A jury now needed to decide if Ed Sheeran plagiarized a Marvin Gaye song
Ed Sheeran looks to be in a bit of legal trouble.
In a new report from NME, the singer is in the middle of a plagiarism lawsuit, where it’s been alleged that he copied Marvin Gaye’s classic track, “Let’s Get It On,” with his song “Thinking Out Loud.”
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A request was put in by the singer to dismiss the plagiarism lawsuit against him, but it was later declined by a Manhattan District Judge, Louis Stanton.
Stanton reportedly found “substantial similarities between several of the two works’ musical elements.”
He then explained that jurors “may be impressed by footage of a Sheeran performance which shows him seamlessly transitioning between [the songs].”
To further detail his ruling, the judge noted that he found “Thinking Out Loud” and “Let’s Get It On,” to be the same, or close to the same, in these regards: aesthetic appeal, percussion and bass lines.
Due to his ruling, a jury is now needed in order to decide if Sheeran really copied the beloved song.
As it’s noted by Vanity Fair, the jury will be brought in to determine if the harmonic rhythm in Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On” is too common of a rhythm for it to have any sort of copyright protection.
Depending on their decision, it will decide whether or not Sheeran is in violation of copying the classic song.
Furthermore, Sheeran has argued against the suit, saying that Gaye’s song is known as a “sexual anthem,” whereas his track is better known as a “sombre, melancholic tones, addressing long-lasting romantic love.”
Which, according to Sheeran, apparently makes them different.
In any case, this is a story that’s ongoing and only time will tell whether or not Sheeran wins the lawsuit.
In the meantime, you can check out both of the songs below:
Do you hear the similarities between the two tracks, or do you think the lawsuit should be dismissed? Let us know your thoughts on the matter by sounding off in the comments below!
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