Experts Compare Dua Lipa’s “Levitating” to Artikal Sound System’s “Live Your Life”

Earlier this week, Dua Lipa was hit with a copyright infringement lawsuit for her 2020 hit “Levitating.” Florida reggae band Artikal Sound System sued the British pop star, claiming that the Future Nostalgia track is a rip of their 2017 song “Live Your Life.” With cases like The Hollies vs. Radiohead and Marvin Gaye vs. “Blurred Lines” to songwriting credits being updated on tracks like Olivia Rodrigo’s “Good 4 U,” the world of copyright infringement is vast and ever-changing. In the latest episode of IndieLand News, three musicologists break down a few of the musical elements of “Levitating” and “Live Your Life” and discuss the complexities of copyright law.