Gray’sattorneyMichaelA.Kahnsaidaftercourt
thathewouldbehappytofightfora decision
thatwas“fairandjust,”thoughtheawardfell
wellshortofthenearly$20millionhesoughtfor
hisclients.
Thecasecenteredona brief,simpleinstrumental
beatandriffofa fewnotesthatrepeats
throughout“JoyfulNoise”and,Gray’sattorneys
said,playsthrough45%of“DarkHorse.”
Perry’sattorneysarguedthroughoutthatit was
anextremelybasicmusicalelementthatbyno
meansshouldbecopyrightable.
“Theonlymatterincommonis anunprotectable
C anda B note,”Leperasaid.
Technologycouldprovechallengingheretoo,
withthousandsofamateurmusicianscreating
machine-madebeatsthatcanproliferateonline,
makingcoincidentalcopyingcommon.
“Therearesomanypeopleouttherecreating
basicrhythmsanduploadingthemforpeople
tolicenseandtolistento,”Kelbersaid.“The
chancesthatanyoneofthosethree-orfour-
noteprogressionsresemblesomethingfamous
is muchgreater.”
“JoyfulNoise”itselfbeganwitha beatthatGray
heardonMySpaceandboughtfroma manwho
wouldlaterbelistedasa co-writer.
Inthepastit hasoftentakena superstartotake
downa superstarforsongtheft,andinthose
casesthosewhosuedcouldblastrightpastthe
questionofaccess.
Ina trialoveranother 2013 megahit,“Blurred
Lines”songwritersPharrellWilliamsopenly
saidtheytriedtoevokethefeelingofa song
theyloved,MarvinGaye’s“GottoGiveIt Up.”
Image: Neilson Barnard