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3 clusters · 27 sources · 5 days · First seen 10 days ago · Last updated 6 days ago

Mattie Music Group copyright lawsuit against Olivia Dean's

Overview

Mattie Music Group, the publisher of Bill Withers’ catalog, has filed a copyright infringement lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. The suit alleges that British singer Olivia Dean’s 2025 song, ‘I’ve Seen It,’ from her album ‘The Art of Loving,’ copied the melody of the 1981 track ‘Just the Two of Us.’

A musicologist, Alexander Stewart, commissioned by the plaintiff, reported finding ‘substantial similarities’ and ‘repeated copying’ of a protectable melody, describing the similarities as ‘obvious and inescapable.’ The complaint argues that the similarities are too striking to be a coincidence or the result of independent creation, noting that the widespread popularity of the original song provided a ‘reasonable opportunity’ for the musicians to have encountered it.

The legal action targets Capitol Records, Universal Music Group, Sony Music Publishing, and Kobalt Music Publishing America, though it does not name Olivia Dean or her co-writers, Bastian Langebæk and Max Wolfgang, as defendants. The plaintiff claims it notified the defendants of the alleged infringement on August 17, 2026, but the song remained in distribution. Mattie Music Group is seeking financial damages, profits, and an injunction to restrict the future use of the song.

Entities

Bill Withers · Capitol Records · Olivia Dean · Mattie Music Group · Universal Music Group

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 2 SOURCES] The similarities between ‘I’ve Seen It’ and ‘Just The Two of Us’ are too significant to be coincidental. 24-ore.com · metropolitanmagazine.it
[● 2 SOURCES] The publishers notified the record label of the potential infringement in August, but the music was not removed from distribution. 24-ore.com · metropolitanmagazine.it
[○ 1 SOURCE] Mattie Music Group hired musicologist Alexander Stewart to analyze and compare the two songs. metropolitanmagazine.it
[○ 1 SOURCE] The lawsuit targets Capitol Records, Universal Music Group, Sony Publishing, and Kobalt Music Publishing America, Inc. metropolitanmagazine.it
[○ 1 SOURCE] The lawsuit does not seek damages from Olivia Dean or her co-writers, Bastian Langebæk and Max Wolfgang. 24-ore.com
[○ 1 SOURCE] The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages to be determined during legal proceedings. metropolitanmagazine.it

Timeline

6 days ago

[CULTURE] 2 sources
Mattie Music Group sues labels over Olivia Dean copyright claim
Mattie Music Group is suing Capitol Records and Universal Music Group, alleging Olivia Dean’s song “I’ve Seen It” copied the melody of Bill Withers’ classic “Just the Two of Us.”
8 days ago

[CULTURE] 5 sources
Mattie Music Group sues over alleged copying of Bill Withers song
Mattie Music Group has sued several record labels, alleging that Olivia Dean’s song “I’ve Seen It” infringes on the copyright of Bill Withers’ classic “Just the Two of Us.”
10 days ago

[CULTURE] 20 sources
Mattie Music Group sues Olivia Dean's labels over alleged Bill Withers plagiarism
Mattie Music Group has sued the labels of Olivia Dean, alleging her song ‘I’ve Seen It’ plagiarizes the melody of Bill Withers’ 1981 hit ‘Just the Two of Us’.

Sources

24-ore.com · billboard.com · brasilemfolhas.com.br · complex.com · desitalkchicago.com · easterneye.biz · english.publictv.in · envivo.rockandpop.cl · expreso.ec · ibtimes.co.uk · kultura.onet.pl · lifeandstyle.expansion.mx · metropolitanmagazine.it · musicradar.com · odiomalley.com · que.es · rollingstone.com · soultracks.com · thatgrapejuice.net · thebeltwayreport.com · theghanareport.com · thetrentonline.com · tob.news · tyla.com · viagemegastronomia.com.br · world-today-news.com · yve-style.com

This summary has been updated 2 times: see revision history