Radiohead's Biggest Song of All-Time Got Them Sued for Copyright Infringement; Collider, February 7, 2026

Dyah Ayu Larasati, Collider; Radiohead's Biggest Song of All-Time Got Them Sued for Copyright Infringement

"Radiohead gained widespread attention thanks to their breakout song, "Creep," but not all publicity is good publicity. Released on September 21, 1992, "Creep" was initially considered a commercial flop due to its harsh, distorted guitar "punches," with broadcast stations like the BBC fearing the song might scare off listeners. Over time, however, "Creep" developed a slow-burn cult following, boosted in part by its appearance on MTV's slacker staple Beavis and Butt-Head. Sharing a similar vein with alt-rock counterparts like Beck's "Loser" and its 2000s peppier yet equally self-loathing "Teenage Dirtbag" by Wheatus, "Creep" embraces the ugly side of an attraction that is not reciprocated.

However, shortly after the release of "Creep," Radiohead found themselves in a sticky legal situation. Songwriters Albert Hammond and Mike Hazlewood claimed that the track shared a similar chord progression and melody with "The Air That I Breathe," which they wrote for The Hollies in 1972. Although it was not as large a cultural phenomenon as "Creep," the song reached number two on the UK charts. Upon noticing the similarities, Hammond and Hazlewood contacted Radiohead's publisher, Warner/Chappell Music. Rather than escalating into a public dispute, the matter was resolved amicably, with both parties receiving songwriting credits and having their creative contributions formally recognized. Reflecting on the outcome, Hammond later remarked, "I even have a credit on Creep by Radiohead because of the song. The band admitted that they took the inspiration for it from The Air That I Breathe, including some of the chord progressions."...

In 2017, Lana Del Rey was accused by Radiohead of plagiarizing "Creep." Her song "Get Free," from her fifth studio album Lust for Life, features an intro with moody chord changes that some listeners noted were similar to "Creep." However, in a tweet, Del Rey denied referencing Radiohead: " It's true about the lawsuit. Although I know my song wasn't inspired by Creep, Radiohead feel it was and want 100% of the publishing — I offered up to 40 over the last few months, but they will only accept 100." As of March 26, 2018, the copyright dispute has been settled, and Del Rey is free to sing the song."

Tennessee becomes the first state to protect musicians and other artists against AI; NPR, March 22, 2024

 Rebecca Rosman, NPR; Tennessee becomes the first state to protect musicians and other artists against AI

"Tennessee made history on Thursday, becoming the first U.S. state to sign off on legislation to protect musicians from unauthorized artificial intelligence impersonation.

"Tennessee (sic) is the music capital of the world, & we're leading the nation with historic protections for TN artists & songwriters against emerging AI technology," Gov. Bill Lee announced on social media.

The Ensuring Likeness Voice and Image Security Act, or ELVIS Act, is an updated version of the state's old right of publicity law. While the old law protected an artist's name, photograph or likeness, the new legislation includes AI-specific protections."

Congress Introduces AM-FM Act to Revise Copyright Law for Terrestrial Radio; Variety, November 21, 2019

Jem Aswad, Variety; Congress Introduces AM-FM Act to Revise Copyright Law for Terrestrial Radio

"Senator Marsha Blackburn and Rep. Jerrold Nadler today introduced the Ask Musicians for Music Act (AM-FM), which aims to revise existing copyright law for radio stations and musicians.

Under the current copyright system, radio stations can use sound recordings over their airwaves without paying royalties to creators who own a stake in the sound recordings. The AM-FM Act would require all radio services to pay fair-market value for the music they use...

“When music creators share their wonderful gift with the world, we hear songs that inspire and unite us. We should encourage such thriving talent and ensure the music community is properly compensated for their work,” said Senator Blackburn, who introduced the bill in the Senate. “The AM-FM Act will reward singers, songwriters and musicians for their hard work when their music is played on the radio.”

 

Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives. “The United States is an outlier in the world for not requiring broadcast radio to pay artists when playing their music, while requiring satellite and internet radio to pay,” he said. “This is unfair to both artists and music providers. I’m proud to sponsor the Ask Musician for Music Act of 2019 which would give artists and copyright owners the right to make a choice to allow AM/FM radio to use their work for free or to seek compensation for their work. The bill would also allow them to negotiate rates with broadcasters in exchange for permission for it to be aired.”"

How Aretha Franklin’s ‘Respect’ Became a Battle Cry for Musicians Seeking Royalties; The New York Times, August 17, 2018

Ben Sisario, The New York Times;How Aretha Franklin’s ‘Respect’ Became a Battle Cry for Musicians Seeking Royalties

"It was Aretha Franklin’s first No. 1 hit, the cry of empowerment that has defined her for generations: “Respect.”

But for the roughly seven million times the song has been played on American radio stations, she was paid nothing.

When Ms. Franklin died on Thursday at age 76, fans celebrated the song all over again as a theme for the women’s rights movement. But in the music industry, “Respect” has also played a symbolic role in a long fight over copyright issues that, advocates say, have deprived artists like Ms. Franklin of fair royalty payments...

[Aretha Franklin] also added what became the song’s signature line: “R-E-S-P-E-C-T / Find out what it means to me.” 

Ms. Franklin’s reinvention of Mr. Redding’s song has continued to fascinate critics. Peter Guralnick, the author of books like “Sweet Soul Music: Rhythm and Blues and the Southern Dream of Freedom,” noted that she transformed the original meaning “not so much by changing the lyrics, as by the feeling that she imparted on the song — so that ‘Respect’ became a proclamation of freedom, a proclamation of feminism, a proclamation of an independent spirit.”"