What’s kind of amazing in this case is also how much Katy Perry’s team dropped the ball with the defense. I threw together this video in less than a week. They had 4 years.

Could you imagine if country music people started suing each other over this?

The jury's verdict has been finally reversed in May 2020.

New Rule: All music copyright infringement cases must have a jury consisting of musicians, engineers, composers, etc. as those would truly be the peers of both the plaintiff and defendant!

“That’s actually Bach” You destroyed the whole case right there.

What is wrong Katy Perry's lawyers that they can't construct an argument like this one?

How bad must Katy Perry's lawyers have been that they couldn't come up with the same examples used in this video and make the plaintiff look foolish?

"Kinda dangerous." Adam Neely giving a lesson on the art of understatement. I've never heard of Todd Decker before and what I think about him after watching this video cannot be repeated in public.

I once sued a coworker because his farts sounded similar to mine

Everybody knows Lil John invented the phrase “yeah” in 2003

In the appeal, judge recently ruled said that a copyright over this would amount “to allowing an improper monopoly over two-note pitch sequences or even the minor scale itself, especially in light of the limited number of expressive choices available when it comes to an eight-note repeated musical figure”. Great to hear a judge understanding the magnitude of the copyright.

Thank you for posting this. As a songwriter/artist seriously planning on marketing my music, it makes me nervous to see these lawsuits coming out where people are losing because the "vibe" is too close. It honestly makes me afraid to think that I'll spend thousands of dollars to record and market a song, only to have some unknown artist sue me. If more of these silly lawsuits come out I hope that you'll keep making these videos and standing up for creatives

He claimed that 45% of dark horse was copyrighted and that he should get 45% of the money earned by PRISM The entire album Dark Horse is one song. He's money hungry and it shows

He didn't throw shade. He threw the whole palm tree at Todd Decker

Arguments like Todd's would be devastating for the whole blues culture.

When I first watched this I knew very little about music, but watching it again now I realise how laughably absurd Decker's claim is. Imagine trying to claim that a certain painter was the first to use red and green together, and now they legally own that colour combination

A law suit over a two bar, straight quarter note pattern with only three notes. What a time to be alive.

Katy Perry must hire Adam Neely and sue rapper flame and Todd Decker.

One of the first songs I ever wrote when I started playing guitar was a simple 4 chord, 6/8 time signature, song in the key of C. I played it for my mom, who is a music education major, but would have been a performance major if it weren’t for an injury to her left arm half way through her sophomore year. She liked it and said as much at first but remarked later that she had heard the chord progression before (in that time signature). While she meant this not with the intention of discouragement, it illustrated to me the reality of how finite the number of chord progressions there are and the pertinence of individual playing styles and melodic composition in distinguishing ones individual artistic expression from another’s. Granted my fundamental understanding of music composition and terminology is very limited still I hope this makes some level of sense. Just figured I’d share a thought 🤷‍♂️

This reminds me of the time I sent an essay of mine through plagiarism checking software and it came back that I strung together the same 7 words as someone else when they published their paper on a different topic… in the 80s 😂

Katy should sue Todd Decker for not doing his research and she should bring up these songs

I'm gonna copyright A 440hz and sue everyone.

The verdict was overturned on appeal on the March 16, 2020. US District Court judge Christina A Snyder said "It is undisputed in this case" that the ostinato was "not a particularly unique or rare combination."

Adam, what a great video! Thanks for putting this together. I'll share it with my classes.

Music copyright trolling is ridiculous. This is like copyrighting the use of the color blue in a visual artwork.

" Imagine if someone could own a word" *gets react bros flashbacks*

And now it's been overturned! That's a win for music, if you ask me.

Update: the win for Flame has been overturned. Only the Supreme Court at this point can keep the case alive (so a win for Perry).

If I ever become a musician and get sued, I'm using you as my expert witness.

I am a musicologist. These musicologists give a bad name to the profession. This lawsuit is ridiculous.

As soon as I heard it, I immediately went to "Moments in Love". Maybe Art of Noise has a case against Flame?

I am so glad you exist Adam, thank you for everything you do.

I'm so glad people like you and Rick Beato are shedding some light on how outrageous these lawsuits are

When he finally said this is Katy Perry's dark horse, I almost didn't believe him

You are so awesome. If I ever get sued for copyright infringement, I'm hiring you as my musicology expert. Love your channel.❤❤❤

My favorite channel at the moment! You're so good, thank you!

I feel like you're gonna become the anti-industry lawsuit guy, and I'm so for this.

If this is the case, every 90's rapper should be sued by every 70's soul artists.

Well, "Men at Work" were sued over the flute riff in "Down Under" by the owners of the copyright to "Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree"

UPDATE THIS KING

It’s interesting that Katy Perry’s attorney couldn’t find someone anyone as knowledgeable as Adam Neeley. What the hell were they thinking?

*This just in: Bach comes back from the grave to sue Flame for sampling his violin sonata in f minor*

Nice video!! Interesting that this totally spurious lawsuit should have been overturned, Katy got lucky, or a competent judge 2nd time around. Maybe Colin Hay (of Men at Work) should seek another trial. I'm referring to one of the most embarrassing episodes in Australia's legal history. In June 2009, 28 years after the release of the recording of Men at Works song Down Under, Larrikin Music sued Men at Work for copyright infringement, alleging that part of the flute riff of "Down Under" was copied from "Kookaburra" (a children's nursery rhyme known to all and widely thought to be in the public domain). The flute riff included a musical 4-bar quote which had no doubt been initially played off the cuff at a live gig sometime but had come to be incorporated into the song as an essential element of "Australian-ness", and recorded with it in as is. The art of musical quoting other pieces of music dates back centuries and is widely practiced in jazz (and sometimes even rock) so I'm really not sure how it even came to be in court - imagine if a publisher of a pop song from the 40s tried to sue Dexter Gordon for doing one of his innumerable quotes. It would have been - quite rightly - laughed out of court. However the Men at Work defense team, instead of stating; "Yes it's a musical quote, and correct, not much point if no-one recognises it is there?!" they for whatever reason tried to argue that is wasn't intentional, or it wasn't that song, or was already in the public domain (a fairly valid argument as well as it happens). Anyway they lost something that should never have even got to court, Larrikin music is now much despised and has since changed their name, Greg Ham (the flute player) died not long after, and the legal system in Australia is now widely recognised as the farce it is, not least because the High Court of Australia declined to hear the appeal (and missed a golden opportunity to be seen as doing something constructive). For stupid music court cases it takes some beating - despite thousands of instances of musical "quoting" by instrumentalists I cannot think of another that has ended up in court. Oh and the amount awarded; 5% of royalties from 2002. Millions. Take-away? Greed pays - sue.

i've been looking for that art of noise sample for ages.... thank you

The year 2030: Musician sued for using a snare drum. Jury awards damages.

So by this logic... they better sue Santa and Moses too lmao

I learned a lot about music with just two of your video!! My respect in your knowledge and way of explaining what music really is!! Thanks 🙏

Adam thanks for making this video. Seems like Katy defense attorney should have hired you to counter the case. Great work. Love your channel and bass playing.

Imagine copyrighting your own DNA so you can sue all of your offspring for living if you wanted to 🤔

2018: "You can't own chords" 2019: "You can't own the minor scale"

When you mentioned Art of Noise it finally clicked for me why it felt like your synth was so familiar.

Guilty verdict now overturned and upheld 👍🏼

Just In: Katy Perry sued by the zoo for copyright infringement by using animals sounds in Roar!

Can wait until UMG takes down your video where you defend them

at 5:21 Art of Noise, Moments in Love....was sounding in my head from start of this vid, glad it is included (sampled )

You are an encyclopedia, Adam. I learn something every time I watch your videos. And I'd like to think I know a thing or 2! Thank you for sharing your knowledge, information and insight. You are a force!

You need to contact Katie Perry for her appeal and request a large commission lol

I'm a little disappointed that the whole video was not just him going "wait, that wasn't kary perry, this is katy perry.." over and over again

Singers and songwriters can make some "joyful noise" now that a federal appeals court has now confirmed that Perry didn't infringe on Flame's copyright. All three judges unanimously agreed that "The portion of the ‘Joyful Noise’ ostinato that overlaps with the ‘Dark Horse’ ostinato consists of a manifestly conventional arrangement of musical building blocks ... Allowing a copyright over this material would essentially amount to allowing an improper monopoly over two-note pitch sequences or even the minor scale itself." This sensible ruling protects the right of all artists to freely make use of basic musical building blocks that are rightfully in the public domain, just like individual words or common idioms in the English language. Good job explaining this case!

THANK YOU! I was trying to remember the name of the song and artist and I knew you would find Moments in Love by Art of Noise. Been searching for this for years

I love how I’m watching this pretending like I know and understand everything he’s saying

This guy should have been Katy Perry’s lawyer

Nobody will ever be able to record shit with cases like this.

Music copyright lawsuits should be mandated to have juries of Music Theory experts

"Wait a sec you can't do that." "Why not?" I _own_ Piano.

Nice counter argument. Sounds like her legal team failed. Maybe you should contact her legal team on the appeal and get paid!

Igor Stravinsky: "Lesser artists borrow, great artists steal " these cases are potentially corporate destruction of musical creativity

What a pleasure to hear someone say things like they really are! Thank you, Mr. Neely!

“Imagine if someone could own a word” Kim Kardashian: hold my Kimono

The music industry is being destroyed by a musicologist.

Ive got one for you. Shaggy's version of "Oh Carolina" sampling Henry Mancini's "Peter Gunn Theme" - there was a copyright infringement dispute that occurred during the 90s and and 2000s. The original writer of "Oh Carolina" argued that Manicini was nkt sampled and should not have received royalties. I'm curious what you think!

The "pingy, artificial sound" is originally from Laurie Anderson, 1984.

Brb, off to copyright 12 bar blues.

Katy failed the moment she didn't hire you in her defense team.... Don't be like Katy y'all. Always hire Neely.

One photography teacher told me, even if you think it was your idea, for sure unconsciously you heard or saw or had a contact with that (what ever is that) during your life, but you don't know when or even remember, inspiration comes from everywhere.

I agree that copyright lawsuits can deviate from the copyright goal when money interests kicks in and that any authority trying to own any musical thing is a threat to the art of Music. Actually, the problem is far worse: if in centuries copying and plagiarism are coming to a point that people notice more and more similarities between artists and bands overtime... We the bands, artists, music specialists, sound enginers, etc. have a need to discuss all together (be in many groups of people scattered around the world or in every realist way possible) about what musical concepts can help prevent it to escalate to a seemingly unsolvable point. In an era of existencial crisis with high technological means and a lot of available info / knowledge, we have to give us the tools to keep between FREEWILL that prevents obscurantism to happen and INSTRUCTIONS that we can follow to encourage us to take harder musical paths. Creativity is not an issue nowadays; it's our lack of understanding about creativity and our lazyness. I want that to make sense for you, as every art needs thinking about its transformations and evolutions. I won't blame the artists who are inspired, nor those whose team is inspired and make the music sounds like someone else more or less. I just blame that it can't last for too long... Not when the solution comes with thought, something that some people are still very able to do. Come on, nobody's willing to be stupid. Life can be rough and complicated, that's all.

“Think about what you did here-you convinced a jury that the idea of quarter notes descending in a minor scale from the 3rd degree originated in 2008 with Christian rapper _Flame_ ” … absolutely dead 😂😂😂😂😂

Imagine Newton : I discovered gravity so don't use it OR pay me every time you use it

"I hope that you were payed well, cause you kinda sold us all out on this." I got chills from that. That was a read. 🤣🤣🤣

The biggest problem has always been, that lawmakers do not understand the nuances of the art industry. And though the assumption is that they will argue their case in a way that explains the nuances, we clearly end up with cases that set precedent in a really unfortunate way. A jury of your peers, we’re no one on the jury is expected to understand music theory.

It sounds nothing alike. If that is considered the same, then 99% of music is the same. You only have 12 keys in an octave.

i bet, when the jury was selected, anyone with a musical background was rejected by plaintiff's council

It’s Over She Won.

Adam - you totally nailed this! Thanks for posting!!

*Todd Decker is musicologist* Adam Neely: I'm gonna end this man's career.

The part where you "mistook" other songs for Katy Perry's was clever.

I was waiting to hear Art of Noise with that synth sound you were using

Such great points. Art and especially music is so misunderstood. Hopefully we find more people taking a scientific approach to what creativity in music is. It's probably not one aspect such as a note or chord sequence but the different configurations of sound. Imagine if someone tried to copyright a chord sequence. Pop would be dead or owned by a mega Corp....

"imagine if somebody owned a word" Example: "react"

I've copyrighted the note of B flat, so any song that has that note can and will be sued

This MUST have had an effect on Katy winning the appeal! I hope you got the recognition for that! This was an amazing video! AMAZING!

And this is WHY the idea that everything has to be decided by a jury of non-expert laypersons is a TERRIBLE idea. If a jury is to decide this matter, the jury should consist of musicians, lyricists, sound engineers, producers and composers. It is INSANE that we are letting people with no musical knowledge decide on these delicate matters.

From the perspective of a PhD student, this line of argument by Decker is absurd. The few examples you provided in this video illustrate this of course, but also it's worth acknowledging that entire systems of analysis exist that consider this 3-2-1 motion to be one of the fundamental musical foundations of large swathes of the Western Canon (Schenker anyone?). Great video, as always.

Those lawyers should honestly be fired because it’s very obvious the guy is just going for money

All your videos rock for a variety of reasons; this one for its courage and integrity.

I listen to classical music radio a lot and constantly hear short phrases that have been expanded into pop songs of various genres.

we are going to reach a point where even single notes are gonna be copyrighted

"bruh you can't just own a sound" *copyrights the lick*

Your work is astonishing. You’re so pro, I truly admire your mind/knowledge 😧

Hi Adam, would love to get your take on Stairway to Heaven and the opening of Spirit’s Taurus. Thanks