Bruno Mars faced no established court finding of infringement over “Uptown Funk.” The song, released by Mark Ronson featuring Mars, drew several claims comparing it with earlier funk and rap recordings. The reported outcomes include settlements and a dismissal; those are not findings that Mars—or anyone else—was liable. A later royalty and accounting dispute involving Gap Band heirs and BMG was also reported, but its final status is not established here.
Why “Uptown Funk” drew multiple claims
“Uptown Funk” was released as a single in November 2014, according to the complaint in the Collage case. The claims that followed involved different earlier songs, claimants and legal proceedings. They should not be treated as one lawsuit or as a single court decision about the song.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
The Best of Funk // Legends of the 70's | $27.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
Pure Funk | $12.37 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
Brian Culbertson "Funk!" CD | $11.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
The Best Of The Funk Years | $11.98 | Buy on Amazon |
The complaints and news reports describe allegations, not proof that copying occurred. Nor do they establish that Mars alone was responsible: the disputes involved multiple writers, performers, publishers and companies.
The lawsuits and their reported outcomes
| When | Claimant and earlier song | What was alleged | Reported outcome and limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016; reported settlement in 2018 | Collage, “Young Girls” (1983) | Collage members and related claimants alleged that “Uptown Funk” copied elements of their song. The complaint records the plaintiffs’ allegations, not established facts. | A George Washington University case resource reports a settlement. The sources cited here do not establish a verified settlement amount or an admission of liability. Read the complaint; GW Law Music Copyright Infringement Resource. |
| 2017; later dismissal reported | The Sequence, “Funk You Up” (1979) | The Sequence alleged that “Uptown Funk” copied elements of its song. | Contemporary coverage described a lawsuit; a later compilation reports that the case was dismissed. The materials do not establish a merits ruling that copying did or did not occur. Contemporary report; Later case compilation. |
| 2017–18 | Lastrada Entertainment, concerning Zapp’s “More Bounce to the Ounce” | Lastrada pursued a claim over similarities to Zapp’s recording. | Music press reported a settlement, but the terms were unclear. No amount or court finding of infringement is established here. Music press report. |
The URLs in the source material are represented only by reference labels, not web addresses. No links can be supplied for them without guessing their destinations.
Recommended Free Tools
#1 Best Overall
- The Best of Funk by Somerset Entertainment, released 2007.
- 65:52 total minutes of music
- Various Artists such as: The Commodores, Kool & The Gang, Parliament, OJays and many more!
- Play that funky music when you order this CD! Great collection of songs to make you funk.
The separate Gap Band credit and heirs’ dispute
Before the later lawsuits, secondary reporting connected similarities to the Gap Band’s “Oops Upside Your Head” with additional songwriting credits on “Uptown Funk.” That reported credit change is not a judicial finding of infringement.
A separate dispute was later reported involving Gap Band heirs and BMG over royalties or accounting related to the credit arrangement. Its final docket status as of October 8, 2026, is not established here. It should not be conflated with the earlier credit change or the claims involving Collage, The Sequence and Lastrada. Report on the Gap Band developments.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
- Best Of The Funk Years
- Product Type: Abis Music
- Brand: Universal Music Group
Rank #3
Rank #2
What the outcomes do—and do not—mean
- A settlement resolves a claim between parties; by itself, it does not show that a court found infringement or that a defendant admitted liability.
- A dismissal ends a case or claim in the relevant proceeding, but without details of the ruling it should not be described as a merits decision on whether copying occurred.
- The sources summarized here do not establish that a court found Mars liable for infringement over “Uptown Funk.”
- The reported credit change involving the Gap Band and the later heirs’ royalty or accounting dispute are distinct from the other claims.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
