Joe Satriani Suing Coldplay For Plagiarism
By Don • Dec 7th, 2008 • Category: Songwriting News
Steve Jobs summoned the spirit of Pablo Picasso when he said, “Good artists copy, great artists steal.”
Reuters reports that on Thursday Joe Satriani filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against the British rock quartet Coldplay, contending that the Coldplay song “Viva la Vida” makes use of “substantial original portions” of his composition “If I Could Fly,” an instrumental track. The suit, filed in federal court in Los Angeles, seeks a jury trial, damages and any profits Coldplay gained from the song. On Wednesday, “Viva la Vida” was nominated for Grammy Awards for song of the year and record of the year.
Last year James Blunt plagiarism and Avril Lavigne plagiarism were big news items in the songwriting world. This year it looks like Coldplay gets the media coverage as rip-off artists. Is it deserved?
First listen to the songs being compared. Coldplay’s song is “Viva La Vida”, and Joe Satriani’s is “If I Could Fly” off the album.
In my opinion the chord progression is very common, and you can’t copyright chord progressions anyways. The melody - which is going to be the bone of contention - is subject to scrutiny.
But even then, the melody basically follows the chord progression. It’s not a unique melody by any means.
Coldplay itself is a derivative band. Many of Coldplay’s songs sound like U2 throwaway songs. Others sound like Radiohead cast-offs. So the fact they are being accused of “deriving” a song from another is not surprising.
In fact, the melody in question is so boring and uninteresting that another band called “Creaky Boards” has accused Coldplay of ripping THEM off in the very same song “Viva La Vida”. Check THIS out: (thanks Jose)
In spite of the unimaginative melody, I predict Joe Satriani will win this lawsuit. I don’t think it will be solely based on the melody either. I think THAT melody over an identical chord progression AND tempo will seal Coldplay’s fate.
Update: Via comments below, Jose shares Coldplay’s admission of plagiarism in the past in this article.
In this day and age however, it will not put Coldplay in the poor house. Superstar bands these days always carry plagiarism insurance - like Avril Lavigne through legal agencies Robertson Taylor in the UK and others.
I’m sure Coldplay is no exception.
Do you think Joe Satriani will win this lawsuit? Or am I on crack? 
Don is the founder, writer and editor of BloggingMuses.com. He lives in Asheville, North Carolina, USA.
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They have admitted to plagiarism in the past. http://www.plagiarismtoday.com/2005/07/04/coldplay-admits-plagiarism/
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Good heaven, that chorus is what makes Viva La Vida what it is. Joe Satriani’s going to have to prove, I think, that Coldplay would have ever heard his song–it’s not exactly their genre from what I can tell. As you said, they’re Radiohead/U2 disciples, not exactly guitar rockers.
I’ve raved to my siblings and my friends and my lover about how incredibly catchy that hook is. It really is impossible to forget. But I think Jobs has a point. We all draw influences from plenty of sources and, while a melody and progression may be the same, a song may be rhythmically and lyrically and texturally different enough to affect the senses in a completely different way.
I took a songwriting course, and the instructor suggested, in fact, using a “model song” when we write songs sometimes to develop and focus our style. Whether or not Coldplay loses the suit, they’re not sinners.
It’ll be interesting to see the outcome. I assume you’ll let us know?
- Stephen
http://songwritten.org
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