Pop star Ed Sheeran took the witness stand in a New York courtroom to deny allegations that his hit song “Thinking Out Loud” ripped off Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On” (AP News). The heirs of Ed Townsend, who co-wrote “Let’s Get It On” with Gaye, accused Sheeran of borrowing elements from the classic song. Sheeran also testified against allegations that he took part of the melody of the Marvin Gaye classic when writing his hit song (NBC News).
During the trial, which centers on allegations of copyright infringement, Sheeran sang and played guitar while testifying about his writing process for “Thinking Out Loud” (ABC News). His testimony comes as he prepares to release a new, stark album titled “Subtract” informed by grief, according to The Guardian.
Despite the emotional nature of the trial and his forthcoming album, Sheeran has remained a stadium-size headliner (The Philadelphia Inquirer) and is set to perform at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa ahead of his show at Lincoln Financial Field (Tampa Bay Times).
The trial continues to draw attention as music lovers and legal experts alike await the final verdict in the case against Sheeran (The New York Times). As the case unfolds, the music industry will continue to watch and wait with bated breath for the outcome.
