Verdict: Katy Perry’s “Dark Horse” Copied Flame’s “Joyful Noise”
First “Blurred Lines” and now “Dark Horse.” A nine-member federal jury in Los Angeles has determined that Katy Perry’s diamond-selling smash infringed the copyright of Flame’s “Joyful Noise.” In other words, the court found that the pop star guilty of ripping off the obscure Christian trap anthem. Which feels like an epic stretch when you play the songs back to back. The beat is similar, but as Katy’s defense team pointed out, the progression in question has been in use since “Mary Had A Little Lamb.”
But the verdict goes further than finding the producers (Max Martin, Dr. Luke and Cirkut) guilty of copying chords or a beat. It also found the songwriters (i.e. Katy, Sarah Hudson and Juicy J) liable – despite there being no obvious overlap, thematically or lyrically. The “Never Really Over” hitmaker was not in court to hear the verdict, but she testified earlier that she had never heard Flame’s track. A jury will now determine the penalty, a sum that some commentators believe could be in the eight-figure range. Read AP’s report here and compare the songs below.
Katy Perry’s “Dark Horse”:
Flame’s “Joyful Noise”:
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