Court rules Ed Sheeran did not infringe copyright on 'Let's Get It On'

A jury reached its decision on May 4 in a closely watched copyright case, a ruling that British pop star Ed Sheeran said would help protect the creative process of musicians in the United States and around the world, Reuters reported.

A jury in Manhattan federal court found that the estates of songwriter Ed Townsend, who co-wrote the song Let's Get It On , failed to prove that Sheeran, his record label Warner Music Group and music publisher Sony Music Publishing had violated his copyright. Sheeran hugged his lawyer in the courtroom after the verdict was announced.

Singer Ed Sheeran

"It's terrible to be accused of stealing someone else's song when I do so much for a living. I want to thank the jury for making a decision that will help protect the creative process of musicians in America and around the world ," Sheeran said outside court after the verdict.

The verdict came after six days of trial and less than three hours of jury deliberation.

The estate sued Sheeran for copyright infringement in 2017, claiming that Thinking Out Loud copied the “heart” of Gaye and Townsend’s song, including the melody, harmony and rhythm. Sheeran’s lawyers argued that any similarities between the songs were related to the basic “building blocks” of music and could not be copyrighted.

The plaintiffs are seeking a share of the profits from Thinking Out Loud . The heirs said in court filings that they received 22% of author Townsend's shares.

"I'm just a guy who loves to write music with a guitar for people to enjoy. I don't and will never allow myself to be a piggy bank for anyone to snatch," Sheeran said after the verdict.

Ed Sheeran arrives at Manhattan federal court in New York City, USA on May 4, 2023

Testifying at the trial, Ed Sheeran denied the copyright infringement charges, telling the jury: "I find it insulting that I have dedicated my life to being a performer and a musician and then have someone demean me."

Sheeran took to the witness stand playing the chords of Thinking Out Loud and singing the opening lyrics: "When your legs don't work like they used to". Ed Sheeran testified that his friend and collaborator Amy Wadge first played the chords for the song during a visit to his home in England and they collaborated on the lyrics.

Juror Sophia Neis, 23, told reporters there was "a lot of discussion" before the panel reached its decision.

Songwriter Marvin Gaye (died 1984) collaborated with Ed Townsend (died 2003) to write the song Let's Get It On . The song topped the Billboard charts. Meanwhile, Ed Sheeran's Thinking Out Loud reached number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2015.

Ed Sheeran won a copyright case in London last year over his hit Shape of You . Meanwhile, the estates of musician Marvin Gaye won a landmark ruling in 2015 when a Los Angeles jury found that Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams' song Blurred Lines copied Gaye's Got to Give It Up .

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