Ed Sheeran news – live: Singer releases new album Subtract after winning Marvin Gaye lawsuit
Singer had been fighting a lawsuit in New York after being accused of plagiarising Marvin Gaye’s ‘Let’s Get It On’ for his 2014 single ‘Thinking Out Loud’
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Ed Sheeran has released his new album Subtract, just hours after winning his latest copyright lawsuit.
A Manhattan jury found on Thursday 4 May that the British singer-songwriter did not plagiarise Marvin Gaye’s 1973 song “Let’s Get It On” for his 2014 single “Thinking Out Loud”.
Sheeran had been sued by the heirs of Ed Townsend, the songwriter who composed the slow jam classic with Gaye.
They accused Sheeran’s song of copying the anthem’s harmonic progressions as well as melodic and rhythmic elements without permission.
In a defiant statement after the verdict, Sheeran said he would not “allow myself to be a piggy bank”.
The lawsuit was initially filed in 2017, but took six years to finally reach a Manhattan federal court.
Sheeran vehemently denied plagiarising “Let’s Get It On”. His lawyers argued that the song used common constructions found in many pop tracks.
He told the court earlier this week that, should he lose, he planned on quitting music.
Read The Independent’s review of Subract here.
Ed Sheeran has released his latest studio album, Subtract, just hours after he triumphed in a plagiarism lawsuit over his 2014 single “Thinking Out Loud”.
The case had threatened to overshadow the new record, with the singer-songwriter going so far as to threaten to quit music if he were found liable. Yet the Manhattan jury delivered the verdict on Thursday 4 May that Sheeran did not plagiarise Marvin Gaye’s 1973 song “Let’s Get It On”, prompting him to issue a defiant statement that he would “not be used as a piggybank”.
Read The Independent’s review of Subtract here:
Watch: Ed Sheeran surprises busker singing his song on subway platform
Watch: Ed Sheeran’s statement after Marvin Gaye copyright trial win
Watch: Ed Sheeran’s statement after Marvin Gaye copyright trial win
Ed Sheeran has praised a US court for siding with him in a copyright trial, hailing the decision as one "that will help protect the creative process". The singer had been taken to court by the heirs of Ed Townsend, the songwriter who composed the 1973 anthem 'Let's Get It On', which they claimed had been the basis for Sheeran's song 'Thinking Out Loud'. “I'm obviously very happy with the outcome of the case and it looks like I'm not having to retire from my day job after all. But at the same time, I'm unbelievably frustrated that baseless claims like this are allowed to go to court at all", Mr Sheeran said. Click here for our newsletters.
Ed Sheeran explains why ‘long conversations’ with Taylor Swift feel like ‘therapy’
Ed Sheeran opened up about his longtime friendship with Taylor Swift and explained why their conversations have felt like “therapy” to him.
During a new interview with Zane Lowe for Apple Music 1, Sheeran expressed how he’s been able to connect with Swift because of their similar career paths.
“I have long, long, long conversations with Taylor about stuff just because I feel like she’s one of the only people that actually truly understands where I’m at,” he said. “She’s a solo artist, she’s at stadiums.”
The “Shivers” singer said he’s able to be “open” with Swift and explained why that’s so helpful.
Amber Raiken reports.
Ed Sheeran explains why ‘long conversations’ with Taylor Swift feel like ‘therapy’
“I feel like she’s one of the only people that actually truly understands where I’m at,” he said about Swift
Ed Sheeran missed his grandmother’s funeral due to copyright trial: ‘He’s so upset’
Ed Sheeran missed the funeral of his 98-year-old grandmother as a result of his ongoing copyright trial in New York this week.
The funeral for Sheeran’s grandmother Nancy took place on Wednesday (3 May) in the small Irish village where she lived, the Daily Mail reported.
“I am very sad that our son Edward is unable to be here today. He’s so upset that he cannot be present – he has to be thousands of miles away in a court in America defending his integrity,” Sheeran’s father John said during his eulogy.
Read more:
Ed Sheeran misses his grandmother’s funeral due to copyright trial
‘Our son Edward... has to be thousands of miles away in a court in America defending his integrity,’ father said during eulogy
Axis of Awesome’s ‘Four Chords’ masterpiece resurfaces following Ed Sheeran copyright win
A song from comedy group Axis of Awesome breaking down the similarity between different pop songs has resurfaced following Ed Sheeran’s copyright trial win.
Isobel Lewis reports.
Axis of Awesome’s ‘Four Chords’ masterpiece resurfaces after Sheeran copyright win
Australian trio detailed in comedy song how many pop songs are based on the same simple musical progression
Watch: Ed Sheeran’s statement after Marvin Gaye copyright trial win
Watch: Ed Sheeran’s statement after Marvin Gaye copyright trial win
Ed Sheeran has praised a US court for siding with him in a copyright trial, hailing the decision as one "that will help protect the creative process". The singer had been taken to court by the heirs of Ed Townsend, the songwriter who composed the 1973 anthem 'Let's Get It On', which they claimed had been the basis for Sheeran's song 'Thinking Out Loud'. “I'm obviously very happy with the outcome of the case and it looks like I'm not having to retire from my day job after all. But at the same time, I'm unbelievably frustrated that baseless claims like this are allowed to go to court at all", Mr Sheeran said. Click here for our newsletters.
Ed Sheeran wins Marvin Gaye ‘Thinking Out Loud’ plagiarism case: ‘I’m not going to have to give up my day job’
A New York jury ruled Wednesday (4 May) that Ed Sheeran’s hit song “Thinking Out Loud” did not copy Marvin Gaye’s soul classic “Let’s Get It On.”
The British singer-songwriter reportedly hugged his attorneys when the verdict was read after three hours of jury deliberations.
Read more:
Ed Sheeran wins Marvin Gaye ‘Thinking Out Loud’ plagiarism case
British singer was accused of ripping off Gaye’s 1973 classic, ‘Let’s Get It On’
Ed Sheeran review, Subtract: Aaron Dessner collaboration proves that less is definitely more
The Independent’s Roisin O’Connor gave Ed Sheeran’s new album Subtract a three out of five-star review.
“For the most part, Subtract is testament to the old adage that less is, often, much more,” she wrote.
On Subtract, Ed Sheeran (and Aaron Dessner) prove that less is more - review
The final album in the singer-songwriter’s ‘maths’ series includes some beautifully pared-back musicianship, and Sheeran at his most vulnerable
Video: Ed Sheeran shares statement after Marvin Gaye copyright trial win
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