A federal jury in New York City found on Thursday that Ed Sheeran did not copy Marvin Gaye’s classic “Let’s Get It On” for his own 2014 hit “Thinking Out Loud.” The verdict came after a two-week trial in which Sheeran and his co-writers testified that they came up with the song independently.
The lawsuit was filed by the heirs of Ed Townsend, who co-wrote “Let’s Get It On.” They argued that “Thinking Out Loud” copied the structure, melody, and rhythm of their song. However, the jury found that the similarities between the two songs were not substantial enough to constitute copyright infringement.
The verdict is a victory for Sheeran, who has been one of the most successful pop stars in the world in recent years. It is also a setback for the heirs of Townsend, who had hoped to win a large settlement from Sheeran.
The case was closely watched by the music industry, as it could have set a precedent for future copyright infringement cases. The verdict suggests that courts will be reluctant to find copyright infringement when there are only superficial similarities between two songs.
This is not the first time that Sheeran has been accused of plagiarism. In 2017, he settled a lawsuit with the songwriters of the song “Amazing” by Matt Cardle. The songwriters alleged that Sheeran had copied the melody of their song for his own song “Photograph.”
Sheeran has denied all allegations of plagiarism. He has said that he writes his songs from scratch and that he does not intentionally copy other artists’ work.
The verdict in the Marvin Gaye case is a relief for Sheeran and his fans. It is also a victory for the music industry, as it sends a message that courts will not be quick to find copyright infringement in cases where there are only superficial similarities between two songs.
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