Tom Petty Releases Statement on Sam Smith Songwriting Issue: 'These Things Can Happen'

Tom Petty has released a statement concerning the Sam Smith songwriting incident that took place earlier this week.

Tom and his collaborator Jeff Lynne noticed that Sam‘s song “Stay With Me” was similar to their hit “I Won’t Back Down,” and it was decided that Sam would pay them royalties.

“Let me say I have never had any hard feelings toward Sam. All my years of songwriting have shown me these things can happen. Most times you catch it before it gets out the studio door but in this case it got by,” Tom wrote in a statement on his website. “How it got out to the press is beyond Sam or myself. Sam did the right thing and I have thought no more about this. A musical accident no more no less.”

Click inside to read Tom’s entire statement on the subject…

About the Sam Smith thing. Let me say I have never had any hard feelings toward Sam. All my years of songwriting have shown me these things can happen. Most times you catch it before it gets out the studio door but in this case it got by. Sam’s people were very understanding of our predicament and we easily came to an agreement. The word lawsuit was never even said and was never my intention. And no more was to be said about it. How it got out to the press is beyond Sam or myself. Sam did the right thing and I have thought no more about this. A musical accident no more no less. In these times we live in this is hardly news. I wish Sam all the best for his ongoing career. Peace and love to all.