Country star Jake Owens is in quite a bit of trouble after one of his biggest hits is in the center of a new lawsuit alleging copyright infringement. According to TMZ, songwriters Alexander Cardinale and Morgan Reid filed a lawsuit in Nashville alleging that Owens' number one hit "Made for You" has lifted portions of its lyrics and structure from their song of the same name. Cardinale's song was released back in 2014.
The country singer's recording of the song reached the top Billboard's Country Airplay chart. Greetings From...Jake, his album, peaked at number three in the US Hot Country Songs Chart and hit number 32 on the US Hot 100. At the time of the release, Owen told Billboard, "It kind of is coming at a very timely moment, with everything going on in the world and people really realizing how important it is to be there for people."
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Jake Owen: Made For You
He later released the music video that stars his girlfriend, Erica Hartlein, and his two daughters. In the copyright infringement lawsuit, which was dated July 27th, Reid and Cardinale stated that the song first appeared on Cardinale's album Digital Youth, which was later picked up by Coca-Colato use in an international ad campaign in 2016.
Coca-Cola printed the lyrics "I was made for you'' on over 250 million bottles of cokes along with a QR code that then pointed back to the song. Owens' Made For You is credited to songwriters Joey Hyde Neil Medley and Benjy Davis, and told Billboard back in 2020 that he had first heard the song when a professional song plugger, Courtney Crist, sent it to him.
Alexander Cardinale: Made For You
Reid's and Cardinale's filing stated that Owens' recording's "notes, structure, harmony, vocal style and rhythm are clear indicators" which borrows from their previous work. In other words, Owens' Made For You allegedly shares a melody and lyrics with their own song saying that their version of the song had some success after it was released.
The lawsuit names Owens, the songwriters listed, Big Love Records, and all of the song publishers that were involved as defendants. The plaintiff is asking for a jury trial. The country singer has not commented on the lawsuit.
