Another song-theft lawsuit against Chris Brown is settled

A US judge has declined to dismiss one of the song-theft lawsuits that alleges Ed Sheeran ripped off Marvin Gaye’s ‘Let’s Get It On’ when he wrote his 2014 song ‘Thinking Out Loud’, concluding that a jury needs to consider whether the elements shared by the two songs are protected by copyright.Sheeran’s lawyers have been quite busy over the years dealing with various allegations that the musician has lifted elements of existing songs when writing his pop music. That included the headline-grabbing legal battle in the UK courts over ‘Shape Of You’, in which the Sheeran side was victorious.Over in the US, ‘Thinking Out Loud’ has resulted in multiple song-theft lawsuits.

Chris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic Brian Ray, a familiar sight to Paul McCartney fans as a 20-year multi-instrumentalist stalwart in the superstar’s band, has a dream for making Palm Springs a destination on the routing of touring rockers, as well as more of a cultural hub for the arts in general. It’s a dream whose destination is well in sight. He’s helping with the already partially funded campaign to restore and reopen the Plaza Theatre, a 1936 gem that has sat unpolished, if not quite completely dilapidated, through eight years of notable dormancy right in the heart of Palm Springs’ famous shopping district. Since he moved to the desert part-time four years ago, Ray has often thought about what could be, or what could have been, when it comes to the Plaza. It hasn’t been fit for ages to use as a hub for the annual Palm Springs Film Festival, as it was back in then-Mayor Sonny Bono’s day. But, more in keeping with Ray’s day job: “How about the mid-week shows that all the artists do when they come to Coachella? Or with Paul McCartney during Desert Trip, when we chose to go to Pappy and Harriet’s [in nearby Pioneerville] and play for about 140 people” — something he suggests could have gone down in the 800-capacity Plaza instead. “You could imagine that before that festival, Neil Young would’ve stepped into that theater and said, ‘This is where I want to do mine.’ That’s what would’ve happened if it would’ve been ready, you know?”

RuPaul’s Drag Race is a superstar making machine.

EXCLUSIVE: Range Media Partners has hired Thomas Daley as Co-President of their International division based in London.

Every Tuesday, discriminating viewers are confronted with a flurry of choices: new releases on disc and on demand, vintage and original movies on any number of streaming platforms, catalogue titles making a splash on Blu-ray or 4K. This twice-monthly column sifts through all of those choices to pluck out the movies most worth your time, no matter how you’re watching.

Childish Gambino has filed legal papers calling for the song-theft lawsuit targeting his 2018 hit ‘This Is America’ to be dismissed.He presents the usual responses to such lawsuits – ie that the elements his track and the earlier work he’s accused of ripping off share are not protected copyright and that the plaintiff hasn’t demonstrated how he had access to the earlier song. Plus he throws in some issues around copyright registration for good measure.Miami-based rapper Kidd Wes – real name Emelike Nwosuocha – sued Childish Gambino – or Donald Glover if you prefer – last year, claiming that ‘This Is America’ lifted from his 2016 track ‘Made In America’.“The distinctive flow” heard in Glover’s track, the lawsuit stated, “is unmistakably substantially similar, if not practically identical, to the distinct and unique flow that was employed by Nwosuocha in recording his vocal performance of his rapping of the hook to his copyrighted work”.“The lyrical theme, content, and structure of the identically-performed choruses are also glaringly similar”, the lawsuit added.

Chris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic The lineup for the 2023 Stagecoach Festival includes one very familiar veteran of the festivities, Luke Bryan, who will be making his fourth headlining appearance in the California desert, along with two stars who have made regular appearances at the festival but have moved up into headliner slots for the first time, Kane Brown and Chris Stapleton. Goldenvoice announced the performers and dates for the ’23 gathering Monday morning, just a little more than four months after the 2022 festival took place. The next fest will take place April 28 – 30, 2023, with passes going on sale Friday at 10 a.m. PT. Prices for passes range from $389 for advance general admission to $1,499 for the GA standing pit and $1,999 for prime reserved seating.

Luke Bryan, Kane Brown and Chris Stapleton are set to headline the three-night fest, which runs April 28-30, 2023 at Empire Polo Club in Indio, Calif. Festival passes will go on sale Friday, Sept. 16 at 10 a.m.

Manchester United endured one of their worst seasons in decades last term. A squad bereft of confidence and ideas tallied their lowest ever Premier League points haul as clear fractions between players emerged on the pitch.

UK-based music firm Greensleeves has settled a legal battle with Chris Brown and his label over the allegations that the musician ripped off an earlier song that it publishes on his 2017 single ‘Privacy’.In a lawsuit filed with the courts in New York in July 2021, Greensleeves said that ‘Privacy’ lifted a line from 1997 dancehall track ‘Tight Up Skirt’, which was recorded by Red Rat. “In creating the infringing work”, the lawsuit stated, “[Brown] took the core musical feature of ‘Tight Up Skirt’ and used it prominently in the infringing work without permission”.As for what that “core musical feature” was, the lawsuit went on: “‘Tight Up Skirt’ and the infringing work share a similar primary identifying feature.

Making it work! Bradley Cooper and ex Irina Shayk have maintained a close relationship since their split — and Huma Abedin isn’t bothered, an insider exclusively reveals in the new issue of Us Weekly.

Legal reps for Sam Smith and Normani have again called for a song theft lawsuit in relation to their song ‘Dancing With A Stranger’ to be dismissed. An amended version of that lawsuit, they argue, doesn’t address the issues they previously raised about the song-theft claim.Smith and Normani – and various other parties linked to their hit – were sued earlier this year by artist Jordan Vincent and producer Christopher Miranda who claim that ‘Dancing With A Stranger’ rips off their 2015 song ‘Dancing With Strangers’.On top of having nearly the same title and a very similar accompanying promo video to the earlier song, Smith and Normani’s ‘Dancing With A Stranger’ – it was alleged – has the same “hook, chorus, lyrics, and musical composition” as ‘Dancing With Strangers’.“It is beyond any real doubt that Smith, Normani and the other defendants copied plaintiff’s work”, the lawsuit then claimed.

Ricky Martin is firing back at his nephew’s allegations of sexual abuse, filing a $20-million lawsuit claiming the 21-year-old has been attempting to shake him down for money.

Paramount Pictures chief Brian Robbins wants to boost the studio’s annual theatrical output to 12 to 15 releases, up from its current Covid-affected level of eight this year and 10 to 12 in 2023.

A group of Gulf states are threatening Netflix with legal action if the streamer does not remove what they class as content that “contradicts” Islamic values. The six-member Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) issued a statement saying it has contacted the SVoD to demand the content, which was not specified publicly, is removed.

Big Sean has released an expanded edition of ‘Detroit’ on streaming services, in celebration of the 2012 mixtape’s 10-year anniversary.‘Detroit’ arrives complete with the mixtape’s original 18-song tracklist — which featured guest appearances from Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole and Jhené Aiko — with the addition of the previously unreleased song ‘More Thoughts’.

We’re taking a look back at all the famous women Bradley Cooper has been linked to over the years!

Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins took place over the weekend, with his surviving bandmates, Liam Gallagher, Queen, Travis Barker and Rush among the plethora of artists performing.At its opening on Saturday September 3, the event was promised by Foo Fighters’ Dave Grohl to be “a gigantic fucking night for a gigantic fucking person” – spanning nearly six hours with a set list of 50 songs. Find the full setlist below.Foo Fighters also notably performed for the first time since Hawkins’ untimely passing back in March.Kicking off proceedings, Grohl and the surviving members of Foo Fighters had their arms around one another for an emotional moment.