Ed Sheeran wins copyright appeal for hit single Think out loud.
It is reported ReutersThe U.S. Court of Appeals ruled on Friday (November 1) that Sheeran’s single did not illegally plagiarize Marvin Gaye’s single Let’s get started, Upholding the lower court judge’s previous decision dismissing the plaintiffs’ structured asset sale lawsuit.
Sheeran previously won two consecutive copyright infringement lawsuits over the past few years, alleging that his 2014 hit copied Marvin Gaye’s 1973 classic let’s get started.
In May 2023, U.S. District Judge Louis Stanton dismissed the case brought by Structured Asset Sales LLC, overturning his initial ruling that the lawsuit should go to a jury trial.
Judge Louis Stanton had heard a separate case involving Sheeran and Gaye’s identical tracks. The jury in the case ruled in favor of Sheeran and against the estate of Ed Townsend, who co-authored Marvin Gaye’s book. Let’s get started.
SAS sued Sheeran, his record label Warner Music Group and his music publisher Sony Music Publishing in 2018, after the Townshend estate first filed suit against her. SAS is seeking $100 million in damages in the case.
Plaintiffs in both cases appealed the rulings, but last September one of the plaintiffs — Ed Townsend – Appeal withdrawn.
Another plaintiff, Structured Asset Sales Ltd.proceed. SAS Founded and led by investment bankers David PullmanKnown for inventing the “Bowie Bond,” an asset-backed security using royalties david bowieof music sales and live performances as collateral. SAS/Pullman owns partial stake in Townsend Songwriters Let’s get started.
Sheeran’s lawyers previously argued in Townsend estate proceedings that two elements of Gay’s work were allegedly copied let’s get started – the song’s chord progressions and harmonic rhythms – are so common that they have become an uncopyrightable “cornerstone” of popular music.
The jury in that trial agreed and sided with Sheeran. According to this ruling, Judge Louis Stanton SAS’ case was dismissed before it could be presented to a jury.
“This is an unquestionable reality, let’s get started are so common, either in isolation or in combination, that protecting their combinations will give let’s get started “This is an impermissible monopoly on essential musical building blocks,” Justice Stanton wrote in his decision in favor of Sheeran in the SAS case, which can be read in full here .
“let’s get startedThe chord progression was used at least 29 times before it appeared let’s get started Previously appeared on 23 other songs think out loud was released,” the judge added, echoing arguments made by defense attorneys in an earlier jury trial.
It is reported Reuters Today, the Court of Appeal agreed with its previous ruling, noting that under Reutersnamely: “The protective element may stifle creativity, and Sheeran and Gaye’s songs are not similar enough, so Sheeran’s song infringes SAS’s copyright.”global music business
