Folk band accuses retailer of copying their charity song arrangement for its 2021 festive advert

John Lewis has rejected accusations from British alt-folk band The Portraits that its 2021 Christmas advert used a music arrangement similar to theirs without permission. The retailer denies claims that their rendition of Together in Electric Dreams, originally a 1984 hit by The Human League, was copied for the ad.

The Portraits allege they reached out to John Lewis in March 2021 to propose their version for the Christmas campaign but received no reply. Their adaptation, released the previous year, was a charitable project supporting bereavement and mental health organisations during the pandemic.

In a Facebook post, the band expressed disappointment, stating: “We had a dream that our song could be part of a major campaign to maximise charitable donations. Instead, John Lewis adopted a version borrowing the ‘feeling’ and elements of our arrangement without notifying us.”

John Lewis responded by firmly denying the accusations, asserting there was “no substance to the claims.” A company spokesperson clarified that the individual reportedly contacted by The Portraits had left the organisation earlier in 2021.

They explained, “The music selection is the last step in our advert creation, finalised only in late October. The process is managed entirely by our agency, and we do not accept or review external ideas.”

This year’s soundtrack features 20-year-old London-based singer-songwriter Lola Young, joining a roster of past contributors like Ellie Goulding and Lily Allen. The Portraits maintain their stance, but John Lewis has stood by its practices in delivering one of the UK’s most anticipated annual festive campaigns.