Coldplay Settles Satriani Copyright Lawsuit

ew.com:

Joe Satriani's copyright infringement lawsuit against Coldplay has been settled, Satriani's rep tells Billboard. Last December, Satriani sued the British soft rockers, claiming that "Viva La Vida" ripped off his song "If I Could Fly." But the legal dispute was resolved Tuesday with an undisclosed settlement between the two parties.

Satriani wasn't the only artist who felt Coldplay was aping his material. Back in May, Cat Stevens (now Yusuf Islam) also claimed "Viva La Vida" was too close to one of his songs, 1973's "Foreigner Suite." When asked if he might file suit against Coldplay, he responded: "It depends on how well Satriani does."

Read the whole story: ew.com

Comments

[ggaagggaa]

There are only 12 notes and 1 consciousness.

Satriani, Cold Play, Enanitos Verdes, and Cat Stevens

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=De3lvudmOAw

[ChiGuy]

Everyone who has ever been subjected to their music should sue Coldplay.

[blogisti]

I have been listening to Pop music since the early 1950's and I am regularly singing old songs over the music of "new" songs. I think it is quite impossible to be really orginal today. I tried writing forty years ago and nine out ten tunes i came up with were very close to songs already recorded. Forty years later unconscious breach of copy write is inevitable. Perhaps copy write law should be abridged to shorten the length of time one can hold such claims. It must be really tough to be original today. Writers have my sympathy.

[toochie]

Congats to Satch.

[AlexNYC]

If George Harrison were still around he probably would have sued them for copyright infringement of My Sweet Lord.

[toochie]

Good one!

[MED1025]

GH was sued by the writer of "He's So Fine" who thought that "My Sweet Lord" was too close to that song.

[Helzapoppin]

After listening to the comparison, I seriously doubt this was intentional. It's not that difficult to hear a musical phrase and then much later write something similar, not remembering that you heard it before. And I've seen worse cases where no one batted an eye. Besides, most contemporary pop music is dull and derivative anyway.

[ricmarc]

it is not the same song. this was the first coldplay song i ever heard as i don't listen to the radio. after all this started up i went to the youtube interweb site to give a listen to their song. chris martion is always flat or off key when he sings live. he is cringe inducing.

[KataVideo]

can we sue coldplay to make them stop sucking?

[kappa08]

sure you and the 5 others out there...good luck with...

[Wazzat]

The Coldplay song is similar to at least 5 others:
mashup with Satriani (they changed the key and tempo to make a better match):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tlrINyJch4&feature=related
Frances Limon and Enanitos Verdes:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qL4OCL2r-ZQ&feature=related
Cat Stevens vs ColdPlay:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHDS1VWKgRk&feature=related
Creaky Boards vs Coldplay:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1etjmGqp3vo&feature=related
Marty Balin's "Hearts":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSZITC4tEes
Plus there is an amazing interview with Coldplay someplace- can't find it now- where they freely admit to nicking things from everyone and anywhere. MANY of their songs are partly lifted. BUT I think they are great musicians and have an amazing ability to build on tose ideas and create something new from it....
Personally I think they should have credited Satriani for inspiration and maybe Creaky Boards too,
and have left it at that... all the songs are great in their own right; all have their own merit. But I think for sure Coldplay liftted from those 2. Satriani said he'd give any $$$ to charity apparently...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSZITC4tEes

[Wazzat]

WHOOPS!!! Apparently Jesse Barish wrote "Hearts" for Balin:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UwxyaxPvVw&feature=related

great stuff!!!!
WOW!

[ricmarc]

i love hearts from balin.

[maggiee]

This sort of thing happens all of the time. I don't think it's necessarily on purpose. You write a song, you think; "wow, that's catchy" without realizing it's so catchy because you've heard it before. remember George Harrison was successfully sued over three notes in "My Sweet Lord" because they are the same three notes in "He's So Fine." That is why you should never bother trying to give your demos to established artists. They absolutely will not listen to them on the off chance they might get sued.

[american-dolt]

Give Coldplay a break, sure they ripped it, but they were busy working on their outfits.

[learntofly]

LOL

[learntofly]

Did we not all predict this headline months ago?

[ResidualSelfImage]

Satriani rocks I like all his stuff.

[HLL]

Satriani deserved a gigantic settlement from Coldplay. Listening to both songs side by side, Coldplay's version is practically note for note Satriani's guitar riff and rhythm. I hope Satriani got millions, which he deserves, as the co-songwriter of a huge hit.

[StuManChu]

Satriani's version is way better. good for him.