SHEERAN SUED OVER COPYING GAYE’S SONG

The singer’s track Thinking Out Loud has uncanny similarities with Marvin Gaye’s classic Let’s Get it On

British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran is being sued a second time over similarities between his hit track Thinking Out Loud and the Marvin Gaye classic, Let’s Get it On.

Owners of the song’s copyright claim that it is lifted from Gaye’s 1972 hit and they are seeking $100 million in damages, reported Variety. The song was written by Gaye and Ed Townsend. The suit has been filed by investment banker David Pullman and the company, Structured Asset Sales, which has acquired onethird of the song shares.

“We tried to work it out amicably, but it didn’t and we did what we were required to do within a certain amount of time,” said Pullman, adding, “It’s one of the most streamed songs in history. It’s been streamed over one billion times. Plus there’s the synchronisation license, for commercials, there’s touring and merchandising income — we listed approximately 50 categories of revenue streams.”

Townsend, who died in August 2003 at age 74, was a celebrated songwriter producer who composed more than 200 songs. His heirs sued Sheeran over Thinking Out Loud in 2016, but a judge dismissed the case without prejudice in February 2017. “It was dismissed solely because they didn’t serve the defendants overseas, since many of them were in the U.K.” Pullman said. Townsend have re-filed their suit, Pullman added.

OWNERS OF THE SONG’S COPYRIGHT CLAIM THAT IT IS LIFTED FROM MARVIN GAYE’S 1972 HIT AND THEY ARE SEEKING $100 MILLION IN DAMAGES

PHOTO: ANTHONY HARVEY/ GETTY IMAGES Ed Sheeran has been sued for allegedly ripping off Marvin Gaye’s song for the second time now

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