Petty has no hard feelings towards Sam Smith

Tom Petty says he never had any intention to sue pop star Sam Smith over songwriting royalties

Smith this week settled out of court with Petty and Jeff Lynne after similarities were pointed out between Smith’s smash hit single Stay With Me and Petty’s 1989 track I Won’t Back Down.

Petty and Lynne were each awarded 12.5% songwriting credit for Smith’s song, but Petty has since said he had no desire to take the matter to court.

In a statement via his website, Petty says: “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. I wish Sam all the best for his ongoing career.”