The Daily Observer London Desk: Reporter- Sarah Marshal
A Manhattan jury is expected to hand down an imminent verdict in Ed Sheeran’s copyright trial.
The British singer-songwriter is being sued by the heirs of Ed Townsend, the songwriter who composed the 1973 slow jam classic “Let’s Get It On” with Marvin Gaye.
They have accused Sheeran’s 2014 song of copying the anthem’s harmonic progressions as well as melodic and rhythmic elements without permission.
The lawsuit was initially filed in 2017, but has taken six years to finally reach a Manhattan federal court.
Sheeran vehemently denies plagiarising “Let’s Get It On”. His lawyers have argued that the song uses common constructions found in many pop tracks.
Should the “Perfect” singer be found liable for copyright infringement, the trial will enter a second phase to determine how much he would owe in damages.
He reportedly told the court this week that, should he lose, he plans on quitting music.
Meanwhile, his father told attendees at Sheeran’s grandmother’s funeral that the singer was “so upset” he wasn’t able to attend, as he was still in New York for the copyright case.
