When it comes to DMCA takedowns, Grooveshark is generally a company that likes to receive. But now, it turns out they also give on occasion.
Grooveshark (through parent Escape Media Group) appears to have sent this DMCA takedown notice to developers using their source code illegally. Grooveshark didn't respond to the email listed on this takedown notice, which was posted on github (an inquiry was also sent to Grooveshark CEO Sam Tarantino.)
And, this would be the familiar result.
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?
Nergal, also known as Adam Michal Darski, the guitarist of Behemoth performs during the Hellfest music Festival in Clisson, western France in this June 20, 2010 file photo.
Credit: Reuters/Stephane Mahe/FilesBy Grzegorz Szymanowski and Christian LoweWARSAW | Mon Oct 29, 2012 8:54pm EDT
WARSAW (Reuters) - Poland's Supreme Court opened the way on Monday for a blasphemy verdict against a rock musician who tore up a Bible on stage, a case that has pitted deep Catholic traditions against a new desire for free expression.
Adam Darski, front man with a heavy metal group named Behemoth, ripped up a copy of the Christian holy book during a concert in 2007, called it deceitful and described the Roman Catholic church as "a criminal sect".
His supporters say it was an act of artistic expression, but conservatives say he offended the sensibilities of Catholics in Poland, the homeland of the late Pope John Paul II and one of the religion's most devout heartlands in Europe.
The Supreme Court was asked to rule on legal arguments thrown up by the musician's trial in a lower court on charges of offending religious feelings.
It said a crime was committed even if the accused, who uses the stage name Nergal, did not act with the "direct intention" of offending those feelings, a court spokeswoman said.
That interpretation closed off an argument used by lawyers for Darski, who said he had not committed a crime because he did not intend to offend anyone.
The lower court will now decide if he is guilty. The maximum sentence is two years in jail, under Poland's criminal code. However, it is extremely rare for anyone convicted of this kind of crime in Poland to serve prison time.
"(The decision) is negative and restricts the freedom of speech. The court decided that this is allowed in a democratic system," Jacek Potulski, a lawyer for Darski, told Reuters.
He said he was not giving up. "We are still arguing that we were dealing with art, which allows more critical and radical statements," the lawyer said.
Ryszard Nowak, a conservative former member of parliament who has for years been lobbying for the musician's conviction, said he had been vindicated.
"The Supreme Court said clearly that there are limits for artists which cannot be crossed," Nowak told Polish television.
The Catholic church and its teachings have been at the heart of Polish life for generations, but changes in society are challenging the dominance of the faith.
Opinion polls show that while 93 percent of Poles identify themselves as Catholics, the proportion who attend church or pray regularly is in decline, especially among young people.
Large parts of Polish society have also started to drift away from some of the church's teachings, especially its ban on contraception and its opposition to homosexual partnerships.
"When it comes to bishops' opinions on controversial social issues, I listen to them, but I don't treat them as an absolute authority," said Aleksandra Pulchny, a 22-year-old law student from Rybnik, in southern Poland.
In one indication of the changes in society, the blasphemy trial does not appear to have harmed Darski's show business standing. He is one of four judges on "The Voice of Poland," a talent show broadcast on national public television.
(Additional reporting by Rob Strybel; Editing by Michael Roddy)
Actress and singer and host of the show Selena Gomez arrives on the red carpet at the MTV Europe Music Awards show in Belfast November 6, 2011.
Credit: Reuters/Luke MacgregorLOS ANGELES | Thu Nov 17, 2011 6:47pm EST
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A judge on Wednesday dismissed the case against an Illinois man who was accused of stalking actress and singer Selena Gomez earlier this year, a court official said.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Edmund Clarke Jr. ruled that Thomas Brodnicki, 46, "lacked specific intent" to cause Gomez fear, said District Attorney spokeswoman Sandi Gibbons.
She said prosecutors were now "evaluating our next step."
Brodnicki pleaded not guilty earlier this month to one felony charge alleging that he stalked the 19-year-old entertainer between July and October.
Another judge in the case earlier had granted a stay-away order against Brodnicki in October. Brodnicki allegedly told a psychiatrist he traveled to Los Angeles to see Gomez and had conversations with God about killing her, according to court documents.
Gomez is best known for her work on children's shows such as "Wizards of Waverly Place." She also is the girlfriend of teen singer Justin Bieber.
(Editing by Zorianna Kit)
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – A judge on Wednesday dismissed the case against an Illinois man who was accused of stalking actress and singer Selena Gomez earlier this year, a court official said.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Edmund Clarke Jr. ruled that Thomas Brodnicki, 46, "lacked specific intent" to cause Gomez fear, said District Attorney spokeswoman Sandi Gibbons.
She said prosecutors were now "evaluating our next step."
Brodnicki pleaded not guilty earlier this month to one felony charge alleging that he stalked the 19-year-old entertainer between July and October.
Another judge in the case earlier had granted a stay-away order against Brodnicki in October. Brodnicki allegedly told a psychiatrist he traveled to Los Angeles to see Gomez and had conversations with God about killing her, according to court documents.
Gomez is best known for her work on children's shows such as "Wizards of Waverly Place." She also is the girlfriend of teen singer Justin Bieber.
(Editing by Zorianna Kit)