Is this the first signs of the post-'Blurred Lines' legal ruling coming into effect?
The biggest selling single of the year so far has seen a significant change to its writing credits. Mark Ronson’s record-breaking ‘Uptown Funk!’ now includes the writers of The Gap Band’s 1979 hit ‘Oops Up Side Your Head’.
It’s not clear as to how this alteration came about – there have been no court cases or lawsuits in the offing – but five extra names are now included on Ronson’s hit, according to Music Week. They are The Gap Band’s three members Ronnie Wilson, Charles Wilson and Robert Wilson as well as producers Lonnie Simmons and Rudolph Taylor.
Mark Ronson has altered the writing credits for 'Uptown Funk!'
They join Ronson himself, the song’s vocalist Bruno Mars, producer Jeff Bhasker plus Nicholaus Williams and Devon Gallaspy, who are credited for the song’s sampling of ‘All Gold Everything’ by Trinidad James, which was acknowledged at the time of release.
More: ‘Uptown Funk!’ joins select group of songs to be at Number 1 in the US for 14 weeks
At the time of writing, ‘Uptown Funk!’ is still capturing the hearts and minds of listeners all over the world. It has sold 1.7 million copies in the UK, and it was recently knocked off the Number One spot in the US after an incredible 14 week stretch.
There is at least a surface similarity between the two funk-influenced songs, so one can’t help but wonder if this one of the first effects we’re seeing of the post-‘Blurred Lines’ court case, persuading artists to pre-emptively include credits because of the threat of lawsuits.
In March, Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams were ordered to pay $7.4 million to the family of Marvin Gaye after a court ruled that ‘Blurred Lines’ copied the sound of the R&B icon’s 1977 hit ‘Got To Give It Up’.
Also, Sam Smith agreed to pay American rocker Tom Petty songwriting royalties for his hit ‘Stay With Me’ after it was argued that there were similarities between that song and Petty’s ‘I Won’t Back Down’.