Sheeran in fight over Motown legend ‘rip-off’

Ed Sheeran has discovered himself again in court docket to face one other unwelcome copyright declare.

Looking dapper in jacket, tie and extremely polished sneakers, the British singer arrived at Manhattan Federal Court in New York to testify in a trial over allegations his tune Thinking Out Loud ripped off Marvin Gaye’s traditional Let’s Get It On.

Jury choice and opening statements started within the lawsuit introduced by the heirs of Gaye’s co-writer, Ed Townsend, alleging “striking similarities” and “overt common elements” between the songs.

The lawsuit filed in 2017 lastly made it to trial and is predicted to final every week within the courtroom of 95-year-old Judge Louis L Stanton.

Sheeran, 32, wrote Thinking Out Loud with English singer-songwriter Amy Wadge in 2014 and received a Grammy for it that yr.

Let’s Get It On turned considered one of Motown Records’ best-known singles, reaching primary within the Billboard pop singles chart in September 1973.

Jurors are anticipated to think about the uncooked components of melody, concord and rhythm that make up the composition of Let’s Get It On, as documented on sheet music filed with the US Patent and Trademark Office.

Sheeran’s attorneys have stated the simple structural symmetry of each songs factors to the foundations of well-liked music.

“The two songs share versions of a similar and unprotectable chord progression freely available to all songwriters,” they stated in a court docket submitting.

Townsend household attorneys identified that artists akin to Boyz II Men have carried out mash-ups of the 2 songs, and that Sheeran himself has segued into Let’s Get It On throughout dwell performances of Thinking Out Loud.

They sought to play a doubtlessly damning YouTube video of 1 such Sheeran efficiency for the jury at trial. Judge Stanton denied their movement to incorporate it however stated he would rethink after he sees different proof that’s offered.

Sheeran’s label Atlantic Records and Sony/ATV Music Publishing are additionally named as defendants within the lawsuit.

Usually, plaintiffs in copyright lawsuits solid a large internet in naming defendants. In this case, nonetheless, Sheeran’s co-writer on the tune was by no means named.

It isn’t the primary time Sheeran has run into authorized hassle over his music. Last yr he received a copyright battle on the High Court in London over his 2017 tune Shape Of You.