On May 4, 2023, the outcome of a trial may have ended the career of one of the world's most popular singer/songwriters. The verdict in Ed Sheeran's (“Sheeran”) latest copyright case was decided by a jury and is being read. Earlier in the week, Sheeran testified, in his latest copyright case, that if he loses this trial, “I'm done. I'm stopping. I find it really insulting to work my whole life as a singer-songwriter and diminish it now.”[1] On May 4, 2023, the jury returned a verdict in favor of Sheeran, and the next day, Ed Sheeran's sixth studio album, “Subtract”, was released.
Sheeran is no stranger to copyright infringement accusations, and even his newest album could fall victim to accusations. As a highly successful and popular singer/songwriter, Sheeran has been involved with multiple cases raising questions about the use of musical elements, such as melodies and chord progressions. Sheeran has implemented these elements into his songs and now the question emerges of the proprietary nature of musical elements and whether they are original or borrowed from other existing works. This is a relevant and timely issue in intellectual property law and will only grow as more artists encounter accusations and similar hurdles. This article details the multitude of lawsuits that artists, specifically Ed Sheeran, face when distributing their music.
“Let's Get It On” Infringement Suit
Of Ed Sheeran's catalog, three of his most popular songs have been subject to copyright infringement accusations and lawsuits. This makes one wonder where the line between original music and existing music stands. The most recent of Sheeran's copyright infringement cases involved his song “Thinking Out Loud”, released in 2014 on his album, “Multiply” (“x”), and Marvin Gaye's 1963 hit “Let's Get It On”.
Read the full article here: https://talglaw.com/ed-sheeran-copyright-infringement/
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