The Blurred Lines case, in which Marvin Gaye’s estate secured a multi-million dollar judgment against songwriters and recording artists Pharrell Williams and Robin Thicke for copyright infringement stemming from similar sounding songs, has dominated the recent industry headlines. For some commentators, this result is a win for artists whose work is routinely “borrowed” from without compensation or attribution. In an era in which new music often evokes earlier works, the holding is alternately viewed as a potential threat to artistic creation, to the ultimate detriment of the public. Whatever the take, this seminal verdict marks a significant development in the application of copyright’s substantial similarity doctrine to music.
This conference, Silicon Flatirons’ third annual to focus on content, centers on the Blurred Lines case. We welcome Richard Busch, attorney for the Gaye children, for a fireside chat. A pair of panel discussions considering the potential impact of the verdict from both an artistic and a policy perspective will follow.
This conference will bring together some of the nation’s brightest artists, lawyers, policymakers, and academics to discuss the rapidly changing analysis of copyright infringement in music.
Sessions
Opening Remarks
- Phil Weiser
Hatfield Professor of Law, University of Colorado Law School; Executive Director and Founder, Silicon Flatirons
Fireside Chat
- Richard S. Busch
Partner, King & Ballow - Kristelia García
Associate Professor, University of Colorado Law School; Content Initiative Director, Silicon Flatirons
Break
Artistic Impact
- Stan Soocher — Moderator
Associate Professor of Music & Entertainment Industry Studies, CU Denver - Aloe Blacc — Panelist
Songwriter and Recording Artist - Richard S. Busch — Panelist
Partner, King & Ballow - E. Michael Harrington — Panelist
Music Business Program Faculty Chair, SAE Institute Nashville - Paul D. Miller aka DJ Spooky — Panelist
DJ, Composer - Eleanor Selfridge-Field — Panelist
Consulting Professor, Music and Symbolic Systems, Stanford University
Break
Legal and Policy Impact
- F. Jay Dougherty — Moderator
Professor of Law, Director of Entertainment & Media Law Institute and Concentration Program, Loyola Law School - Olufunmilayo B. Arewa — Presenter
Professor of Law, University of California, Irvine School of Law - Robert Brauneis — Presenter
Professor of Law, Co-director of the Intellectual Property Law Program, George Washington University Law School - Charles Cronin — Presenter
Lecturer in Law, University of Southern California Gould School of Law - Peter Menell — Presenter
Koret Professor of Law, Co-director of Berkeley Center for Law & Technology, University of California Berkeley, School of Law - Jay Rosenthal — Commenter
Partner, Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp
Reception
Please note: Per university alcohol policy, only registered guests will be admitted to the reception.