3 Count: Y-M-C- Hey…

Jonathan BaileyMarch 23, 2012

2 minutes read

Have any suggestions for the 3 Count? Let me know via Twitter @plagiarismtoday.

1: Music Publisher Drops Key Claim in 'Y.M.C.A.' Copyright Termination Lawsuit

First off today, Eriq Gardner at The Hollywood Reporter writes that Victor Willis, the original lead singer of The Village People, is seeking to have his copyright agreements terminated for many of the band’s best-known tracks including the party anthem YMCA. The publisher that currently has the rights, Can’t Stop Music, filed a lawsuit to appose the termination. However, the publisher has dropped one of its key claims, that the work was created for hire. Copyright law allows artists to terminate contracts after a set period of time and works created in 1978 are coming up for termination in 2013 with more works coming up every year thereafter. Music publishers, eager to prevent such terminations to preserve rights in old music, have tried to claim that the creations of artists were works for hire, which don’t qualify for termination, a claim many musicians dispute. However, the case for Willis is not over as the publisher is still claiming that one artist can not terminate the contract when there are multiple creators, a matter the judge will have to decide.

2: Force India Slapped With Big Pay-out

Next up today, the Times of India writes that Formula One team Force India has won a copyright infringement case against wind-tunnel operators Aerolab though they hardly look like winners when you look at the damages. The judge granted the team some 25,000 euros in copyright damages for various breaches including the copying of some of Force India’s computer files. However, the judge also ordered that the team pay some 846,000 euros in fees owed to Aerolab for services that Aerolab provided the team. According to Force One, the copyright violations are now being forwarded to Formula One’s governing body.

3: Paramore Plagiarism Lawsuit Dropped

Finally today, DIY writes that the band Paramore has put a lawsuit behind them. Previously the band Tenspoke had claimed that Paramore’s song “The Only Exception” was a plagiarism of their earlier work “Starlighter”. Tenspoke filed suit over that claim but now it appears Tenspoke has dropped the lawsuit, putting an end to the case. Paramore released a statement applauding the end of the case, saying that they never doubted that the song was original calling it a “very personal” work.

Suggestions

That’s it for the three count today. We will be back tomorrow with three more copyright links. If you have a link that you want to suggest a link for the column or have any proposals to make it better. Feel free to leave a comment or send me an email. I hope to hear from you.