Audio-based Musical Version Identification

Elements and Challenges

Supplementary Website

  • Version types
  • Melody vs Harmony
  • Public domain arrangements
  • Music copyright lawsuits
  • Music publishing metadata
  • Publicly Available Datasets

Music Copyright Lawsuits

Below are songs which have gone through litigation due to purported copyright violations. The song on the left is the song that is alleged to be violating a copyright of the song on the right.

"Blurred Lines" vs "Got To Give It Up"

Ruled as "infringing" because of the "rhythmic feel"

"Ice Ice Baby" vs "Under Pressure"

Ruled as "infringing" because of the "rhythmic feel"

"Bittersweet Symphony" vs "The last time"

Ruled as "infringing"

"Get Free" vs "Creep"

Settled out of court

"Creep" vs "The Air That I Breathe"

Ruled as "infringing"

"Oh Pretty Woman" vs "Pretty Woman"

Ruled “not infringing”, protecting parodies in the future

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