The publisher behind Bill Withers’ catalogue has filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against Universal Music Group, Sony Music and Kobalt, alleging that Olivia Dean’s track “I’ve Seen It” copies elements of Withers’ 1981 classic “Just the Two of Us.”
According to the complaint, the plaintiff’s representatives reviewed the two songs and reached what they describe as an “obvious and inescapable conclusion” that the Dean track lifted material from the Withers composition. The suit names the major label and publishing entities tied to the release.
The case adds to a steady stream of copyright disputes targeting hit songs and their underlying publishing rights, with plaintiffs increasingly pursuing labels and publishers alongside songwriters.
Read the full story at Music Business Worldwide.