Plagiarism in music typically occurs when a musician takes someone else’s original work or ideas and passes them off as their own.

 It can also refer to using existing melodies, lyrics, arrangements, production techniques, samples from other recordings, or any combination of these elements.

It's no secret that music plagiarism is a real problem, especially in the world of popular music. According to a study conducted by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), as much as 20% of all commercially released songs contain some form of copyright infringement. This means that one out of every five songs you listen to could be an illegal copy of someone else's work!

Plagiarism is not only disrespectful but also illegal since it violates copyright laws. Musicians who are caught plagiarizing face severe penalties including fines and damages that must be paid to the rightful owners of the copyrighted material.

To avoid plagiarism, musicians should always give proper credit to their sources and get permission before using another artist’s work in theirs. Keeping track of your inspirations and references is essential for maintaining an ethical musical practice. It works the same as in the academic industry. Students who want to submit only original papers should check fixgerald.com, which is an assignment writing service. It provides academic help to students who seek assistance with their homework.

In short, plagiarism in music is not only unethical, but it can also be damaging to both the artist and the rightful owners of the original work.

1. George Harrison and the Chiffons. In 1964, The Beatles released a song called "My Sweet Lord" that was found to be very similar to an earlier song by the girl group the Chiffons, titled "He's So Fine". George Harrison was sued for copyright infringement and eventually settled out of court for $587,000 in 1976.

 

2. Vanilla Ice and Queen/David Bowie. In 1990, rapper Vanilla Ice released his song "Ice Ice Baby", which borrowed heavily from the melody of Queen's hit single "Under Pressure" (performed with David Bowie). After acknowledging that he had not credited or paid royalties to either artist, Vanilla Ice made a settlement with Queen/Bowie in 1991.

 

3. Robin Thicke and Marvin Gaye. In 2013, Robin Thicke released the song "Blurred Lines" which was found to have copied elements of Marvin Gaye's 1977 hit "Got To Give It Up". Despite both artists denying any wrongdoing, a jury ruled in 2015 that Thicke had infringed on Gaye’s copyright and awarded $7.3 million to Gaye's family.

 

4. Led Zeppelin and Spirit. One of the most famous cases of plagiarism in music history is between Led Zeppelin and the rock band Spirit. In 1968, the members of Spirit alleged that Led Zeppelin had borrowed elements from their instrumental song “Taurus” for their own classic hit, “Stairway to Heaven”. Led Zeppelin denied the accusation but in 2018, a jury ruled that they had indeed infringed on Spirit's copyright.

 

5. Coldplay and Joe Satriani. In 2008, legendary guitarist Joe Satriani filed a lawsuit against Coldplay claiming that their hit single "Viva La Vida" was based on his own instrumental track "If I Could Fly". After negotiation with Satriani, the case was settled out of court for an undisclosed amount.

 

6. Katy Perry and Flame. In 2008, rap group Flame released the song "Joyful Noise" which featured samples from other songs including Katy Perry's 2009 hit "Dark Horse". The group later filed a lawsuit claiming that Perry had infringed on their copyright by using elements of "Joyful Noise" without their permission. The case was eventually settled out of court in 2015.

 

7. Justin Bieber and Usher. In 2013, two songwriters brought a lawsuit against Justin Bieber and Usher claiming that the pair had copied elements from one of their songs for Bieber's hit single "Somebody to Love". After three years of legal wrangling, the case was dismissed in 2016 but could be reopened in the future if new evidence is found.

 

8. Ed Sheeran and Marvin Gaye: In 2014, British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran released his hit single “Thinking Out Loud” which was found to be very similar to Marvin Gaye’s 1973 classic “Let’s Get It On”. Sheeran was sued by the estate of Gaye and after two years of legal proceedings, the case was settled out of court in 2017.

 

9. Sam Smith and Tom Petty. In 2015, British singer-songwriter Sam Smith released his hit single "Stay With Me" which was found to be very similar to Tom Petty's 1989 hit "I Won't Back Down". Following a dispute between the two parties, it was revealed that Smith had agreed to pay 12.5% of all royalties from the song as part of a settlement with Petty's estate.

 

10. Drake and Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. In 2015, Canadian rapper Drake released the song "Hotline Bling" which was found to be very similar to a 1986 track by funk duo Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis titled “The Ghetto”. The two parties eventually reached a settlement in 2018 that saw Drake acknowledging the similarities between his own song and the duo's original track.

Author’s BIO

Joel Strachan is a musician. He has been playing music since he was 11 years old, when he picked up a guitar and started learning. His sound is a mix of both worlds: the twangy guitar licks and soulful melodies of his country roots, combined with the raw energy of the punk and alternative rock.

 

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