A copyright infringement trial is set to begin on Monday between music superstar Ed Sheeran and the heirs of Marvin Gaye’s iconic soul single “Let’s Get It On.” He is being sued for alleged similarities between his song, “Thinking Out Loud,” and Gaye’s legendary tune.
The battle between two Ed’s – songwriter Ed Townsend wrote “Let’s Get It On” – will be battling this matter in court.
Townsend’s daughter, Kathryn Griffin-Townsend said last month, “We have enough chaos going on in the world today, besides having to stand here and worry about other people stealing other people’s belongings.”
Representing the Townsend family is civil rights attorney Ben Crump claimed intellectual property being stolen from black artists has been going on for decades in the music industry.
According to Crump, “For far too long, black artists have created, inspired and spread music all around the world. And Ed Townsend’s family believes artists’, like Mr. Sheeran’s, infringement of Black artists is merely another example of artists exploiting the genius and the work of Black singers and songwriters.”
Sheeran, 32, will be amongst those expected to testify in the trial. According to ABC News, jurors will only be required to consider the raw elements of the melody, harmony and rhythm making up the composition of “Let’s Get It On” as documented on the sheet music filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
The court filing states that “The two songs share versions of a similar and unprotectable chord progression that was freely available to all songwriters.”
The global superstar has denied copying the track, and claimed that if the two songs sound alike, it’s because of his use of the fundamental musical “building blocks” that don’t fall under copyright protections.
Add comment