Mark Ronson, Bruno Mars Sued by Funk Band Collage Over ‘Uptown Funk’

Bruno Mars on ThatsSongSoundsLike.com

“Uptown Funk” collaborators Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars are being sued for alleged copyright infringement, according to TMZ. Collage, a funk band that released music in the early 1980s, filed the complaint.

The group claims “Uptown Funk” and its own 1983 song “Young Girls” are “almost indistinguishable” and states that Ronson and Mars have previously mentioned being influenced by early ‘80s Minneapolis electro-funk and soul music.

The complaint, obtained by Pitchfork, specifies the following: “Upon information and belief, many of the main instrumental attributes and themes of ‘Uptown Funk’ are deliberately and clearly copied from ‘Young Girls,’ including, but not limited to, the distinct funky specifically noted and timed consistent guitar riffs present throughout the compositions, virtually if not identical bass notes and sequence, rhythm, structure, crescendo of horns and synthesizers rendering the compositions almost indistinguishable if played over each other and strikingly similar if played in consecutively.”

Billboard has reached out to RCA, the record label that released “Uptown Funk,” for comment.

source: Billboard.com

Collage – “Young Girls” (1983)

Collage - Young Girls

 

Mark Ronson – Uptown Funk ft. Bruno Mars (2014)

Mark Ronson - Uptown Funk (Official Video) ft. Bruno Mars

 

SEE ALSO:

Bruno Mars vs. Breakbot vs. Snoop Dogg vs. George Duke

Diet Coke vs. Pharrell Williams

Occasionally on the site I post some advertisements that bear a striking resemblance to current pop songs (See The Black Keys vs. Pizza Hut and Home Depot and The Strokes vs. Pizza Hut). In one case the original artist even turned down an offer and the brand proceeded to write a soundalike (See Beach House vs. Volkswagen).  The other day I was watching a Diet Coke commercial and it immediately reminded me of Pharrell Williams‘ “Happy”. I found the Diet Coke ad on YouTube and the songwriter Garen Gueyikian even appears in the comments. I’m sure he’s a good guy and this is a great gig. But hey, it’s gotta go on the site 😛

Pharrell Williams - "Happy" (2013)

 

UPDATE: 3/16/2015 I have searched far and wide for this commercial spot but it looks like it has been completely removed from the internet. Coincidence?

UPDATE: 6/16/2015 Special thanks to Daniel in the comments for tracking down the Diet Coke ad. Here is the full audio of this ad:

Garen Gueyikian - "Diet Coke Just for the Taste of It TV Commercial" (2014)

Click here for more Advertisement Soundalikes

 

Bruno Mars vs. Breakbot vs. Snoop Dogg vs. George Duke

Breakbot had something to say to Bruno Mars about the similarity of Mars’ “Treasure” and “Baby I’m Yours”:
@BrunoMars ! seriously ? Haha great now i've got all the bruno fans mad at me ! this is serious, they might throw their hats at me.
source: https://twitter.com/breakbot/status/279194703927316480
source: https://twitter.com/breakbot/status/279661436832186369 

There are definitely similarities in the chorus as well as the verse:

Chorus

Bruno Mars - "Treasure (Chorus)" (2012)

Breakbot - "Baby I'm Yours (Chorus)" (2010)

Verse

Bruno Mars - "Treasure (Verse)" (2012)

Breakbot - "Baby I'm Yours (Verse)" (2010)

But wait, there’s more! An article I came across points out the similarity of George Duke‘s “Reach Out”:

George Duke - "Reach Out" (1983)

After listening to all of these I really started thinking about Snoop Dogg‘s “Ain’t No Fun” [Explicit Lyric].

Snoop Dogg - "Ain't No Fun (If the Homies Can't Have None)" (1993)

UPDATE: Haasey suggests below that Midnight Star‘s track “Midas Touch” sounds a lot like Breakbot’s. I concur.

Midnight Star - "Midas Touch" (1986)

Thanks to Hunter for bringing the Bruno Mars vs. Breakbot comparison to my attention.