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| (AP Photo/Brittainy Newman) |
Ed Sheeran, the British singer-songwriter, has denied allegations of copyright infringement at the start of a New York trial. The case centers around similarities between his hit song "Thinking Out Loud" and Marvin Gaye's classic "Let's Get It On."
The lawsuit was filed by Structured Asset Sales, which owns a share of the copyright for Gaye's song. The company claims that Sheeran's "Thinking Out Loud" copies key elements of Gaye's song, including the melody, harmony, and rhythm.
Sheeran appeared in court on Tuesday and testified that he had never heard "Let's Get It On" before writing "Thinking Out Loud." He also said that he wrote the song in 2013, while he was staying in a Suffolk cottage and working on material for his album "X."
"I didn't seek inspiration from Marvin Gaye," Sheeran said. "I was writing a song that was personal to me and I wanted to tell a story about how I felt."
Sheeran's defense team also argued that the two songs share only a small number of elements, and that these are not original enough to be protected by copyright law.
The case is being closely watched by the music industry, as it could set a precedent for future copyright lawsuits. Many artists draw inspiration from earlier works, and it can be difficult to draw a line between originality and imitation.
Sheeran has faced similar accusations in the past. In 2017, he was sued by the heirs of songwriter Ed Townsend, who claimed that Sheeran's hit "Photograph" copied their father's song "Let's Get It On." The case was settled out of court for an undisclosed sum.
The trial is expected to last for around two weeks, and could result in Sheeran being forced to pay damages if he is found guilty of copyright infringement. However, the outcome is far from certain, and it remains to be seen how the judge will rule.
The trial has attracted a lot of attention, with many music fans and industry professionals weighing in on the case. Some have criticized the lawsuit as an example of the music industry's overly litigious nature, while others have expressed concern over the potential consequences for artists who are inspired by previous works.
In the meantime, Sheeran's fans will be eagerly awaiting his next album, which is expected to be released later this year. Despite the controversy surrounding his music, Sheeran remains one of the most popular and successful artists in the world, with a string of hits to his name.
EdSheeran, MarvinGaye, Copyrightinfringement, NewYorktrial, Musicplagiarism, Songwriting, Lawsuit, Intellectualproperty, Musicalinfluence, Musicindustry
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