Ed Sheeran, a famous musician, has threatened to leave the business if he loses a lawsuit accusing him of plagiarizing Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On” from 1973 in his 2014 smash single, “Thinking Out Loud.” The complaint was filed back in 2017, and the plaintiffs—including the heirs of “Let’s Get It On” co-writer Ed Townsend—argue that the two songs’ intros are too similar to be accidental. Attorneys for Sheeran have refuted the claims, saying that the song was inspired less by Gaye than by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison. But plaintiffs’ expert witness musicologist Alexander Stewart testified that the songs are essentially the same. Ed Sheeran has criticized Stewart’s knowledge of music theory, saying that chord progressions like these are “commonplace in pop music.” The litigation against Sheeran continues despite a previous verdict against Stewart. Sheeran’s career, which began when he self-released an album at the age of 13 in 2004, could come to an end if he loses the lawsuit and decides to leave the music industry. Four Grammys, five Billboard Music Awards, and one BBC Music Award are just a few of the many honors that Sheeran has garnered throughout the course of his career. Nominated for multiple honors, including a Grammy and an MTV Video Music Award, his song “Thinking Out Loud” became a huge hit. It’s reminiscent of the lawsuit brought against Robin Thicke for allegedly ripping off Marvin Gaye’s “Got to Give It Up” from 1977 for his smash hit, “Blurred Lines.” Thicke was fined $5 million dollars for his part in the dispute.
