It was not copied: Ed Sheeran found ‘not guilty’ of plagiarism charge against Marvin Gaye

Share This Post

- Advertisement -

A New York jury acquitted the British singer on Thursday, May 4. Ed Sheeran for the accusation of partial plagiarism in an acronym Let’s do itsung by Marvin Gayeafter a two-week trial in federal court in Manhattan.

- Advertisement -

When the jury’s verdict has been rendered, Ed Sheeran stood up and hugged his lawyerswho managed to convince the seven members of the jury that the agreements of Think out loudfrom 2014 and its resemblance to Marvin Gaye’s theme song “were mere coincidence”.

Ed Sheeran, happy, leaves Federal Court in New York, where he is found not guilty on charges of music plagiarism.  Photo: AP

- Advertisement -
Ed Sheeran, happy, leaves Federal Court in New York, where he is found not guilty on charges of music plagiarism. Photo: AP

The musician then turned to the members of the judging panel and said “thank you” loudly.

the process

Sheeran had been denounced by Ed Townsend’s Heritageco-writer of the song by Marvin Gaye, in a lawsuit that actually dates back to 2017 and in which Sheeran went so far as to say he would retire from music if the plaintiffs won the case.

During the two-week trial, Ed Sheeran even took a guitar to play the controversial song in front of the jury, in a privileged acoustic performance with which he would be able to convince them that there had been no copy in the “chord progression”.

Kathryn Townsend Griffin, daughter of the late Ed Townsend, co-writer of Marvin Gaye's 1973 hit

Kathryn Townsend Griffin, daughter of the late Ed Townsend, co-writer of Marvin Gaye’s 1973 hit “Let’s Get it On,” is leaving federal court in New York. Photo: AFP

The trial took place just two weeks after the release of her new album and the start of a US tour as part of her world tour. Mathematicsin which he avoided including a stop in New York.

As for Marvin Gaye, he was already a Motown superstar in the ’60s before becoming a musical giant. He was shot dead by his father in 1984, when he was 44, and was trying to intervene in a dispute between his parents.

Sheeran, who is promoting his album =will perform 21 concerts in the United States and Canada between May 6 (Arlington, Texas) and September 23 (Inglewood, California), with two forays to Canada, June 17 (Toronto) and September 2 (Vancouver). .

Including Sheeran Think out loud on your guide xwhich has sold millions of copies.

another charge

Already the singer He won another similar trial in March of last year in the United Kingdom for infringement of “copyright” in its subject matter Shape of you.

On his Twitter account, the singer wrote last year: “The coincidence is bound to happen. If 60,000 songs are released on Spotify every day, that’s 22 million songs a year. There are only 12 notes available“.

Ed Sheeran.  Photo: AP

Ed Sheeran. Photo: AP

At all times Sheeran has shown readiness for the trial. Hardened in court bids over the style, the singer has hinted that there is “a culture of baseless lawsuits” that are actually aimed at getting money from artists.

“I feel that these allegations are all too common now and they’ve become a culture where you sue with the idea that a legal settlement will be cheaper than taking it to court, even if there’s no basis for the suit,” Sheeran added in a video posted to his Twitter account. verdict: “It’s really bad for the typesetting industry.”

Source: Clarin

- Advertisement -

Related Posts