Ed Sheeran, the renowned singer-songwriter, has warned that he will quit music if found guilty in a copyright trial involving his 2015 song ‘Thinking Out Loud’.
The trial involves allegations that Sheeran and his co-writer Amy Wadge copied the rhythm and ascending four-chord sequence of Marvin Gaye’s 1973 track ‘Let’s Get It On’.
The copyright infringement case was filed in 2016 by Ed Townsend, who co-wrote Gaye’s classic song.
During court proceedings in Manhattan on May 1, Sheeran took to the stand and reportedly stated that he would be “done” with music if found guilty, highlighting the impact of the trial on him.
“I find it really insulting to devote my whole life to being a performer and a songwriter and have someone diminish it,” Sheeran added.
He has denied the claims that he copied Gaye’s song. While his attorney, Irene Farkas, defended the “heartfelt song” stating it was written “without copying” Gaye, attorney Ben Crump claimed that the singer “confessed” to copying Gaye when he mashed the two songs up at a live show.
“If I’d done what you’re accusing me of doing, I’d be an idiot to stand on stage in front of 20,000 people [and do that],” Sheeran responded to the allegations last week. “It is my belief that most pop songs are built on building blocks that have been freely available for 100s of years.”
During the trial, laughter reportedly broke out in court after an AI version of Gaye’s ‘Let’s Get It On’ was played. The court proceedings are still ongoing.
Sheeran’s upcoming album, ‘-‘ (Subtract), is set to be released on May 5. He recently shared intimate details of his North American tour, which is set to take place amid his stadium tour.
Over the weekend, Sheeran made headlines after his wife, Cherry Seaborn, revealed that the singer wrote “seven songs in four hours” after learning of her cancer diagnosis.
The artist has previously stated that his new songs are based on the “unbreakable” bond he formed with Seaborn through her illness.
The trial is taking a toll on Sheeran and could potentially force him to step away from his music career. This highlights the importance of respecting copyrights, as they are a vital component of the music industry. The outcome of the trial remains uncertain, and both sides will continue to present their arguments in court.
