US appeals court in Virginia reinstates songwriters’ copyright lawsuit against Bieber, Usher
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) _ A federal appeals court has reinstated a $10 million lawsuit claiming Justin Bieber and Usher copied parts of a song written by two Virginia songwriters.
In a unanimous ruling Thursday, a three-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said a jury should decide whether the song “Somebody to Love” _ performed by the two stars _ is intrinsically similar to a song of the same name copyrighted by Devin Copeland and Maerio Overton.
A federal judge in Norfolk dismissed the complaint last year, saying the two versions differed significantly in tone and lyrical content.
The appeals court, which listened to all versions of the song, acknowledged the differences but said the choruses are similar enough that a reasonable jury might find in favour of the songwriters.
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Alwin Marshall-Squire is the Editor-in-Chief of S-Q Publications Inc., overseeing editorial strategy for GTA Weekly, GTA Today, and Vision Newspaper. He leads the publications’ mission to deliver bold, original journalism focused on the people and communities of the Greater Toronto Area, Canada, and the global Caribbean diaspora.
Also writes for GTA Weekly and GTA Today.
