The Weeknd is being sued by a trio of UK songwriters who allege his Starboy track "A Lonely Night" is a ripoff of their song "I Need to Love."
The suit claims that back in 2008, Brian Clover, Scott McCulloch and William “Billy” Smith sold the rights to "I Need To Love” to a division of Universal Music, but in 2016, they were told the label was relinquishing those rights.
The Weeknd released “A Lonely Night” weeks later, which they claim bears undeniable similarities to their own track. Smith, Clover and McCulloch even uploaded a YouTube video this week that plays the tracks simultaneously to highlight how similar they are.
They're seeking unspecified damages, plus $150,000 per infringement.