No "piggy bank" Ed Sheeran wins copyright case in New York
British singer Ed Sheeran has won his copyright infringement case in New York. Sheeran had not copied his song "Thinking Out Loud" from the song "Let's Get It On" by Marvin Gaye.
03.07.2024, 08:28
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- Ed Sheeran has to appear in court due to an alleged copyright infringement. The Brit has now won the case.
- The charge: He allegedly copied his song "Thinking Out Loud" from Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On".
- The singer has partly defended himself and explained what his musical process looks like.
"I'm obviously very pleased with the outcome of the case," Sheeran said outside the courthouse after the verdict. "But at the same time, I'm incredibly frustrated that unfounded allegations like this are allowed to go to trial."
For eight years, he and the plaintiffs had argued over two songs with dramatically different lyrics and melodies. The underlying four chords are used every day by songwriters all over the world.
The heirs of US musician Ed Townsend, who died in 2003, had accused Sheeran of copyright infringement. Townsend had published the song "Let's Get It On" with Marvin Gaye in 1973. Sheeran partially defended himself in the trial and denied the accusations.
Missed his grandmother's funeral
"Thinking Out Loud" is based on chords and rhythms that are "basic building blocks of music" and that nobody can own. Sheeran cited the similarities between "Let It Be" by the Beatles and "No Woman No Cry" by Bob Marley, among other things.
This is another reason why Sheeran was contrite after the verdict: "It's devastating to be accused of stealing someone else's song when we put so much work into our livelihood." He would never be a "piggy bank" that people could shake to get money. He also missed his grandmother's funeral in Ireland because of the trial. "I will never get that time back."
The trial had been postponed several times. Sheeran, like some of his colleagues - such as Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams - had been repeatedly confronted with accusations of copyright infringement in recent years.
"I would be an idiot"
Sheeran also picked up a guitar himself in the courtroom to explain to the jury how he writes songs. He played and sang parts of "Thinking Out Loud" and wanted to make it clear how quickly and intuitively he composes songs - sometimes several in one day. This leaves no room for thinking about other songs at the same time and copying them.
In their evidence, the plaintiffs' lawyers presented a mash-up Sheeran performed in 2014, in which the musician combined his song "Thinking Out Loud" with Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On". This fact clearly proves the copying, so the argument goes. Sheeran reacted with incomprehension: "If I had done what you accuse me of, I would be an idiot to stand on stage in front of 20,000 people and do that."