Ed Sheeran has been hit with a copyright suit over his mega-hit "Thinking Out Loud," with a songwriter's heirs saying he stole from Marvin Gaye's classic "Let's Get It On."
The lawsuit comes amid a flurry of infringement suits in the music world, including a landmark verdict last year in favour of Gaye's heirs who sued over separate songs.
The latest case was filed not by Gaye's family but by the descendants of the late Ed Townsend, who wrote the steamy 1973 hit with the soul singer and held the copyright.
"The melodic, harmonic and rhythmic compositions of 'Thinking' are substantially and/or strikingly similar to the drum composition from 'Let's,'" said the lawsuit filed Tuesday in a US federal court in New York.
The plaintiffs said that the British songwriter has ignored their warnings and explicitly referenced "Let's Get It On" in concert.
While the lawsuit did not specify further, a video on YouTube of a 2014 concert in Zurich shows Sheeran performing "Thinking Out Loud" on his guitar and transitioning to "Let's Get It On."
Townsend's heirs sought a jury trial in which they hope to stop Sheeran from further performances of "Thinking Out Loud" as well as damages and profits from the song, with the amount to be determined in court.
The 25-year-old Sheeran has quickly become an international superstar through "Thinking Out Loud," a ballad that has turned into a wedding favorite.
The song was the first to reach 500 million streams on Spotify and Sheeran's album "X" is one of the top-selling British albums so far this century.
Sheeran, who was sued personally along with his affiliated labels and publishers, did not immediately respond to the lawsuit.
A jury in Los Angeles last year awarded $7 million to Gaye's family after agreeing that "Blurred Lines," Robin Thicke's hit written with Pharrell Williams, copied from the soul icon's 1977 "Got to Give It Up."
The verdict sent chills through the songwriter community, accustomed to courts dismissing frequent lawsuits that mention musical similarities.
More recently a Los Angeles jury cleared British rock greats Led Zeppelin of allegations that they stole the famous intro to "Stairway to Heaven" from the defunct band Spirit.
AFP
Wed Aug 10 2016
Ed Sheeran accepts the award for Song of the Year for "Thinking Out Loud" at the 58th Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, California on Feb 15, 2016. - REUTERS
Astro AWANI's revamped English news website, AWANI International, launches on Oct 21
Astro AWANI's revamped English platform delivers in-depth global news and expert analysis to keep you informed on key developments.
Israeli strikes kill 33 people in Jabalia refugee camp in Gaza, medics say
Residents of Jabalia said Israeli tanks had reached the heart of the camp after pushing through suburbs and residential districts.
Liam Payne's ex-partner calls for media restraint after 'painful' death
Cheryl Tweedy used her statement to urge the media to remember they had a seven-year-old son, Bear, who could read the reports.
Analysts: Indonesia's strong MoF leadership team to boost investor confidence
Sri Mulyani Indrawati as head of Indonesia's Ministry of Finance is expected to instil confidence among investors.
Biden offers both a carrot and a stick to Israel as his term nears an end
Israel has frequently resisted US advice and has caused political difficulties for the Biden administration.
Putin says BRICS will generate most of global economic growth
Russian President Vladimir Putin will host a summit of the group in the city of Kazan on Oct. 22-24.
ISIS Malaysia's perspective of Budget 2025
An excellent rakyat-centric budget under the overarching principle of a caring and humane economy.
Budget 2025: Record increase in STR, SARA aid initiatives
The government will provide a significant boost to the Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) and Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA) initiatives next year.
Budget 2025: EPF contributions to be made mandatory for foreign workers – PM Anwar
The government plans to make it compulsory for all non-citizen workers to contribute to the Employees Provident Fund (EPF).
What policies to expect from Indonesia's new President Prabowo
Prabowo will be open to foreign investment, his aide has said, such as by offering investors management of airports and sea ports.
Budget 2025: Govt allocates RM470 mil to empower women's participation in PMKS
The Women's Leadership Apprenticeship Program will be intensified as an effort to produce more female corporate personalities.
Israel sends more troops into north Gaza, deepens raid
Residents of Jabalia in northern Gaza said Israeli tanks had reached the heart of the camp, using heavy air and ground fire.
Indonesia ramps up security ahead of Prabowo's inauguration
Prabowo Subianto will be sworn in as Indonesia's president on Sunday with Vice President-elect, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, also taking office.
Immediate allocation of RM150 mil for local authorities, DID to tackle flash floods
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said this allocation is intended to address the recent flash floods that hit the capital and several major towns.
Budget 2025: Sabah, Sarawak to continue receiving among highest allocations - PM
Sabah and Sarawak continues to be prioritised under Budget 2025, with allocations of RM6.7 billion and RM5.9 billion respectively.
NFOF will be operational in November 2024 with funding of RM1 bil
PM Anwar Ibrahim said NFOF will support venture capital fund managers to invest in startup companies with RM300 million set aside for 2025.
Minimum wage to increase to RM1,700 effective Feb 1, 2025
The Progressive Wage Policy would be fully enforced next year with an allocation of RM200 million, benefiting 50,000 workers.
Bursa Malaysia ends higher on Budget 2025 optimism
The benchmark index, which opened 1.85 points higher at 1,643.29, moved between 1,641.71 and 1,649.31 throughout the trading session.
Five important aspects relating to people’s lives in Budget 2025 - PM
The focus is on driving the MADANI Economy, speeding reforms, cutting red tape, raising wages, and tackling the cost of living.
Economic outlook: Govt plans to leverage, expand existing city transit system
The expansion aims to provide a more efficient and reliable public transportation network, reduce congestion, and improve accessibility.