Ed Sheeran has been slapped with yet another lawsuit that claims he ripped off a song. According to the Daily Mail, the singer is being accused of taking distinct elements from Marvin Gaye’s "Let’s Get It On" and using them in his Grammy-winning hit "Thinking Out Loud."
"Let’s Get It On" was co-written by Gaye and Ed Townsend, who are both deceased. The Daily Mail reported that Townsend’s heirs— Kathryn Townsend, Helen McDonald, and Cherrigale Townsend—have filed the federal lawsuit against Sheeran, Gingerbread Man Records, Sony, and Atlantic Records. They say "Thinking Out Loud" has the same melody, harmony, and rhythmic composition as the 1973 classic.
The heirs are now asking a judge to grant them an injunction against Sheeran, which would keep him from receiving any more illegal profits from the song. They’re also seeking an unspecified amount in damages.
Does this situation sound familiar? It should.
Back in June, two songwriters sued Sheeran for allegedly copying one of their compositions for his song "Photograph." And back in 2015, Gaye’s family was awarded $7.4 million in a case,in which Robin Thicke, Pharrell Williams, and Clifford Harris were found liable for copyright infringement. Gaye’s children filed the lawsuit in 2013, accusing the song’s creators of stealing parts of their father’s hit "Got to Give It Up" for "Blurred Lines."
You can listen to "Let's Get It On" and "Thinking Out Loud" below.
