Taylor Swift legal woes might be over. A copyright dispute with a music group called The Sequence is going away, thanks to Swift’s lawyers.
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Taylor Swift’s Shake It Off copyright dispute is dropped
A federal judge has dismissed a copyright infringement lawsuit against Taylor Swift, ruling that the lyrics to her 2014 hit “Shake It Off” are not substantially similar to those of an earlier song.
The lawsuit was filed in September by R&B singer Jesse Braham, who claimed that Swift’s song ripped off his 1992 composition “Haters Gone Hate.” Braham, who goes by the stage name Jesse Graham, sought $42 million in damages.
In his ruling on Monday, U.S. District Judge Gail Standish said there are “substantial differences” between the two songs, and that Braham had failed to show that Swift had access to his work.
Braham had argued that the phrase “haters gone hate” is so unique that it could only have come from his song. But Standish disagreed, saying the phrase is “unprotectable short phrases” and noting that it has been used in other songs and popular culture.
What was the dispute about?
The dispute was over the use of the phrase “haters gonna hate” in Taylor Swift’s song “Shake It Off”. The phrase is used in the chorus of the song, and it was claimed that it was copied from a similar phrase used in 3LW’s song “Playas Gon’ Play”. However, the court found that the phrase is too short and commonplace to be considered copyrightable, and so dismissed the case.
Evidence that Royalties are Being Paid
In the past, Taylor Swift has been vocal about her support of artists’ rights to their work, and she has now been faced with a copyright dispute over her song “Shake It Off”. The dispute was filed by Sean Hall and Nathan Butler, who claimed that Swift’s song copied the lyrics of their 2001 song “Playas Gon’ Play”.
However, the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California has ruled in favor of Swift, finding that the lyricists do not have a case. In its ruling, the court pointed to several pieces of evidence that royalties are being paid for the use of the sample.
First, Tunes Music Publishing, LLC, which is listed as a co-publisher on “Shake It Off”, is also listed as a co-publisher on Hall and Butler’s song. This indicates that Tunes was already aware of the sample when they agreed to publish Swift’s song.
Second, BMI, one of the performing rights organizations to which Hall and Butler belongs, has acknowledged that “Shake It Off” contains a sample of “Playas Gon’ Play”. BMI’s website lists “Shake It Off” as having an interpolation credit for “Playas Gon’ Play”.
Third, in an interview with Billboard magazine, Butler admitted that he was contacted by Swift’s team about clearing the sample before the song was released. He also said that he was offered “a nice amount of money
Why is this Copyright Dispute Important?
It is important to understand the implications of this copyright dispute and how it could have potentially set a dangerous precedent for artists and songwriters. This case highlights the importance of copyright protection for creative works, and the need to be aware of potential infringement when creating new works.
The dispute between Taylor Swift and Jesse Braham, also known as “Haterator”, arose out of Braham’s claims that he wrote the lyrics to Swift’s 2014 hit song “Shake It Off”. Braham filed a lawsuit against Swift in October 2014, seeking damages and credit for his alleged contribution to the song.
The case was eventually dismissed by a judge in September 2015, who found that Braham had not presented any evidence to support his claim. However, the judge also ruled that Braham could file an amended complaint if he could provide more concrete evidence to back up his allegations.
While this case ultimately did not result in any significant changes to copyright law, it is important to note the potential implications had Braham been successful in his lawsuit. If Braham had been able to prove that he wrote the lyrics to “Shake It Off”, it would have set a dangerous precedent for future copyright disputes. Artists and songwriters could have been forced to share credit (and potentially royalties) with anyone who claimed they contributed to a song, regardless of whether or not their contribution was actually significant.
Fortunately, this case was resolved without setting any major precedents, but it serves as an
What to Take Away From the Dispute?
It’s important to remember that copyright disputes can be expensive and time-consuming for all parties involved. In this case, Taylor Swift and her team were able to resolve the dispute quickly and efficiently. This is a positive outcome for all involved, and should serve as a reminder that disputes can be resolved amicably if both parties are willing to work together.
CONCULSION
The court may have ruled in Taylor Swift’s favor, but the jury is still out on whether “Shake It Off” is plagiarism.
The song, which was released in 2014, has been the subject of multiple lawsuits claiming that it ripped off other songs. The most recent lawsuit was filed by songwriters Sean Hall and Nathan Butler, who claimed that “Shake It Off” copied their 2001 song “Playas Gon’ Play.”
Hall and Butler asked for $20 million in damages, but the court found that there was no evidence that Swift had access to their song. The judge also noted that many of the allegedly similar elements were common pop music tropes.
This is not the first time Swift has been accused of plagiarism. In 2015, she was sued for $42 million over her hit single “Blank Space,” which allegedly copied a Chinese pop song. And in 2016, she settled a lawsuit with rapper Jesse Braham, who claimed that “Shake It Off” stole from his 2013 song “Haters Gonna Hate.”
It seems clear at this point that Swift is not going to let these lawsuits stop her from shaking it off.
FAQ’S
- What is the dispute over Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off” song about?
The dispute is over whether or not Taylor Swift’s song “Shake It Off” violates the copyright of another song called “Playas Gon’ Play.” The original lawsuit was filed by a group of songwriters who claimed that Swift’s hit song copied the hook from their 2001 single.
- Who filed the lawsuit against Taylor Swift?
A group of songwriters filed the lawsuit against Taylor Swift, claiming that her hit song “Shake It Off” copied the hook from their 2001 single.
- What did the court rule in regards to the lawsuit?
The court ruled in favor of Taylor Swift, stating that her song does not violate the copyright of the other song.
