Ed Sheeran’s trial pertaining to the lawsuit from Marvin Gaye’s estate has started. For those who might not be aware of the situation, here’s why it’s causing some waves.
The copyright infringement lawsuit against Sheeran is over his 2014 song, “Thinking Out Loud,” which Gaye’s estate has claimed copies the late singer’s “Let’s Get It On.” It was officially filed by the family of the song’s co-writer and composer Ed Townsend.
It claims that Sheeran’s song used the same instrumental progressions and “repeated it continuously throughout ‘Thinking’ — this incontrovertible musical similarity has been observed by music industry professionals previously, as embodied by various social media and articles about the matter,” according to the filing.
“For far too long, Black artists have created, inspired and spread music all around the world,” the Townsend’s lawyer, Ben Crump, told CBS News. “Mr. Sheeran’s infringement of Black artists is merely another example of artists exploiting the genius and the work of Black singers and songwriters.”
Sheeran is also facing two other lawsuits tied to copyright infringement on the song — these filed by Structured Asset Sales, a company that holds a stake in “Let’s Get It On,” according to Vulture.
And, while most copyright lawsuits get dismissed, Gaye’s estate has a track record of being successful in past cases. They were awarded over $5 million in 2015, after claiming Robin Thicke and Pharrell’s “Blurred Lines” borrowed from “Got To Give It Up.”
Ed Sheeran is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.