British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran on Tuesday defeated a second copyright lawsuit in federal court in Manhattan over similarities between his hit “Thinking Out Loud” and Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On.”
U.S. District Judge Louis Stanton dismissed the case brought by Structured Asset Sales LLC,rulingthat the parts of “Let’s Get It On” Sheeran was accused of infringing were too common for copyright protection.
Sheeranwona separate jury trial over the songs in the same court earlier this month.
Stanton presided over both cases, which concerned co-writer Ed Townsend’s share of Gaye’s 1973 classic. Townsend’s heirs failed to convince jurors that Sheeran infringed their part of Townsend’s copyright in the song.
Structured Asset Sales is owned by investment banker and “Bowie Bonds” creator David Pullman, and it owns part of Townsend’s interest in “Let’s Get It On.” It sued Sheeran, his label Warner Music Groupand his music publisher Sony Music Publishing in 2018 after Townsend’s heirs filed their lawsuit.
Stanton on Tuesday found that the combination of chord progression and harmonic rhythm in Gaye’s song was a “basic musical building block” that was too common to merit copyright protection.
Sheeran’s attorney Ilene Farkas called the decision “an important victory not only for Ed” and collaborator Amy Wadge, “but for all songwriters and consumers of music.”
Structured Asset Sales has filed another lawsuit against Sheeran based on its rights to Gaye’s recording, which is still pending.
Pullman told Reuters that the jury in that case will get to hear the recording of “Let’s Get It On,” as opposed to the computerized rendition of the song’s sheet music from the Townsend trial.
“Their biggest fear, in terms of everything they’ve filed, has been to prevent the sound recording from coming in,” Pullman said.
FAQs
Ed Sheeran triumphs in copyright lawsuit over Marvin Gaye's 'Let's Get It On. ' Again. Ed Sheeran beat a second lawsuit alleging his song “Thinking Out Loud” copied Marvin Gaye's “Let's Get It On.” Thinking out loud, it seems Ed Sheeran is enjoying a legal victory lap.
Is Thinking Out Loud similar to "let's get it on"? ›
The primary similarity is a series of four chords that repeat over and over throughout “Let's Get It On” and the harmonic rhythm with which it does it. It's a good portion of the groove. Go back and listen to just the first ten seconds or so of each.
What is the story behind Thinking Out Loud by Ed Sheeran? ›
Sheeran also revealed that the lyrics were inspired by his then-girlfriend, Athina Andrelos, whom Sheeran met in early 2014. Sheeran would later explain that he wrote the song "in a relationship at a really, really happy point".
Who is Ed Sheeran's wife? ›
What is the Let's get it on controversy? ›
A jury determined after a six-day trial in May that Sheeran's song did not infringe Townsend's copyright in "Let's Get It On." Sheeran after the trial said the decision would "help protect the creative process for songwriters here in the United States and all around the world."
Is the lawsuit against Thinking Out Loud and let's get it on? ›
Ed Sheeran triumphs in copyright lawsuit over Marvin Gaye's 'Let's Get It On. ' Again. Ed Sheeran beat a second lawsuit alleging his song “Thinking Out Loud” copied Marvin Gaye's “Let's Get It On.” Thinking out loud, it seems Ed Sheeran is enjoying a legal victory lap.
What does Paul McCartney think of Ed Sheeran? ›
I think Ed's amazing. We had the Grammys Beatles 50th Anniversary show last year and he sang In My Life just beautifully. These guys are great singers and there a lot of great girl singers around. So yes I love them.
Who was the girl in Thinking Out Loud video? ›
Brittany Cherry was born on 2 May 1994 in Pleasant Grove, Utah, USA. She is a producer and actress, known for Ed Sheeran: Thinking Out Loud (2014), Dancing with the Stars (2005) and So You Think You Can Dance (2005) She has been married to Brian Agnew since 18 September 2022.
Why did Ed Sheeran cry on stage? ›
The singer-song writer was performing at Apple Music Live when he got emotional introducing his new song, Eyes Closed. “This next song was inspired by Jamal,” he told his audience as he shared how difficult he found dealing with the death of his friend, who passed away last year.
Does Ed Sheeran's wife have a brain tumor? ›
Within the space of a month, my pregnant wife got told she had a tumour, with no route to treatment until after the birth. My best friend Jamal, a brother to me, died suddenly, and I found myself standing in court defending my integrity and career as a songwriter. I was spiralling through fear, depression and anxiety.
During an interview with The Rolling Stone in 2017, he criticised an article that claimed he dated the singer while on tour together in 2013. “I found that aspect quite lazy journalism,” he said “There wasn't any truth to it whatsoever.”
Are Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift friends? ›
Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran's friendship is endgame. Both stars attended the 2024 Grammy Awards on Sunday, and a sweet video shared to social media shows Swift tussling Sheeran's hair while they sipped co*cktails and chatted with Ice Spice and producer RIOTUSA following the ceremony.
How does Thinking Out Loud copy Let's Get It On? ›
"The Defendants copied the 'heart' of 'Let's' and repeated it continuously throughout 'Thinking,'" the lawsuit claimed. "The melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic compositions of 'Thinking' are substantially and/or strikingly similar to the drum composition of 'Let's. '"
What Ed Sheeran song is similar to Let's Get It On? ›
They started the case with a video of Ed Sheeran doing his own mashup of his song “Thinking Out Loud” with Marvin Gaye's “Let's Get It On,” and they have been arguing to the jury that that was effectively an admission of copyright infringement, if you can mash the songs up so seamlessly.
What other songs sound like Let's Get It On? ›
