These 10 Landmark Music Copyright Cases Highlighted the Importance of Protecting an Artist's Work

Sep 08, 2023

By: Sagarika C

Chuck Berry vs. the Beach Boys

Music is a universal language that has the power to connect people, evoke emotions, and even shape culture, but every iconic melody is an artist's brainchild protected by copyright laws. Throughout history, musicians and songwriters have found themselves ...

The Chiffons vs. George Harrison

The Beach Boys, comprised of members including Brian Wilson with a net worth of $100 million, Mike Love ($80 million), Bruce Johnston ($30 million), Carl Wilson ($20 million), Dennis Wilson ($20 million), Al Jardine ($20 million), Scott Totten ($7 million), Jo...

Queen & David Bowie vs. Vanilla Ice

George Harrison, the renowned English musician, singer, actor, and songwriter, found himself entangled in a protracted legal battle due to the undeniable resemblance between his hit song "My Sweet Lord" and The Chiffons' "He's So Fine....

Rolling Stones vs. the Verve

Vanilla Ice, with a net worth of $12 million, gained notoriety for sampling Queen and David Bowie's "Under Pressure" in his hit "Ice Ice Baby." This copyright dispute prompted legal action and ultimately resulted in a confidential sett...

Marvin Gaye vs. Robin Thicke & Pharrell Williams

In the realm of music, The Verve's "Bittersweet Symphony" found itself at the epicenter of legal intricacies when it sampled the Rolling Stones' "One Last Time." This collision of creative works led to a complex legal battle, resu...

Chuck Berry vs. John Lennon

Marvin Gaye's estate initiated a legal battle against Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams, citing the resemblance between "Blurred Lines" and "Got to Give it Up." The verdict favored the Gaye estate, awarding them $5.3 million in damage...

Spirit vs. Led Zeppelin

John Lennon, whose net worth stood at an impressive $200 million dollars at the time of his tragic passing in 1980, had once found himself embroiled in allegations of plagiarism against his song "Come Together." This iconic track faced accusations of...

Creedence Clearwater Revival vs. John Fogarty

Rock band Led Zeppelin found themselves embroiled in a legal battle when their iconic track "Stairway to Heaven" was accused of borrowing from Spirit's "Taurus." After protracted legal proceedings, a court ultimately concluded that the...

The Turtles vs. De La Soul

Accusations of plagiarism swirled around John Fogerty's "The Old Man Down the Road," alleging it copied his own Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR) track, "Run Through the Jungle." Ultimately, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of Fo...

Roy Orbison vs. 2 Live Crew

De La Soul's use of a sample from The Turtles' "You Showed Me" resulted in a substantial $1.7 million settlement, significantly influencing the landscape of sampling practices within the hip-hop and rap genres. As of 2023, De La Soul boasts...