Better Man’s Robbie Williams has addressed the debate surrounding similarities between Olivia Rodrigo’s new song and his 2012 hit. The online debate began after Rodrigo released her new Christmas song “Take Me Home (4 Christmas),” which some fans compared to Williams’ hit “Candy.”
In his Instagram post, Williams criticized people who accuse artists of copying others over musical similarities. He wrote, “There’s something about the music industry that’s been bothering me for a while. People coming after people because they’ve spotted a similarity between two songs… Music has been around for a very long time. We’re all going to bump into each other eventually.”
Williams also praised Rodrigo’s music, writing, “I’ve loved her since Brutal. What a f–king record. I wish I’d made it.” He also joked about Rodrigo’s frequent swearing onstage, saying she makes him look like a “Victorian schoolmistress.”
“It sounds to me as though she may have accidentally stumbled across a musical echo of mine in one of her new songs. And do you know what? I couldn’t care less,” Williams wrote. He called Rodrigo “f—ing brilliant” and jokingly asked her to stop swearing so much, adding, “It makes me feel like I have to keep up.”
Robbie Williams explains why he won’t sue Olivia Rodrigo
Williams explicitly said that he would not pursue legal action against Rodrigo over the similarities. He said he did not know whether the similarities raised a publishing or copyright issue and did not want to find out.
“I’m not going after her,” the 52-year-old wrote. “Because I think at some point, some f—king sanity has to prevail.”
The English singer-songwriter also criticized what he sees as excessive copyright claims over coincidental musical similarities, arguing that artists build on the work of those who came before them. He described some copyright claims as “ambulance chasing” and “disgusting,” warning that punishing artists for accidental similarities could discourage creativity.
Williams acknowledged that his career has put him in a position where he can afford to take this stance. However, he acknowledged that not every artist enjoys the same financial security.
Originally reported on ComingSoon.net.
