Skip to main content

Kraftwerk win 20-year copyright dispute over unauthorised sample

Parts of 'Metall Auf Metall' did appear on Sabrina Setlur's 'Nur Mir'... 

Kraftwerk have won a 20-year copyright dispute over an unauthorised sample from the band's 1977 track, 'Metall Auf Metall'. 

A two-second clip was believed to have been used without permission on Sabrina Setlur's 1997 song, 'Nur Mir', by producers Moses Pelham and Martin Haas. 

On Monday 29th August a court finally ruled in favour of the claimants, upholding a previous judgement that 'Nur Mir' featured easily recognisable parts of the Kraftwerk tune within its percussion track. The decision clarifies that even short samples— if audible— need to be cleared by the producers responsible for the original. 

Thanks to 'freedom of the arts rules', this does not apply to parts of tracks deemed to be presented in a 'modified form unrecognisable to the ear' as these are not considered reproductions. The ramifications of this decision could be significant, giving copyright holders greater protection for their work. 

Fans looking to catch Kraftwerk in action this summer, but missed their 3D show at the UK's Bluedot Festival, can head to Ibiza in September. The electronic icons make their debut on the island at Ushüaia alongside Sven Väth during Cocoon's 20th anniversary season.