Ariana's 7 Rings: Legal Or Loophole?

In the song '7 Rings' by Ariana Grande, the artist boasts about money and luxuries like diamonds and houses. The song interpolates The Notorious B.I.G.'s 'Gimme The Loot' in the bridge and samples 'My Favourite Things' from The Sound of Music in the verses. The song is about how Grande treated her friends after her breakup with Pete Davidson. The song's title refers to a collection of matching friendship rings that Grande and six of her friends bought in New York. The song does not break any laws as it does not meet the criteria for copyright infringement. Republic Records also contacted Imagem/Concord Music and agreed to give them 90% of the song's songwriting royalties to acquire the rights to release the song.

The song does not break the law as it interpolates 'My Favorite Things' from The Sound of Music

Ariana Grande's song "7 Rings" interpolates "My Favorite Things" from The Sound of Music. The song was written by Grande, Victoria Monét, Tayla Parx, Njomza, and Kaydence, alongside its producers Tommy Brown, Charles Anderson, and Michael Foster. It also includes additional writing credits for Rodgers and Hammerstein, who wrote the original song "My Favorite Things".

"7 Rings" channels the melody of "My Favorite Things" in its verses:

> Breakfast at Tiffany's/And bottles of bubbles/Girls with tattoos who like getting in trouble/Lashes and diamonds, ATM machines/Buy myself all of my favorite things

Before the song's release, Republic Records contacted Imagem/Concord Music, the owner of the Rodgers & Hammerstein publishing rights, and agreed to give them 90% of the song's songwriting royalties in order to acquire the rights to release it.

"7 Rings" interpolates "My Favorite Things" and does not sample it. Interpolation refers to the act of creating a new melody that is inspired by a previous work, whereas sampling involves directly reusing a portion of an existing recording in a new song.

Ariana Grande gave credit to the original songwriters

Ariana Grande's "7 Rings" interpolates Rodgers and Hammerstein's "My Favorite Things" from The Sound of Music. The song also interpolates The Notorious B.I.G.'s "Gimme the Loot" in the bridge.

Grande and her team agreed to sign away 90% of the track's songwriting royalties at the request of Concord Music, who owns Rodgers and Hammerstein's publishing rights. In addition to the writing credits given to Rodgers and Hammerstein, Grande also gave writing credits to her friends who were with her when she bought the rings that inspired the song: Victoria Monét, Courtney Chipolone, Alexa Luria, Tayla Parx, Njomza, and Kaydence Krysiuk.

In addition to writing many of her own songs, Grande has also written for other artists, including Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga, and The Weeknd.

Republic Records gave 90% of the song's royalties to Rodgers & Hammerstein

Republic Records gave 90% of the songwriting royalties of Ariana Grande's song "7 Rings" to the estates of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II (collectively known as Rodgers and Hammerstein). This was because "7 Rings" interpolates the melody of "My Favorite Things", a song written by the duo for their 1959 musical "The Sound of Music".

"7 Rings" is a trap-pop song with elements of hip-hop and R&B that runs for 3 minutes, with Grande rapping the hook and final verse. The song channels the melody of "My Favorite Things" in its verses:

> Breakfast at Tiffany's/And bottles of bubbles/Girls with tattoos who like getting in trouble/Lashes and diamonds, ATM machines/Buy myself all of my favorite things

In the weeks leading up to the song's release, Republic Records contacted Concord Music, which owns the Rodgers & Hammerstein publishing rights, and agreed to give them 90% of the song's songwriting royalties in order to acquire the rights to release the song. The 90% cut is much larger than the 50% that Gwen Stefani reportedly agreed to in 2006 when she sampled some of the yodeling heard in "The Lonely Goatherd" from "The Sound of Music" in her song "Wind It Up".

Concord's chief publishing executive, Jake Wisely, told the New York Times:

> " [7 Rings] wouldn't exist in its current form were it not for 'My Favorite Things.'"

"7 Rings" broke numerous streaming records upon release. It debuted at number-one on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Grande's second consecutive number-one in the United States. It ultimately became her top-performing song on the chart, spending eight weeks at number one and 33 weeks on the chart overall. With sales of over 13.3 million copies worldwide as of December 2019, "7 Rings" is one of the best-selling songs in digital history.

The song is not a direct copy, but rather a new work inspired by the original

Ariana Grande's "7 Rings" does not break any laws because it is not a direct copy of any original work, but rather a new work inspired by it. The song interpolates Rodgers and Hammerstein's "My Favorite Things" from The Sound of Music and The Notorious B.I.G.'s "Gimme the Loot" in the bridge. As such, it is considered an interpolation, or a new work inspired by an existing one, rather than a direct copy.

In the case of "7 Rings," Grande and her team agreed to sign away 90% of the track's songwriting royalties to Rodgers and Hammerstein, who own the publishing rights to "My Favorite Things." This agreement ensured that the original creators were fairly compensated for their work and that Grande's song could be released without legal issues.

While "7 Rings" does contain elements of "My Favorite Things," it is not a direct copy. The song has its own unique melody, lyrics, and structure. It also incorporates elements of hip-hop and R&B, giving it a different sound and feel from the original showtune.

Additionally, "7 Rings" has its own distinct message and theme. While "My Favorite Things" is a cheerful song about the simple pleasures in life, "7 Rings" is a "friendship anthem" that celebrates female friendship and empowerment. It also touches on themes of luxury, success, and independence.

In conclusion, "7 Rings" by Ariana Grande is not a direct copy of any existing work, but rather a new and original creation that draws inspiration from various sources. By interpolating elements of "My Favorite Things" and "Gimme the Loot," Grande pays homage to these classic songs while also creating something new and contemporary. This type of musical borrowing and interpolation is common in the industry and is generally considered fair use as long as proper credit and compensation are given to the original creators.

The song's lyrics are original

The song "7 Rings" by American singer Ariana Grande features original lyrics written by Grande, Victoria Monét, Tayla Parx, Njomza, and Kaydence, with additional writing credits going to Rodgers and Hammerstein for an interpolation of their showtune "My Favorite Things" from The Sound of Music. The song also interpolates The Notorious B.I.G.'s "Gimme the Loot" in the bridge.

Grande described the song as a "friendship anthem," inspired by a shopping trip with her close friends, for whom she bought matching friendship rings. The song's title, "7 Rings," refers to the seven rings that Grande and six of her friends bought in New York. The owners of the rings, aside from Grande herself, are Victoria Monét, Courtney Chipolone, Alexa Luria, Tayla Parx, Njomza, and Kaydence Krysiuk, all of whom have writing credits on the song except Courtney and Alexa.

In the song, Grande raps about her global success and how it has allowed her to enjoy the finer things in life, including diamonds, houses, and luxury brands like Tiffany's. She also references her breakup with Pete Davidson, stating that it led her to "treat her friends instead."

The lyrics of "7 Rings" are original and were written by Grande and her team, with interpolations of well-known songs "My Favorite Things" and "Gimme the Loot." The song's concept and title are inspired by a real-life event where Grande and her friends bought matching friendship rings, adding a personal and authentic touch to the lyrics.

Overall, "7 Rings" is a unique and creative work that combines original lyrics with clever interpolations of classic songs, reflecting Grande's artistic expression and personal experiences.

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