Ed Sheeran reflected on his recent high-profile experience with plagiarism in a new TV interview.
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It was discovered that the pop star did not copy Marvin Gaye’s song “Let’s Get It On” for his 2014 number one hit Thinking Out Loud, a US court ruled Thursday (May 4).
The case was brought against the pop star in 2016 by Ed Townsend — one of the co-writers on Gaye’s classic 1973 track — who accused Sheeran of copying the song in the 2014 song.
Earlier today (May 7), the singer appeared CBS Sunday Morning To discuss his new album “-” and the issue.
On the controversy surrounding the issue, and why he felt it necessary to seek victory on behalf of all songwriters, and to set a precedent for the future, Sheeran said: “There are like four chords that are used in pop songs. And if you just think mathematically the possibility that this song has the same The chords are like this song – there are many, many songs – it’s all the same four chords… You’re going to have this song with every pop song from now on.
“Unless it just stops, which I don’t think he does because it’s huge business to take things to court. But you can only get stuck if I did something wrong, and I didn’t do anything wrong. I used four chords that are very common to use.”
Earlier this week, Sheeran reportedly took to the stage in Manhattan to insist he would “finish” the music if he is found guilty.
The singer-songwriter has now been found not liable for copyright infringement, as jurors have determined that he “independently” created the song. Sheeran hugged his lawyer after the sentencing, while Wedge and wife Cherry Seaborn were reportedly in tears (via Watchman).
Sheeran told reporters outside court: “Obviously I’m very happy with the outcome of the case and it looks like I don’t have to retire from my day job after all. But at the same time, I’m incredibly frustrated that unsubstantiated allegations like this are allowed to go to court over launch.”
He also said that it was “devastating” to be accused of plagiarizing someone else’s song, describing himself as “just a guy with a guitar who likes to write music for people to enjoy” and would never allow himself to be “a piggy bank for anyone to shake”.
This week also saw the premiere of Sheeran’s new documentary Ed Sheeran: The sum of it alland the release of his new album “-“.