August 19, 2013

Blurred Lines - Infringement?

Williams v. Bridgeport Music, Inc., No. 13-cv-06004 (C.D. Cal. complaint filed 8/15/2013).

Plaintiffs bring this declaratory judgment action seeking a declaration that their summer-single "Blurred Lines" does not infringe defendants songs: (i) Marvin Gaye's "Got to Give it Up", and (ii) Funkadelic's "Sexy Ways."  Plaintiffs claim there are no similarities between "Blurred Lines" and those defendants own, other than commonplace musical elements.  "Plaintiffs created a hit and did it without copying anyone else's composition."  What do you think?