Russian producer and songwriter Arty filed a lawsuit against producer Marshmello for copyright infringement. Consequently, the lawsuit puts two electronic dance music heavyweights in opposite corners.
In essence, the complaint states that Marshmello stole elements from Arty’s remix of the One Republic song, “I Lived.” Arty claims that Marshmello’s hit song “Happier” directly copies portions of the track.
The lawsuit
Arty filed the lawsuit in federal court in California. In addition to Marshmello, the suit names his co-writers on the song, Daniel Campbell Smith, the co-founder of the British rock band Bastille, and Steve Mac as defendants.
The lawsuit is unique in that the underlying composition is not the subject of the legal dispute. Instead, Arty claims the beats and other components he added to his version of the song, called “I Lived – Arty Remix” were copied by Marshmello and his collaborators for their hit song “Happier.”
Because the copyright lawsuit focuses only on the remixed elements of the song, the case is sure to grab attention in the music industry.
Arty and Marshmello run in the same EDM circles and have performed at the same concerts in the past. The lawsuit alleges that Marshmello likely became familiar with Arty’s remix because they frequently crossed paths.
Arty and Marshmello share a music publisher, Kobalt Music, which is also a defendant in the suit.
Arty’s Attorney
Arty is represented by prominent Nashville copyright attorney Richard Busch. Previously, Busch has won a number of landmark cases. Notably, he won Marvin Gaye’s lawsuit against Pharrell Williams and Robin Thicke over the song “Blurred Lines.” You can find out more about Richard Busch on this website.
About Arty
Arty’s remix of “I Lived” was a commercial success in the EDM world. Arty has skyrocketed in popularity in recent years thanks to his remixes of hit songs. He remixed the One Republic hit song in 2014.
ARTY has built an international following mixing his trademark big-room anthems with downtempo electronica year over year. His music translates club-focused sounds to the pop/radio format. Arty also produces under the progressive trance-focused moniker ALPHA 9.
Previously, Arty held an XS Encore Las Vegas residency under his belt. He also has played at festivals including Ultra, Electric Daisy Carnival, Tomorrowland, Ushuaïa, Amnesia Ibiza, and Creamfields. Arty has established himself as one of the music industry’s most consistent artists. He also hosts a weekly Sirius XM radio show, Together FM.
About Marshmello
Also known as Christopher Comstock, Marshmello is an American electronic music producer and DJ. He first gained international recognition by releasing remixes of songs by Jack Ü and Zedd. He is best known for the songs “Silence”, “Wolves”, “Friends”, and “Happier.” In fact, all of these tracks have been certified multi-platinum in several countries. They also appeared in the Top 30 of the Billboard Hot 100.
Happier
“Happier” was No. 1 on the dance music charts for 31 straight weeks. The track has also been certified double-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. A lyric video of the song has over 333 million views on YouTube. Meanwhile, the original official music video has over 283 million views. Another interesting fact, “Happier” reached a No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart on February 16, 2019.
