Yeasayer Drop Copyright Lawsuit Against the Weeknd over "Pray for Me"

The track with Kendrick Lamar appeared on the 'Black Panther' soundtrack

BY Brock ThiessenPublished Jul 10, 2020

After taking legal action earlier this year, Yeasayer have now dropped their lawsuit against the Weeknd over the  Black Panther soundtrack single "Pray for Me"

Back in February, Yeasayer sued the Weeknd, producer Frank Dukes and UMG Recordings over the Kendrick Lamar-equipped "Pray for Me," claiming it illegally sampled the band's 2007 track "Sunrise." And after the Weeknd denied the allegations in May, Yeasayer have now dropped the case, Pitchfork reports.

According to New York federal court documents, Yeasayer "confirmed to their satisfaction that no copyright infringement occurred." As such, the band have voluntarily dismissed the case.

As previously reported, Yeasayer alleged that the Weeknd altered a sample from "Sunrise" with "intent to conceal the infringement." The sample in question, according the lawsuit, was "a distinct choral performance" that found the band members "singing in their highest registers, with animated, pulsing vibrato" that was "developed via distinctive audio post-processing."

Yeasayer claimed the allegedly stolen sample is "immediately recognizable." 

In response, however, lawyers for the Weeknd wrote, "The sound recording of 'Pray for Me' does not capture any actual sounds from the sound record, 'Sunrise.'"
 

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