British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran is making headlines as he faces a copyright infringement case regarding his hit song “Thinking Out Loud” (NYT). The family of Ed Townsend, who co-wrote Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On” with Gaye, accuses Sheeran of borrowing elements from their song (ABC News). Sheeran made an appearance in court, taking the witness stand to deny the allegations, where he also sang and played guitar (AP News). In the midst of the trial, Sheeran is set to release his new album, “Subtract,” which was highly influenced by grief (The Guardian).
With the legal concerns aside, Sheeran is also making music news with his upcoming concerts. He is set to play a stadium-sized show at the Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, as well as the Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater, Florida (The Philadelphia Inquirer, Tampa Bay Times).
Despite the serious topic of his copyright infringement case, laughter was heard in court when an AI version of Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On” was played (NME). Nonetheless, Sheeran and his team are continuing to defend themselves and assure his fans that his music remains his own.
