Nickelback: polarizing rock stars, literary heavyweights, and, according to Texas band Snowblind Revival, a bunch of copycats.
Musician and Snowblind Revival member Kirk Johnston has filed a suit against the Canadian rockers, alleging that the band's 2006 hit "Rockstar" cribs his band's "Rock Star." The suit claims that a "substantial amount of the music" was copied, including "the tempo, song form, melodic structure, harmonic structures, and lyrical themes."
Johnston claims that the thievery likely occurred when Snowblind Revival sent demo tapes to several music companies in 2001, including Roadrunner Records, Nickelback's label at the time.
Nickelback have unsurprisingly disputed the claim, saying the two songs "are not substantially similar to an ordinary observer." According to Texas Magistrate Judge Susan Hightower, however, the suit meets the minimum requirements to proceed in court.
"Johnston has alleged facts sufficient to raise his right to relief above the speculative level, which is all that is required at the pleading stage," Hightower said [via Blabbermouth].
Should the case go forward, it will ultimately be left to a jury to decide if the songs are similar enough for Johnston to win his claim. You can listen to the two songs below and compare for yourself. They both certainly contain the phrase rock star!
Musician and Snowblind Revival member Kirk Johnston has filed a suit against the Canadian rockers, alleging that the band's 2006 hit "Rockstar" cribs his band's "Rock Star." The suit claims that a "substantial amount of the music" was copied, including "the tempo, song form, melodic structure, harmonic structures, and lyrical themes."
Johnston claims that the thievery likely occurred when Snowblind Revival sent demo tapes to several music companies in 2001, including Roadrunner Records, Nickelback's label at the time.
Nickelback have unsurprisingly disputed the claim, saying the two songs "are not substantially similar to an ordinary observer." According to Texas Magistrate Judge Susan Hightower, however, the suit meets the minimum requirements to proceed in court.
"Johnston has alleged facts sufficient to raise his right to relief above the speculative level, which is all that is required at the pleading stage," Hightower said [via Blabbermouth].
Should the case go forward, it will ultimately be left to a jury to decide if the songs are similar enough for Johnston to win his claim. You can listen to the two songs below and compare for yourself. They both certainly contain the phrase rock star!
