Haters are going to hate, players are going to play, and successful musicians are going to get slapped with expensive lawsuits. The latest artist to face a legal battle is Taylor Swift, who is going to have to shake off a $42 million (USD) suit over her hit song "Shake It Off."
Swift has been sued by R&B artist Jesse Braham (a.k.a. Jesse Graham), who alleges that her 2014 song "Shake It Off" stole the chorus from his 2013 song "Hates Gone Hate." Although Braham's smooth soul song bears no melodic resemblance to Swift's hit, it features some similar lyrics in the refrain.
Braham's lyrics are, "Haters gonna hate / Players gonna play / Watch out for them fakers / They'll fake you every day." Swift's song, of course, includes the chorus hook, "'Cause the players gonna play, play, play, play, play / And the haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate." (There's also a line about how "fakers gonna fake.")
Braham told the New York Daily News that there is "no way" Swift wrote her lyrics without hearing his song first. He said, "Her hook is the same hook as mine. If I didn't write the song 'Haters Gone Hate,' there wouldn't be a song called 'Shake It Off.'"
Braham noticed the similarly a few months ago, and he requested to be named as a co-writer on the song. He also requested that Swift take a photo with him. He has since spoken with label reps on several occasions but has been repeatedly dismissed and told that his claims have no merit. Braham claims that Swift is "defiantly trolling" him.
"Shake It Off" is credited to Swift along with co-writers Max Martin and Shellback, who also produced the track. There's no indication that Braham is targeting the producers.
Hear both hater-baiting songs below.
Meanwhile, Swift recently counter-sued David Mueller, a former radio host from Denver who allegedly groper her back in 2013. He was fired from his job, and he sued Swift, claiming that the allegations are false.
Swift has been sued by R&B artist Jesse Braham (a.k.a. Jesse Graham), who alleges that her 2014 song "Shake It Off" stole the chorus from his 2013 song "Hates Gone Hate." Although Braham's smooth soul song bears no melodic resemblance to Swift's hit, it features some similar lyrics in the refrain.
Braham's lyrics are, "Haters gonna hate / Players gonna play / Watch out for them fakers / They'll fake you every day." Swift's song, of course, includes the chorus hook, "'Cause the players gonna play, play, play, play, play / And the haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate." (There's also a line about how "fakers gonna fake.")
Braham told the New York Daily News that there is "no way" Swift wrote her lyrics without hearing his song first. He said, "Her hook is the same hook as mine. If I didn't write the song 'Haters Gone Hate,' there wouldn't be a song called 'Shake It Off.'"
Braham noticed the similarly a few months ago, and he requested to be named as a co-writer on the song. He also requested that Swift take a photo with him. He has since spoken with label reps on several occasions but has been repeatedly dismissed and told that his claims have no merit. Braham claims that Swift is "defiantly trolling" him.
"Shake It Off" is credited to Swift along with co-writers Max Martin and Shellback, who also produced the track. There's no indication that Braham is targeting the producers.
Hear both hater-baiting songs below.
Meanwhile, Swift recently counter-sued David Mueller, a former radio host from Denver who allegedly groper her back in 2013. He was fired from his job, and he sued Swift, claiming that the allegations are false.
