I think the Gaye's family victory in the Blurred Lines case is ridiculous, since I can't for the life of me figure out any plausible basis --musically-- to arrive at the conclusion that the two songs are sufficiently similar for a copyright infringement to be established.

Now let's list the songs that really rip off other songs and get away with it so as to EDUCATE the jury in the Blurred Lines case.

[Edited 3/13/15 0:16am]

How did Jam/Lewis and Jordan Knight get away with this? Did they know Kansas personally LOL. Irony is, is that Mr Thicke co-wrote it with them aswell

But as the song wasn't even a single or the album a big hit, I guess it would be small potatoes to go after them. I doubt Kansas' lawyers and publishers even ever head "Close my eyes" LOL. However, the likes of Bolton/Isley Brothers and Thicke/Gaye Estate were worth persuing simply because alot of money was involved. In both those cases, stakes were high as the songs had been big hits (or in the Thicke's case HUGE).

Bolton got robbed alot as the parent album that "Love is a wonderful thing" came from, had sold millions so that had to be taken into account too. This was not as much the case with "Blurred lines". The single did miles better than Bolton's "Love is a wonderful thing", but the album it came off, according to wiki, didn't even go platinum in the states as opposed to the 8 million Bolton's album shifted. Another way to look at it is that Thicke should be grateful his "Blurred lines" album did not sell well in comparison to Bolton's or it would of been millions of dollers more in payout.

Thats why there was an infamous case thrown at Michael Jackson for the song "Dangerous". Now "Dangerous" was never a single, but the album it came off, sold over 30 million. So then you take a percentage of that shit, then it's a case worth going after. The bigger the song (or album it may come from), the more chance you'll find a lawyer for your case. (oh and Jackson famously won by actually showing up in court and beatboxing to the jury how he created the song. It's a rare funny side to Jackson that the public very rarely saw LOL).

[Edited 3/11/15 23:25pm]

I never in my life heard something so similar - I only came across this song yesterday.

I know this chick was a huge Janet fan, but this is taking it to a whole new level - even the subject matter is the same.

And this fool had the nerve to sue Ray Parker Jr. for ripping him of?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

Ice Ice Ice Baby is a direct melody rip off of Under Pressure by Queen and David Bowie

U cant touch this is a clear rip off of Superfreak.

well since Pharell is now a mark, I say Prince sue him and Gwen for Hollaback girl.

...hey he sued babies dancing on youtube, A man has got to eat.

"Locked Out of Heaven" by Bruno Mars is a blatant rip-off of the Police song "Roxanne". It's the same damn song only slightly rewritten.

The band Fun's song, "Some Nights" is a rip-off of the Simon and Garfunkel song "Cecilia".

The "Ohhhh woah ohhhh ohhhh" part in the Fun's song is very similar (dare I even say identical) to the "Cecilia" when Simon sings, "Oh Cecilia...You're breaking my heart...You're shaking my confidence daily".

[Edited 3/12/15 13:02pm]

Personally, it irks me when some so-called "artist" rewrites a song that was popular many years back and tries to pass it off as a new song. They need to come up with their own shit! This seems to be happening more and more lately.

Phil Collins' "Sussudio" (source material apparently Prince's "1999").

>

I'm sorry but I just don't hear it, aside from a percussion affect that is most likely a basic common feature of some software.

psychodelicide said:

Maybe this was bound to happen after a period of time.

With twelve notes, a handful of chord progressions and about a century (don't quote me) of popular music behind us maybe there's just no room left for an original idea.

Maybe that's one of the main reasons why the industry is in the state its in.

JabarR74 said:

Beautifulstarr123 said:

JabarR74 said:

And this fool had the nerve to sue Ray Parker Jr. for ripping him of?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

What? Well, that fool looks like he wasn't even born, when that song and movie came out

Huey Lewis is an old man...been around a loooooong time.

mancabdriver said:

BlackCat1985 said:

mancabdriver said:

I never in my life heard something so similar - I only came across this song yesterday.

I know this chick was a huge Janet fan, but this is taking it to a whole new level - even the subject matter is the same.

Oh wow! Had Janet sued she would have won this case. I've never seen such an obvious rip off before.

>

Um it's probably a cleared sample.

namepeace said:

Phil Collins' "Sussudio" (source material apparently Prince's "1999").

I forgot about that song. You definitely can hear the similarities in the two songs.

Scorp said:

psychodelicide said:

Personally, it irks me when some so-called "artist" rewrites a song that was popular many years back and tries to pass it off as a new song. They need to come up with their own shit! This seems to be happening more and more lately.

This been going on for the past 27 years

True, but it still irks me nonetheless.

CynicKill said:

psychodelicide said:

CynicKill said:

CynicKill said:

BlackCat1985 said:

mancabdriver said: Oh wow! Had Janet sued she would have won this case. I've never seen such an obvious rip off before.

>

Um it's probably a cleared sample.

I dunno. I can't detect any element that is a direct lift. Everything seems to be just an egregiously close imitation. This one is embarrassing.

namepeace said:

Phil Collins' "Sussudio" (source material apparently Prince's "1999").

WORD!!!!!

Genesis "Misunderstanding". Source Material: Sly & The Family Stone "Hot Fun In The Summertime"!!

Lammastide said:

CynicKill said:

>

Um it's probably a cleared sample.

I dunno. I can't detect any element that is a direct lift. Everything seems to be just an egregiously close imitation. This one is embarrassing.

It is a close imitation but coming from Jam/Lewis who not only cribbed so obviously from Kansas (see my post above) but also America for Janet's "let's wait awhile", maybe they were more sympathetic. Baring in mind it was an estate that sued Thicke, not the artist, meaning estates have a nasty stereotype of being money hungry bastards LOL. Much moreso then the living songwriter(s).

As someone from the UK who actually remembers and still likes the Louise song, I actually prefer her "homage" LOL. It is somewhat of a ripoff but at least not a direct one. I think the chorus is stronger too.

Mr Jackson's came first. It even has the same "rent a ragga" Shabba soundalike LOL. I give it a pass as the former did no business chart wise making it fair game for a near copy LOL. That and the year of release are close. Alot of songs from any era sound quite simillar really. Just some more than others...

Again, like the Louise song, I happen to prefer Mr Andre's song to Jeremy's. Somewhat of a guilty pleasure here in the UK. Note that the producers and songwriters are different on both songs.

Mr Andre again. This is much more of the case that the song sounds similar rather then a straight ripoff. Again, alot of songs from any same era do this on closer inspection, so I give it a pass.

This song now credits both Wilson and Berry, but it didn't initially. Instead it just credited Brian Wilson as songwriter and Chuck Berry's publishing company. Meaning I presume Chuck got all the money but none of the credit initially LOL. It was sorted later on to include both Wilson and Berry on the credits along with the aformentioned publishing company that Berry was with. Kinda odd that one, but at least Brian Wilson got Chuck's (publishers) permission. Chuck even later said he liked it LOL.

Michael Jackson's song "Thriller" borrows its bassline from Rick James' song "Give It To Me,Baby".

The Bar Kays' song "Freakshow On The Dancefloor" is basically just a faster version of Midnight Star's "No Parking On The Dancefloor" (there are several other Bar Kays songs that borrow heavily from other songs)

Lady Gaga's song "Born This Way" sounds a little too similiar to Madonna's "Express Yourself",something which Madonna herself has acknowledged.

Daryl Hall claims that,during the recording of "We Are The World",Michael Jackson greeted him and confessed that his song "Billie Jean" borrows its drum programming (?) or beat,from Hall and Oates's "I Can't Go For That (No Can Do)".

Back then,artists were cool with things like that.They were friends and they supported each other.They weren't so quick to file lawsuits and make things get ugly.They were inspired by each other's music.Quincy Jones informed Rick James that "Thriller" borrows the bassline from "Give It To Me,Baby".Rick smiled and took it as a compliment (which it was).