2/2/2023 Update
Well, it’s been over 6 years since I originally posted that Ed Sheeran was being sued my Marvin Gaye’s fam. You can read about some recent developments here. Forget about “Thinking Out Loud” and listen to some even closer similarities to “Photograph” and “Shape of You” or this one that is a note-for-note rip.Byeeeee!
1/7/2019 Update
A New York District Judge has decided that a $100 million copyright infringement lawsuit filed against singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran, along with Sony/ATV Music Publishing and Atlantic Records, will proceed to a jury trial. – read more at forbes.com
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Original Post:
It seems that Ed Sheeran is getting sued again. This time the heirs of Ed Townsend, who co-wrote the lyrics to “Let’s Get It On” in 1973 and created its musical composition are suing Ed Sheeran for the similarity of Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On” and Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud” (2014). Have a listen!
Heirs of the composer for Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On” are suing British musician Ed Sheeran, claiming his hit song “Thinking Out Loud” copies core elements of the late soul singer’s 1973 track.
The copyright infringement lawsuit was filed on Tuesday by the heirs of Ed Townsend, who co-wrote the lyrics to “Let’s Get It On” in 1973 and created its musical composition, according to the complaint filed in federal court in the Southern District of New York.
Representatives for defendants Sheeran, Sony/ATV Music Publishing, and Atlantic Records did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The lawsuit, which asks for damages to be assessed at a jury trial, argues that the harmonic progressions, melodic and rhythmic elements central to “Let’s Get It On” formed the structure of Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud.”
“The Defendants copied the ‘heart’ of ‘Let’s’ and repeated it continuously throughout ‘Thinking,'” the lawsuit said.
“The melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic compositions of ‘Thinking’ are substantially and/or strikingly similar to the drum composition of ‘Let’s.'”
Grammy Award-winning Sheeran has become one of Britain’s top-selling artists in the past two years, and has written and co-written tracks for artists such as One Direction, Taylor Swift and Justin Bieber.
The lawsuit came two months after California-based musicians sued Sheeran for $US20 million over his hit song “Photograph” in an unrelated case.
Gaye’s family last year successfully sued R&B recording artists Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams for copyright infringement in another unrelated case over their hit single “Blurred Lines,” winning a $US7.4 million judgment.
Have a listen!
Marvin Gaye – “Let’s Get It On” (1973)
Ed Sheeran – “Thinking Out Loud” (2014)
See Also:
Marvin Gaye family awarded $7.4 million in ‘Blurred Lines’ trial