ARTICLE · 13 JUNE 2023

Ed Sheeran Off The "Hook" In Copyright Battle

ENS

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A jury in New York has decided that Ed Sheeran's Thinking Out Loud did not infringe the copyright in Marvin Gaye's classic hit Let's Get It On.

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Thinking out loud

A jury in New York has decided that Ed Sheeran's Thinking Out Loud did not infringe the copyright in Marvin Gaye's classic hit Let's Get It On.

The copyright infringement case was filed back in 2017 (the cogs of the legal system turn slowly) by Kathryn Townsend-Griffin, the daughter and heir of Ed Townsend, who was Marvin Gaye's co-writer. The action cited not only Ed Sheeran but also his record label, Warner Music Group, and the music publisher, Sony Music Publishing. Townsend-Griffin said that she had brought the case to protect her father's legacy.

Ed Sheeran's reaction

Sheeran had lots to say after the verdict was handed down. He said that he was "obviously very happy with the outcome" and that he was grateful that he would not need to "retire" from his "day job". Yet, he was also "unbelievably frustrated that baseless claims like this are allowed to go to court at all."

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