Just six months after being cleared of copying to create his smash ‘Shape of You,’ Ed Sheeran is back under the legal spotlight. This time relating to ‘Thinking Out Loud.’
Full story below…
A US judge has ordered the Brit-bred chart-topper is set to stand trial over allegations that his hit copied elements of Marvin Gaye classic ‘Let’s Get It On.’
Interestingly, the suit was filed by an asset company that owns part of the copyright of Gaye’s 1973 release (by way of the acquisition of the estate of Ed Townsend – the song’s co-writer).
The plaintiffs are seeking$100 million in damages, alleging in their suit that Sheeran and his co-writer Amy Wadge “copied and exploited, without authorization or credit [Gaye’s track] including but not limited to the melody, rhythms, harmonies, drums, bass line, backing chorus, tempo, syncopation, and looping”.
Word is that the judge ordered the civil trial in light of the inability of music experts – for both the plaintiff’s and defendants – being unable to align on key points.