Tom Petty Might Get Grammy For Sam Smith’s ‘Stay With Me’? ‘I Won’t Back Down’ Singer Getting 12.5% Writing Credit

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Sam Smith reportedly settled his copyright dispute with singer Tom Petty over similarities between his hit track “Stay With Me” and Petty’s “I Won’t Back Down,” according to Mercury News.

Smith and Petty reportedly reached an out-of-court settlement in October with the British singer giving a 12.5% writing credit to both Petty and Jeffy Lynne, which means that Petty may be getting a Grammy out of the settlement, according to the NY Daily News.

“Stay With Me” reportedly got Smith three Grammy nominations, for Best Solo Pop Performance, Record of the Year and Song for the Year. If he wins for Song of the Year, Petty could reportedly be taking home a Grammy from the February 8 awards since he’s a writer.

“Recently the publishers for the song ‘I Won’t Back Down,’ written by Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne, contacted the publishers for ‘Stay With Me,’ written by Sam Smith, James Napier and William Phillips, about similarities heard in the melodies of the choruses of the two compositions,” a rep for Smith told Rolling Stone.

The rep added, “Not previously familiar with the 1989 Petty/Lynne song the writers of ‘Stay With Me’ listened to ‘I Won’t Back Down’ and acknowledged the similarity. Although the likeness was a complete coincidence, all involved came to an immediate and amicable agreement in which Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne are now credited as co-writers of ‘Stay With Me’ along with Sam Smith, James Napier and William Phillips.”

Petty has reportedly not commented on the settlement.

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