After a long-standing legal battle, a jury in New York has ruled that Ed Sheeran did not infringe on the copyright of Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On” in his hit song “Thinking Out Loud.”
The decision was a major relief for Sheeran and his co-writer Amy Wadge, who have been embroiled in the lawsuit for the past few years.
The jury’s verdict came after a week-long trial, during which experts from both sides testified about the similarities and differences between the two songs.
In the end, the jury found that while there were some similarities between the two tracks, they were not substantial enough to constitute copyright infringement.
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For Wadge, the verdict was a huge weight off her shoulders. She expressed her relief and joy to CNN, saying that she and Sheeran had shed tears after hearing the verdict.
She also emphasized the importance of the ruling for future generations of musicians, stating that it shows that creativity can still thrive without fear of legal repercussions.
“The fact that this has gone our way is just such a huge relief for every young songwriter,” Wadge said. “It’s about the next generation of musicians, who they’re going to be and making sure it still happens — music’s still created.”
The case had been closely watched by the music industry and had raised concerns about the impact of copyright lawsuits on the creative process.
With the ruling in Sheeran’s favor, many musicians and music industry professionals are hopeful that it will encourage greater creativity and freedom in the industry going forward.
