by paul
There are only 12 notes in a scale, and only so many ways to arrange those notes into a pop-friendly sequence. Which raises the question: can two separate songwriters easily come up with the same hook, independently of one another? In other words, can you copy a song - or melody, chorus, or hook - purely by accident?
Welcome to the latest copyright lawsuit, this time against Carly Rae Jepsen and Owl City. The duet recently released "Good Time," a totally upbeat and infectious track. But the real hook is that the main motif sounds almost exactly like the one used in "Ah, It's a Love Song," by singer-songwriter Allyson Nicole Burnett.
The lawsuit, which names songwriters Adam Young, Matt Thiessen and Brian Lee atop the list, along with a list of publishers, shows that Burnett's version had significant visibility starting in 2010. That includes background slots in 'The Hills' and 'Friendzone,' not to mention availability across physical and digital outlets like iTunes. The rest gets really granular really fast, delving into theoretical discussions of keys, rhythms, and the use of a non-lyrical hook.
But is this a case of accidental simility, or a flat-out rip-off?
