Justin Bieber Was Accused Of Copying A Song That’s Over 40 Years Old

Justin Bieber faced copyright infringement accusations for a song he released in 2019.

Highlights

Justin Bieber and Dan + Shay were accused of copying a soul ballad in their Grammy-winning hit “10,000 Hours.”
Melomega Music filed a complaint claiming that “10,000 Hours” ripped off a song written in 1973.
Justin Bieber has faced other accusations of copying songs, including one in 2016 which led to a dropped lawsuit.

Justin Bieber and country music duo Dan + Shay were accused of copying a 1980 soul ballad with their Grammy-winning 2019 hit song “10,000 Hours.”

Released in October 2019, “10,000 Hours” debuted at No. 4 on the Hot 100 and won Best Country Duo/Group Performance at the 2021 Grammy Awards.

Melomega Music explained in a 2019 complaint filed in federal court that they believe the song ripped of “The First Time Baby is a Holiday,” a song written in 1973 by Palmer Rakes and Frank Fioravanti but not released until 2014 by Asia Luckey.

“One need only listen to ‘First Time’ and the infringing ‘10,000 Hours’ to discern the unmistakable similarities between the songs,” the company explained in its complaint. The paperwork also claims top musicology experts objectively analyzed the songs.

The plaintiffs claim to seek “money, credit and an injunction preventing further distribution” of Justin Bieber’s hit record. They claimed the song is available on streaming services and could have easily been heard by the songwriters.

Other Justin Bieber Songs He Was Accused Of ‘Stealing’

“10,000 Hours” wasn’t the first time Justin Bieber had been accused of lifting melodies from other songs, though.

In 2019, Asher Monroe pointed out that the hook in his song “Synergy” was the same as the one in Bieber’s “Running Over.” However, it turned out that they both used a royalty-free sample by producer Laxcity, which can be purchased online.

In 2016, Casey Dienel sued Justin Bieber for alleged copyright infringement over the singer’s hit “Sorry.” The pop star claims producer Skrillex and Justin Bieber stole a loop from her song “Ring The Bell” to use as part of Bieber’s 2015 single.

“Like most artists that sample music, Bieber could have licensed my song for use in ‘Sorry’”, she explained. “But he chose not to contact me. After the release of ‘Sorry’, my lawyers sent Bieber a letter regarding the infringement, but Bieber’s team again chose to ignore me”.

Dienel dropped the lawsuit a year later, although it was never revealed why.

More Musicians Who Have Faced Copyright Infringement

Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams were ordered to pay Marvin Gaye’s estate $5m in 2014. Their 2013 hit “Blurred Lines” was accused of copying the “feel” of Marvin Gaye’s 1977 song, “Got to Give It Up.”

The court case pointed out that the bass line, vocals and themes of transformation were similar to the ’70s track. After a lengthy court case, the pair were ordered to pay the late singer’s estate and give 50% of all future royalties. This is one of the biggest payouts in music plagiarism history.

Shortly after this case, another high-profile musical copyright case erupted with Marvin Gaye’s estate. Ed Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud” was accused of unlawfully copying musical components from Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get it On.”

The family of Ed Townsend, who wrote the song, filed a lawsuit against Ed Sheeran due to “the melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic compositions” being similar. The case was dismissed in 2017. However, another case occurred a year later when a relative of Marvin Gaye’s sued for $100 million in damages. In 2023, a jury found Sheeran not liable in the lawsuit.

How Musicians Feel About Facing Copyright Lawsuits

Some of the highest-profile musicians and pop stars in the world have been involved in copyright lawsuits. From Ed Sheeran to Katy Perry and Dua Lipa, these stars have been embroiled in legal scandals.

“People only come for you like this if you have written a really huge song. Only a tiny minority are in this hallowed realm, with billion-streaming songs,” said Guy Chambers, who co-wrote “Shape Of You” with Sheeran. “Although claims are getting more common, it’s not going to happen to many people. Early on in my career, I heard the old industry saying, ‘where there’s a hit there’s a writ’, and it’s true.”

Chambers admits if a melody he is writing sounds familiar, he sometimes uses a music recognition app to double-check. “It’s not a particularly good way to do it. And anyway we are all inspired by something when we start.”

Tom Petty felt that Sam Smith’s song “Stay With Me” sounded like his hit “I Won’t Back Down.” Although he noticed the similarities, the iconic musician didn’t take the English singer to court. “All my years of songwriting have shown me these things can happen. Most times you catch it before it gets out the studio door, but in this case, it got by.”

Justin Bieber’s Court Record Goes Further Than Copyright Lawsuits

Justin Bieber has had a few run-ins with the law throughout his years in the spotlight.

At 19, he was arrested for a DUI in Miami. The singer was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving, drag racing, driving without a valid license, and resisting arrest after police pulled him over. “Not proud of where I was at in my life. I was hurting, unhappy, confused, angry, mislead, misunderstood and angry at God.”

“I also wore too much leather for someone in Miami. All this to say God has brought me a long way. From then til now I do realize something.. God was as close to me then as he is right now,” Bieber reflected in 2021 on Instagram.

In 2022, Justin Bieber dropped a $20 million defamation lawsuit over sexual abuse allegations. The Canadian popstar denied allegations by two social media users who claimed they were assaulted in separate incidents at hotels in 2014 and 2015.

Bieber’s lawsuit described the allegations as an “elaborate hoax”, motivated by a “desire for fame and attention.” It was never revealed whether Bieber and the defendants agreed on a settlement.