The legal battle between Ed Sheeran and Marvin Gaye’s team. Yesterday (April 25) in a New York courtroom, Sheeran defended his songwriting for his 2014 single, “Thinking Out Loud,” which Gaye’s team has alleged plagiarizes his song, “Let’s Get It On.”
In 2016, the heirs of Gaye’s co-writer on “Let’s Get It On,” Ed Townsend, filed a lawsuit against Sheeran, alleging that he and Amy Wadge, the co-writer of “Thinking Out Loud,” replicated an ascending four-chord sequence, as well as a rhythm.
Per The Guardian, Sheeran appeared in court and claimed that he and Wadge wrote the song taking inspiration from the love his grandparents shared.
Ben Crump, the plaintiff’s lawyer, then referred to a video of Sheeran performing a mashup of “Thinking Out Loud” and “Let’s Get It On” during one of his shows, calling the moment “a confession” of plagiarism.
Sheeran then replied, saying, “Most pop songs can fit over most pop songs… You could go from [The Beatles’] ‘Let it Be’ to [Bob Marley’s] ‘No Woman, No Cry’ and switch back.”
He continued, “If I had done what you’re accusing me of doing, I’d be quite an idiot to stand on a stage in front of 20,000 people and do that.”
Sheeran’s lawyer, Ilene S. Farkas, also argued, saying, “The two songs share versions of a similar and unprotectable chord progression that was freely available to all songwriters.”
However, Townsend’s daughter Kathryn Griffin Townsend, who appeared as a witness in the hearing, continued to fight. She lauded Sheeran’s craft, but noted that she intends to “protect [her] father’s legacy.”
The hearings are expected to continue throughout the week.
Ed Sheeran is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.