rudy4]

Originally Posted by kurth

I have no idea. As I said earlier....both songs seem to be stylistically related but nothing more. I would guess the author of the Gaye song found a lawyer who sees $ because Sheeren is corporation material. This wouldn't happen if there was no money involved between two unknowns. Yet it is highly questionable why the judge allowed the suit to go forward. Could be any number of reasons. Maybe they have some type of AI program that recognizes similarities when even humans can't hear them, and the judge was shown their 'proof' ? Or maybe it's the other side of the spectrum, and there's kickbacks involved. It will be interesting to see how it goes. Personally over my life I've written maybe 100 lyrical songs, and every time, I try to recognize if there were any influencing factors. And sometimes an idea is tossed because I see I'm using some recent influences. The subconscious mind etc. I think it's pretty near impossible for there to be none. Our brains are blenders. And there's a good century of fruit going into the mix.

Yes, "programs" are routinely used for this. I often upload my own songs to Youtube for archival purposes and also the occasional song that's been relegated to classification as public domain material.

One of my songs was put on temporary hold after uploading because Youtube's program that automatically looks for copyright violation detected 7 seconds at a specific point in the song that somewhat matched another user's upload. I received notice a day later that it was approved for publication because the other party chose not to contest it as plagiarized material.

The point is really that with the thousands of "new songs" that are submitted to various social media outlets each day that there are very few that don't have at least a vague similarity to someone else's material.

Yes, three notes of Harrison's song ended up costing him millions, but that's the price of trying to exercise control over something hat stems from aural tradition and transmission and was never really meant to be a marketable commodity.

The only time in history that music has been "controllable" has been only a brief blip in time since sheet music was copyrighted initially and extending to the era when manufacturers could control recording and distribution of material. Since the advent of digital files and easy methods to copy and distribute material it's become more the domain of lawyers and technocrats to try and keep the Genie in the bottle.

My suspicions is this is going to eventually end in the entire re-thinking about music and how it's defined as "belonging" to anyone specifically.

[kurth]

Originally Posted by Rudy4

Yes, "programs" are routinely used for this. I often upload my own songs to Youtube for archival purposes and also the occasional song that's been relegated to classification as public domain material.

One of my songs was put on temporary hold after uploading because Youtube's program that automatically looks for copyright violation detected 7 seconds at a specific point in the song that somewhat matched another user's upload. I received notice a day later that it was approved for publication because the other party chose not to contest it as plagiarized material.

The point is really that with the thousands of "new songs" that are submitted to various social media outlets each day that there are very few that don't have at least a vague similarity to someone else's material.

Yes, three notes of Harrison's song ended up costing him millions, but that's the price of trying to exercise control over something hat stems from aural tradition and transmission and was never really meant to be a marketable commodity.

The only time in history that music has been "controllable" has been only a brief blip in time since sheet music was copyrighted initially and extending to the era when manufacturers could control recording and distribution of material. Since the advent of digital files and easy methods to copy and distribute material it's become more the domain of lawyers and technocrats to try and keep the Genie in the bottle.

My suspicions is this is going to eventually end in the entire re-thinking about music and how it's defined as "belonging" to anyone specifically.

thanks rudy...good and informative post. I'm not putting any material on social media , youtube included, for obvious political reasons.

[rick-slo]

How To Legally Cover Songs On YouTube Without Copyright Claims

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5Whrmqx9UY

[Joscefi78]

Let's all play amateur lawyers and wannabe judges as some brit with questionable musical talent is sued by a huge music conglomerate that doesn't really care about music in the first place.

[Robin, Wales]

Originally Posted by Joscefi78

Let's all play amateur lawyers and wannabe judges as some brit with questionable musical talent is sued by a huge music conglomerate that doesn't really care about music in the first place.

Oh dear!!! And you were doing so well too.

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by Joscefi78

Let's all play amateur lawyers and wannabe judges as some brit with questionable musical talent is sued by a huge music conglomerate that doesn't really care about music in the first place.

Isn't that what an internet discussion forum is all about stepping out of our day jobs ?

[kurth]

Originally Posted by Joscefi78

Let's all play amateur lawyers and wannabe judges as some brit with questionable musical talent is sued by a huge music conglomerate that doesn't really care about music in the first place.

This is my dayjob ! ....little truth...lawyers and judges aren't anymore capable. They decide cases based on interest....just like me. If you go to a dentist w/o knowing why your there and what the options are....you're in trouble already. By today, most of the world has seen what listening to so-called experts gets you.

[Denny B]

At my ripe old age of 73, I'm very familiar with Marvin Gaye's song...I know who Sheeran is, but I've never heard the song in question (or much of his material in general.)

I just listened to it (and quite liked it) but at no time did it pop into my head that it resembled "Let's Get It On".

We live in a very litigious society today.

[turtlejimmy]

Originally Posted by Robin, Wales

Ed just needs to play this to the judge = case dismissed.

Hysterical. Best musical meltdown ever captured on film.



Turtle