Song Clearance Sheet
4 sources citedGhostbusters
Pop1980s116BPM
UnconfirmedKey
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The verdict
Cleared After Dispute
Huey Lewis’s infringement claim (over “I Want a New Drug”) settled confidentially — then a genuinely unusual second act: after Lewis discussed the terms on a 2001 VH1 special, Parker sued him for breaching the confidentiality agreement and, in Parker’s words, “got money.” One single source reports the original settlement at $5,000,000 (reported, uncorroborated).
Quick Facts
Released1984
AlbumGhostbusters (Original Soundtrack)
GenrePop, Funk, R&B
LabelArista Records
ProducerRay Parker Jr.
More infoWikipedia → · Discogs →
Who you need to ask
Has it been reused?
A #1 theme whose Huey Lewis dispute (over “I Want a New Drug,” this batch) settled confidentially — then produced a rare second lawsuit over breaching that confidentiality, which Parker won.
Do they allow reuse?
No standalone policy found; confirmed songwriters of record.
Related Songs
Same album, answer records, and songs worth knowing about
The source of the dispute (this batch)
Who Owns It
Licenses explained →The two permissions you need, and who holds them
The song itself (the writing)Ray Parker Jr.
A confidential settlement — and a second lawsuit over its breachHuey Lewis sued Parker and Columbia Pictures alleging the melody was copied from his “I Want a New Drug” (this batch); the parties settled out of court, with Columbia paying an undisclosed sum under a strict confidentiality agreement. In a 2001 VH1 “Behind the Music,” Lewis revealed the existence and general terms of that settlement — so Parker then sued Lewis for breaching the confidentiality agreement, and has said he “sued him and got money.” A genuinely rare case: a second lawsuit arising directly from the breach of a first settlement’s confidentiality.
A reported (single-source) settlement figureOne legal-industry source has reported the original settlement amount, as later informally revealed by Lewis, at $5,000,000 — though this specific figure comes from a single source and is not universally corroborated elsewhere.
The recording (current administrator)Ray Parker Jr.’s own Raydiola Music
Receipts
Every public mention of terms, policy, or past deals we've found
How the dispute began
Huey Lewis and the News were approached first to write the theme but declined; the filmmakers then used Lewis’ own hit “I Want a New Drug” as literal temporary background music during editing, including in scene clips sent to Parker for inspiration. No lyrics reproduced.
Far Out Magazine · read it →
Can You Use It for Free?
How to check PD →Is it public domain?No
Sample History
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Times sampled
A confidential settlement + a rare “breach” countersuit
Covers
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First flip
Who to Contact
GB
Ray Parker Jr. (Raydiola Music)
The confirmed songwriter of record
What they'll chargeNobody's shared numbers yet
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Page history · 2 updates
Jul 2026Page created — full research (Research Queue Batch 23)
Jul 2026BPM/Key pending the automated GetSongBPM/Deezer pass