I’m going to admit, I actually didn’t pick up on this one until it was announced today. I don’t know if it’s because I’m completely clueless, or I just didn’t pay attention… but until this very moment, I hadn’t noticed.
A few months ago, lawyers representing classic rocker, Tom Petty, noticed that a new song topping the charts sounded mighty similar to Petty’s 1989 classic song, “Won’t Back Down.” Sam Smith, the newest UK sensation, had released the song, “Stay With Me” in April 2014 to find it very quickly climbing the charts, it’s actually one of the best-selling singles of 2014.
The two parties have met amicably and have agreed that Petty and composer Jeff Lynne would be awarded 12.5% in songwriting royalties for the song, reports Consequence of Sound.
Listen for yourself. Here’s Sam Smith:
And the classic Tom Petty track:
While we’re talking about sound-alikes, anyone else thinks that Kelly Clarkson’s new single sounds EXACTLY like Jimmy Eat World’s The Middle?
Adam Ragusea of Slate makes a really good point
http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2015/01/27/tom_petty_s_copyright_settlement_why_sam_smith_didn_t_really_plagiarize.html
“But a key factor to consider is that the line is the result of a musical “sequence.” That’s when one little bit of melodic material, called a “motive,” is immediately repeated, but transposed to a different pitch level. “Well I know what’s right” is Petty’s motive, which he repeats in sequence as “I’ve got just one life.” For Smith, it’s “Won’t you stay with me,” followed by “‘Cause you’re all I need” in sequence.
So really, all we’re talking about is the motive itself, and that’s just “Mi Sol La Sol Mi,” for you solfège singers out there.”
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