The lawsuit alleged similarities between Sheeran's chart-topping hit "Thinking Out Loud" and Marvin Gaye's iconic track "Let's Get It On."
In a noteworthy legal triumph, renowned British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran emerged victorious in federal court in Manhattan as he thwarted a second copyright lawsuit. The lawsuit centred around alleged similarities between Sheeran's popular hit "Thinking Out Loud" and Marvin Gaye's timeless masterpiece, "Let's Get It On."
U.S. District Judge Louis Stanton made a significant ruling by dismissing the copyright case filed by Structured Asset Sales LLC. Judge Stanton determined that the elements of Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On" that Ed Sheeran was accused of infringing were too commonplace to be eligible for copyright protection.
In 2018, Structured Asset Sales, owned by David Pullman, an investment banker and creator of "Bowie Bonds," initiated a lawsuit against Ed Sheeran, his label Warner Music Group, and his music publisher Sony Music Publishing. This legal action came in response to a lawsuit filed by the heirs of Ed Townsend. Structured Asset Sales, holding a portion of Townsend's stake in "Let's Get It On," pursued legal action against Sheeran and the aforementioned entities.
In response to the ruling, Ed Sheeran's attorney, Ilene Farkas, expressed that the decision held significant importance, not only for Sheeran and his collaborator Amy Wadge, but also for the broader community of songwriters and music enthusiasts. Meanwhile, Structured Asset Sales, still holding rights to Gaye's recording, has filed an additional lawsuit against Sheeran, which remains pending.
Highlighting the significance of this development, Pullman expressed, "Their primary concern throughout all their legal filings has been to exclude the sound recording from being presented as evidence."