With the ongoing copyright lawsuits in the music industry, Sam Smith and Normani have now found themselves on the infamous list because of claims from their 2017 hit song.
Filed last March 4 in a Los Angeles Federal Court, songwriters Jordan Vincent, Christopher Miranda, Rosco Banlaoi claimed that Smith and Normani's 2019 "Dancing With A Stranger" copied elements from one of their 2017 songs.
Jordan's "Dancing With Strangers" is now uploaded on his YouTube channel and Spotify account.
The similarities
Rolling Stone reported that the complaint filed at court claims that the hook or chorus of both songs, which they consider the "most significant part and artistic aspect of these works," contains the lyrics "dancing with a stranger," which was sung over in a "nearly identical melody and musical composition."
Aside from the chorus, the three songwriters also question how both tracks' music video features "a girl performing interpretative dance" in a minimalist studio, interposing with a male vocalist.
"When the extraordinary musical similarity between the songs is also factored in, it becomes even more apparent that it is impossible that the infringing composition and sound recording were independently created," the complaint reads.
The copyright case also includes that since Smith and Normani have "exploited" Vincent's song without permission, the two have earned an international hit that, in return, generated massive revenue and profit.
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Dancing with A Stranger
Sam Smith and Normani's 2019 hit was the two's first collaboration on both of their discography.
Racking up over two billion streams, "Dancing With A Stranger" was certified 4x platinum in the United States, double platinum in the United Kingdom, and 6x platinum in Australia.
The track also reached commercial success as it peaked at the Billboard Hot 100 at the No. 7 spot, Adult Top 40 at No. 1, Mainstream Top 40 at No. 2, and Dance/Mix Show Airplay at No. 6.
It also reached No. 3 on the Official Charts Company Singles Chart at n the UK.
In the same year, it was released, the track bagged the MTV Play Awards for Winning Videos.
In 2020, it continued to bag iHeart Radio Music Awards for a Titanium Award, an ASCAP, and BMI Award for Award-Winning Songs and took home the Song of The Year in the BMI London Awards.
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