Issue No. 053 · Story 03 · September 14, 2026

Sam Smith and Normani Song Case Moves Toward Trial

A California federal judge issued a tentative view that he would deny Sam Smith and Normani's summary-judgment motion in a copyright case over Dancing With a Stranger, then took the motion under submission.

§Songwriter Jordan Vincent alleges that the 2019 hit copied the hook of his 2015 song with the same title.
§The judge said the plaintiff's experts had enough foundation for their opinions to be considered, even though he did not endorse their conclusions.
§Vincent withdrew a widespread-access theory and must now show that the songs are strikingly similar.
§Smith and Normani argue that the alleged similarities involve commonplace musical elements and portions affected by unlicensed samples in Vincent's song.

THE TAKEAWAY

The hearing highlights the boundary between judicial screening and jury factfinding in music cases. Expert foundation, protectable expression, and the effect of preexisting samples all shape whether a similarity claim survives summary judgment.

Source: Rolling Stone Australia

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