Ed Sheeran Prevails in Copyright Battles Over 'Thinking Out Loud'
In 2023, Ed Sheeran successfully defended against copyright infringement claims related to his hit song 'Thinking Out Loud', with the Supreme Court upholding the ruling.
Overview
- In 2023, Ed Sheeran won a legal battle against copyright infringement claims regarding his song 'Thinking Out Loud'.
- A jury and U.S. District Judge found no infringement, citing common musical elements.
- The Supreme Court upheld the 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals ruling in favor of Sheeran.
- Sheeran also won separate lawsuits from the heirs of Ed Townsend, who claimed copyright violations.
- His legal team successfully argued based on copyright law, leading to multiple victories for the artist.
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"…The Supreme Court will not be getting it on or thinking out loud."
USA TODAY·15d·FAQ
The claims alleged that 'Thinking Out Loud' copied elements such as rhythm and chord progression from Marvin Gaye's 'Let's Get It On'.
Sheeran's legal team successfully argued that 'Thinking Out Loud' was independently created, supported by evidence that the song was born from an emotional conversation between Sheeran and co-writer Amy Wadge.
The U.S. Supreme Court has been petitioned to review the case by Structured Asset Sales (SAS), but the Second Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the original ruling in favor of Sheeran, and the heirs of Ed Townsend withdrew their appeal.
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