Published • loading... • Updated
Singer Olivia Dean Served with Copyright Lawsuit for Track on Award-Winning Album
Mattie Music Group alleges the track copied protectable melody from Bill Withers’ 1980 hit and cites a musicologist’s finding of substantial similarities.
- On Thursday, Mattie Music Group, publisher of Bill Withers' catalog, sued Capitol Records, Universal Music Group, Sony Music Publishing, and Kobalt in California federal court, alleging they misappropriated the melody of Withers' 1980 hit "Just the Two of Us" for Olivia Dean's song "I've Seen It."
- Musicologist Alexander Stewart, hired by the publisher, concluded the two songs contain "substantial similarities in protectable musical expression" and "repeated copying" of the distinctively protectable melody, leading Mattie Music Group to allege the similarities are "obvious and inescapable."
- Legal filings argue that Dean and her co-writers had a "reasonable opportunity" to encounter the original work given its "extraordinary and sustained" commercial success, including decades of radio play and Grammy recognition. The lawsuit names record labels and publishers as defendants rather than Dean herself.
- Despite receiving notification of potential infringement on August 17, defendants continued the song's distribution and commercial exploitation. Representatives for UMG, Sony, and Dean did not immediately comment, while Kobalt declined to comment.
- The lawsuit requests the court to award damages for the alleged infringement as Dean continues the final leg of her "The Art of Loving" tour. Withers' 1980 song won the Grammy Award for "Best Rhythm and Blues Song" and remains a recognized classic.
Insights by Ground AI
100 Articles
100 Articles
Olivia Dean’s Song Is Accused of Borrowing From a Bill Withers Classic
Olivia Dean is facing a new music copyright dispute involving one of Bill Withers’ best-known songs. A publisher connected to the late singer’s catalog claims Dean’s “I’ve Seen It” copies protected elements from “Just the Two of Us.” However, Dean is not named as a defendant in the lawsuit. Instead, the publisher has targeted several […]
Page Six+2 Reposted by 2 other sources
Olivia Dean song accused of ripping melody from Bill Withers’ ‘Just the Two of Us’
Mattie Music Group is suing Olivia Dean's label, claiming her song 'I've Seen It' copies the melody of Bill Withers' classic 'Just the Two of Us.'
·New York, United States
Read Full Article
Coverage Details
Total News Sources100
Leaning Left18Leaning Right12Center42Last UpdatedBias Distribution58% Center
Bias Distribution
- 58% of the sources are Center
58% Center
L 25%
C 58%
R 17%
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
