Remember Ed Sheeran’s hit song “Thinking Out Loud” released in September 2014? It ranked No. 2 on the Hot 100 before winning Song of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance at the 58th Grammy Awards. Almost 10 years later, Ed Sheeran is now being taken to court for copyright infringement of the song “Let’s Get It On” by Martin Gaye for his song Thinking Out Loud. The plaintiffs allege that the defendants copied the heart of Let’s Get It On and repeated it continuously throughout Thinking Out Loud” and that “the melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic compositions in Thinking Out Loud are not the product of independent creation”. However, Ed Sheeran’s lawyers argue that the similarity was based on a basic chord progression too simple to be copyrighted.
The trial will take place at the U.S. federal courthouse in Lower Manhattan and it will be interesting to what the court decides. In my personal opinion, I don’t think the song is similar enough and I have heard this chord progression in other songs as well. Have a listen for yourself and let me know what you think!
Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6QZn9xiuOE
Ed Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lp-EO5I60KA
For more, see https://www.billboard.com/pro/ed-sheeran-copyright-lawsuit-trial-lets-get-it-on/