Tom Petty has been been given a credit on Sam Smith’s wildly popular ballad “Stay With Me.”

Tom Petty & Sam Smith

Petty and his frequent collaborator Jeff Lynne were given writing credits on the song after they noted the similarities between “Stay With Me” and Petty’s hit “I Won’t Back Down.” Rumors swirled that Petty had threatened legal action and was pursuing a lawsuit against the 22-year-old British singer. However, Petty has since released a statement to clear the air.

“About the Sam Smith thing. 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,” Petty’s statement read. “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.”

Petty added, “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. In these times we live in this is hardly news. I wish Sam all the best for his ongoing career. Peace and love to all.”

Smith’s rep has also gone on record to state the similarities in the two songs, while indisputable, were purely accidental. As a result, Petty and Lynn received co-writing credit.

“Although the likeness was a complete coincidence, all involved came to an immediate and amicable agreement in which Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne are now credited as co-writers of ‘Stay With Me’ along with Sam Smith, James Napier and William Phillips,” the rep told Billboard.