“My Sweet Lord,” by George Harrison - “My Sweet Lord,” a light, breezy tune with an overt religious theme that was the biggest hit from the album All Things Must Pass, became the subject of intense litigation for more than 20 years that ended up establishing precedents in multiple areas of the law. In 1971, Bright Tunes Music Corp., which held the copyright on the Chiffons’ 1963 hit “He’s So Fine,” sued Harrison’s publishing company, Harrisongs Music Ltd., for copyright infringement. Bright Tunes alleged that “My Sweet Lord” copied the melody and song structure of “He’s So Fine,” while Harrison claimed that the song had come to him organically.

Read our related cover story: “Lawyers, songs and money: Music that changed the law”