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Coldplay Sued For Copyright Infringement

By US guitarist...

  • by Jason Gregory
  • Friday, December 05, 2008
  • Photo by: WENN
  • filed in: Indie
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Coldplay are being sued by an American guitarist who claims one of their songs incorporates “substantial original portions” of a track he released four years ago.

Joe Satriani, 52, believes the melody in Coldplay's 'Viva La Vida' resembles the guitar riff in his instrumental song, 'If I Could Fly'.

The copyright infringement lawsuit, filed yesterday (December 4th) at Los Angeles Federal court, seeks jury trial, damages and “any and all profits” linked to the track.

'Viva La Vida', the title track from Coldplay's latest album of the same name, is credited to the band's four members: Chris Martin, Johnny Buckland, Will Champion and Guy Berryman.

'If I Could Fly' featured on Satriani's 2004 album 'Is There Love In Space?'.

As previously reported on Gigwise, Coldplay were nominated for seven Grammy awards earlier this year, including Record of the Year for 'Viva La Vida'.

You can listen to both songs on Gigwise below. Do you think they sound similar? Post your thoughts by filling out the comment form.

Become a Gigwise member and your comments will appear automatically.

Joe Satriani - 'If I Could Fly'

Coldplay - 'Viva La Vida'

Coldplay - UK Tour
Poll 

Do you think the songs are similar?

  1. Yes - Clearly
  2. No - Nothing like each other
(5)
  • Haha! Oh my God the melody from Viva La Vida is identical to Satriani's guitar riff!!! Tisk tisk Coldplay

    ~ by AndyMaq 12/5/2008

    Reply to this comment

  • This is a joke right - all songs contain the same notes - bot necessarliy in the same order!

    ~ by DaveT 12/5/2008

    Reply to this comment

  • not a big deal, satriani hav to be proud bcos coldplay love him.

    ~ by hakim 12/6/2008

    Reply to this comment

  • almost identical especially the chorus...the one big difference between these...Satch has talent ;)

    ~ by Tom 12/6/2008

    Reply to this comment

  • satriani is lame. coldplay should be suing him for being so stupid and greedy.

    ~ by not_a_coldplay_fan 3/10/2009

    Reply to this comment


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