Coldplay to Defend Viva La Vida in Court

Remember the feud between guitarist Joe Satriani and Coldplay, who he accused of ripping off his sound? Well Coldplay is defending their song Viva La Vida, saying it sounds nothing like Joe’s 2004 track If I Could Fly.

Chris Martin and the guys filed papers in a Los Angeles court today, responding to Satriani’s copyright infringement claim, saying his song "lacks originality" and therefore was in no position to receive copyright protection. Ouch! Hitting him where it hurts! They also say that the similarities between the two songs are so slight that his claims have no merit.

Satriani is seeking a jury trial, damages and "any and all profits" from Coldplay's song. He claims Coldplay has used “substantial” portions of his song for their hit.

We have to go with Coldplay on this one. Joe’s song If I Could Fly is a great track, but it sounds nothing like Viva La Vida. At least to the average listener!

Music lawsuits are so tough these days because everything sounds the same! Listen to hip hop! How much of that just sounds the same as the last song you heard on the radio. Joe seems like he’s on his own here.