Sam Smith is paying Tom Petty royalties for ‘Stay With Me’
Sam Smith has been ordered to pay royalties from the single ‘Stay With Me’ to Tom Petty, after some noticed similarities between that and another song by the latter.
According to a report in the Sun, Smith settled out of court in October, but the terms of the settlement have just become available.
Similarities were noted between ‘Stay With Me’, and the Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers 1989 hit ‘I Won’t Back Down’.
Smith has agreed to pay a 12.5% writing credit to Petty, and the singer-composer Jeff Lynne.
Now listed by the ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) as the chief songwriters, are Smith and co-writer Jimmy Naples, as well as Petty and Lynne.
A source close to the case told the Sun: “When Sam’s track was originally released, it was clear to a lot of musicians that there were notable similarities between the tracks. After it was pointed out to Sam’s camp, they didn’t try to fight it and amicably dished out royalties. It wasn’t a deliberate thing, musicians are just inspired by other artists and Sam and his team were quick to hold up their hand when it was officially flagged.”
The song has sold almost 4 million copies around the world, and has been nominated for Best Pop Performance and Record of the Year for this year’s Grammy Awards.
Smith was the only artist to sell a million albums both in the US and UK last year with his debut album ‘In the Lonely Hour’.
Sam Smith’s ‘Stay With Me’ is available below
And Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ ‘I Won’t Back Down’
