Coldplay copyright case 'settled'; BBC News, 9/16/09

BBC News; Coldplay copyright case 'settled':

"Coldplay and Joe Satriani have reached an agreement over a court case alleging they copied parts of one his songs, according to reports.

The guitarist sued the band last year saying they used "substantial, original portions" of his 2004 song If I Could Fly on their track Viva La Vida.

Billboard magazine said he had dropped the case and that Coldplay would not be required to admit wrongdoing...

It is not clear whether a financial settlement was reached."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8258217.stm

Coldplay Refutes Plagiarism Claim, Disses Satriani in Court, Yahoo News, 4/7/09

Yahoo News: Coldplay Refutes Plagiarism Claim, Disses Satriani in Court:

"In court papers filed in Los Angeles Monday, Coldplay responded to Satriani's copyright-infringement claim, saying the 52-year-old guitarist's song "lacks originality" and therefore was in no position to receive copyright protection.

Furthermore, the British rockers' attorneys claimed that any similarity was so minimal that it did not warrant the legal action.

Back in December, Satriani claimed the group, who incidentally won the Grammy for Song of the Year for the in-question tune, had repurposed "substantial" portions of his song for their hit."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/eonline/20090407/en_music_eo/108054

Coldplay deny plagiarism allegations, London Guardian, 12/10/08

Via London Guardian: Coldplay deny plagiarism allegations, Chris Martin says that any similarities between Viva La Vida and Joe Satriani's If I Could Fly are 'purely coincidental'. Oh yeah? Maybe he should listen to this YouTube mash-up:

"Coldplay have responded to Joe Satriani's allegations of copyright infringement, describing the similarities between theirs and the guitarist's work "entirely coincidental".

Satriani filed his suit less than a week ago, alleging that Coldplay's Viva La Vida borrows heavily from his six-and-a-half-minute guitar noodle, If I Could Fly. The 52-year-old guitar nerd claimed credit, damages, and "any and all profits from the song.""

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2008/dec/10/coldplay-deny-plagiarism-allegations

Did Coldplay Plagiarize Guitarist Joe Satriani?, NPR, All Things Considered, 12/8/08

Via NPR, All Things Considered: Did Coldplay Plagiarize Guitarist Joe Satriani?:

"When [Guitarist Joe] Satriani tried to contact Coldplay and didn't hear back after several months, he filed a copyright-infringement lawsuit against the band last week...

This certainly isn't the first time two songs have sounded the same. The Chiffons waged a lengthy legal battle against The Beatles' George Harrison over the similarities between "My Sweet Lord" and The Chiffons' "He's So Fine." Harrison eventually admitted to "subconsciously copying" the song and paid the band royalties."

Read NPR story: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=97973449

Listen to NPR story: http://www.npr.org/templates/player/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=97973449&m=97973425