Post Malone has reached a settlement in the copyright lawsuit surrounding his 2019 hit, “Circles.” The lawsuit was filed by songwriter Tyler Armes, who claimed he co-created the beat but didn’t receive proper compensation or credit. The settlement was announced while the court was in the process of selecting a jury, narrowly avoiding a trial. The terms of the settlement were not disclosed.
Armes alleged that during an August 2018 recording session with Post, he co-wrote the keyboard chords and guitar melody and had “significant input” on the bassline. He claimed that all the instrumentation and vocal melodies recorded that night are “note for note rhythmically and melodically identical” to the final version of the song. Post’s manager, Dre London, allegedly shut down negotiations for a higher share and threatened to withdraw the offer if it wasn’t accepted.
Post Malone argued in his response that Armes did not write any of the music used in the finished song and was not present at future recording sessions. He also claimed that it was an “age-old story” in the music business for individuals to come out of the woodwork and falsely claim credit for a successful song.
“Circles” was a major success on the charts, breaking a personal record for Post Malone for most weeks in the Billboard Hot 100’s Top 10. In the last week of April 2020, the track reached its 34th week in the Top 10, surpassing the previous high mark attained by his Swae Lee collaboration “Sunflower.” Prior to then, Malone’s songs “Circles” and “Sunflower” were part of a four-way tie for most weeks in the Top 10. Maroon 5’s Cardi B-assisted “Girls Like You” and Ed Sheeran’s “Shape Of You” also spent 33 weeks in the Top 10.
The settlement comes as a relief for Post Malone, who has faced numerous controversies in the past. It remains unclear how the settlement will impact future releases from Post Malone and his team. What impact do you think this settlement will have on Post Malone’s career?
