Tom Petty didn’t sit down with Sam Smith and help him write lyrics or compose melodies for “Stay With Me” — which is up for a Grammy Feb. 8 — but Petty is getting paid for it, mainly because it sounds an awful lot like his single “I Won’t Back Down.”
Though Smith released the song in April 2014, and the two singers settled in court back in October, details are just now leaking about the agreement the two reached concerning the song’s royalties.
The British singer was quick to pay up in an “immediate and amicable agreement” where he listed Petty and Jeff Lynne, who helped write the 1989 classic, as co-writers.
(Photo: Getty Images)
“When Sam’s track was originally released, it was clear to a lot of musicians that there were notable similarities between the tracks,” one source said.
“After it was pointed out to Sam’s camp, they didn’t try to fight it and amicably dished out royalties. It wasn’t a deliberate thing, musicians are just inspired by other artists and Sam and his team were quick to hold up their hand when it was officially flagged.”
Petty and Lynne will split 25 percent of the royalties.
Compare the two below. (RELATED: Tom Petty Demands Michele Bachmann Stop Playing His Song)
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