Courtney Love accuses Olivia Rodrigo of copying her album cover

Courtney Love apparently doesn’t feel like Olivia Rodrigo deserves her flowers. Or at least not when they’re accompanied by a prom queen crown and a lot of smudged eye makeup. Over the weekend the Hole singer called Rodrigo out for copying the band’s 1994 album cover Live Through This in a new image, and now fans are weighing in.

It all started when Love reposted a photo that Rodrigo had shared on her Instagram account in promotion of Sour Prom, a concert film the Disney star is doing for fans and for those whose proms have been affected as a result of the pandemic. Love shared the photo on her social media accounts with the caption, “Spot the difference! #Twinning.” She also tagged Rodrigo in the post.

Originally, fans weren’t sure if Love was being sincere. As it turns out, she was both flattered and upset that no one consulted with her or Live Through This cover photographer Ellen von Unwerth before recreating the iconic album cover.

“She didn't ask. So bit of both. I dig manners," Love told one fan who asked what was up. “It was rude of her, and geffen not to ask myself or Ellen von unwerth,” she told another follower, in reference to Geffen Records, whom Rodrigo signed with last year. “It's happened my whole career so i.d.c. But manners is manners.”

As for Rodrigo, she responded to Love’s original post right away, writing, “Love u and live through this soooo much.” Love immediately shot back as well.  

"Olivia-you're welcome. My favorite florist is in Notting Hill, London!” she wrote. “Dm me for deets! I look forward to reading your note!"

While Rodrigo hasn’t yet responded to that last comment at time of press, fans certainly have a lot of feelings on the subject.

Meanwhile, Love continues to defend herself to some of the comments across all of her social media platforms. On Facebook she took issue with one user who told her this is a silly thing to be mad about because Rodrigo is an 18-year-old kid and grunge-era bands took from each other all the time.

“Your version isn’t mine . Stealing an original idea and not asking permission is rude. There’s no way to be elegant about it . I’m not angry . It happens all the time to me,” she shot back. “This was bad form . That’s not bullying or bomb throwing . This persons music has nothing to do with my life . Possibly never will . It was rude And I gave every right to stick up for my work . Don’t gatekeep me ! I’m honorable as f--- to my fellow artists , and I expect the same.”

Facebook

Whether Love’s cover was an original idea is also up for debate. Many people straight up called Love out over the fact that Hole didn’t come up with the image of a devastated prom queen first. They say that honour goes to Stephen King, director Brian De Palma, and actor Sissy Spacek from the 1976 horror movie Carrie.

Love isn’t having any of that though. "I've asked her for flowers and a note, your right. It's rude not to be asked. I know Ellen von unwerth isn't amused. And just to clarify? The Brian de Palma classic Carrie is another thing. My cover was my original idea,” Love wrote back to one user. “A thing you maybe have to actually live life to acquire? I don't know.”

As many publications are now pointing out, however, in a 2019 interview with AnotherMag  recapping the history of the Live Through This cover, von Unwerth was more than clear about Carrie being the inspiration for the cover.

“Courtney Love called me," von Unwerth said at the time. “We were on the phone for one hour. I didn't say much but listened, and Courtney had the idea of re-enacting the scene of the (1976) movie Carrie, which I loved, too.”

Who knew virtual proms could be this dramatic.  

BEFORE YOU GO: Britney Spears apologizes for ‘pretending to be OK'

[video_embed id='2229734']BEFORE YOU GO: Britney Spears apologizes for ‘pretending to be OK’[/video_embed]