Ed Sheeran copyright claim for Grammy-winning hit rejected by Supreme Court
Ed Sheeran is a hitmaker above all else, with countless number one songs and writing credits for the likes of Rihanna and One Direction, but his most recent success comes from a song he first released all the way back in 2014.
One of the pop star's biggest songs, Thinking Out Loud, came under fire for allegedly using the copyright melody from Marvin Gaye 's Let's Get It On. This case was brought forward by Structured Asset Sales (SAS), which owns a portion of the rights to the song.
Owner and investment banker David Pullman argued that the melody, harmony and rhythm were all copied by Sheeran. However, on July 16, the Supreme Court decided not to hear the case, keeping in place the lower court's decision that the singer was not liable in the copyright infringement lawsuit.
READ MORE: Ed Sheeran's bitter family rift as star faces backlash for 'identifying culturally' as Irish
It's not the first time the star celebrates such a victory, as this news follows his previous success in fighting a copyright lawsuit over the same song, but this time by the family of Ed Townsend, who co-wrote the 70s song.
The family's accusations resulted in them seeking an eye-watering $100m (£73m) in damages from the star. Sheeran was angered by this and put his decision to fight the case down to the simple fact that he would not act as a "piggy bank" for "anyone to shake".
Thinking Out Loud is still one of the singer's biggest songs to date after spending more than two years in the UK charts. Not to mention, it racked up an impressive 4.8 million sales in the UK alone and went on to take home the Song of the Year award at the 2016 Grammys.
In 2023, this case was dismissed by U.S. District Judge Louis Stanton, who decided that the elements the 34-year-old was accused of stealing are far too common. Following the verdict at the time, Sheeran spoke outside of the courthouse and shared his disappointment in being questioned on his song-writing capabilities.
He said: "It's devastating to be accused of stealing someone else's song when we've put so much work into our livelihoods."
Speaking on the matter this week was his co-writer, Amy Wadge. In an interview on BBC Radio 4's Today Programme, she shared that these copyright trials have "haunted" her for the last decade. Wadge further explained: "The absolute truth is that song changed my life. I didn't have a hit until I was 37, and that was the one.
"I was able to feel like I'd had a hit for a year, and then all of a sudden it felt like the wolves were surrounding me. It was incredibly frightening." She went on to say that the case's dismissal was a "huge relief" for the both of them.
Following on from the stress of the initial 2023 trial, both Wadge and Sheeran commemorated the event, commenting on how the pop star does best with a tattoo. The pair decided to get matching tattoos using a phrase one of the judges said in the trial: "independently created".
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Press and Journal
4 hours ago
- Press and Journal
Legends Tour at Trump: The best images from the celebrity pro-am as Andriy Shevchenko, Judy Murray and Brian McFadden hit the links
From footballing royalty to Olympians and reality TV stars, the celebrities were out in force at Trump International Links. A day after US President Donald Trump had opened the new course at the Aberdeenshire venue, it was the turn of some more familiar faces to tee it up at the Cardhu Celebrity Pro-Am. The pro-am is the appetiser before the Legends Tour's flagship tournament – the Staysure PGA Seniors Championship gets under way on Thursday morning – but has become a popular event in its own right among golf fans in the north-east. Irish pop singer Brian McFadden, who rose to fame with Westlife, described the Trump International Links course as 'a real jewel'. He said: 'This is my third or fourth time here. I have great memories as I won here three years ago to qualify for the Legends Tour's grand final in Mauritius. 'In my opinion, this is one of the best golf courses in the world. 'For a links golf course to have that kind of condition on the greens and the fairways is just phenomenal. 'The Scottish people always make us feel so welcome and spoil us rotten. 'It is a really tough field as a lot of the celebrities are very good. 'Robbie Fowler is the most consistent. You never see him far from the top of the leaderboard. 'Keith Duffy is always up there, Teddy Sheringham is a very good golfer and Andriy Shevchenko is incredible. 'It is a tough field – I know when I tee off I won't be winning.' Legendary British athlete Kriss Akabusi was also loving being back in Aberdeenshire for the Legends Tour event. The celebrities were all playing for a nominated charity, with £10,000 going to the winner, £7,500 for second place and £2,500 for third. Akabusi said: 'I always love coming here. It's not the easiest course to play but it is always beautiful. 'I really like the layout of the 12th hole, it's definitely one of my favourites on the course. 'It's important to enjoy yourself and not try to be something that you're not. 'It's great to play the course alongside someone like my playing partner Rich Beem (winner of the 2002 US PGA Championship who now works as an analyst for Sky Sports). 'I told him I had listened to him talk about golf so many times on the TV so it's great to say I have now played a round alongside him.' Former Liverpool and Republic of Ireland defender Jason McAteer says playing golf has helped him adjust to life after football. McAteer, who plays off a very impressive handicap of 1.5, said: 'I came up on Monday with Robbie Fowler and we played Murcar on Tuesday, which was a stunning place. 'I really enjoy my golf. 'When you finish playing football there is a massive void in your life. 'You still have that competitive edge. You want to get better at something and have that discipline. 'Golf is perfect for that. I live on a golf course in Cheshire. That was the compromise with my missus when we moved house. 'I get to go out and play golf most evenings. I like the social side of it. It keeps my mind right.' Teddy Sheringham, a Champions League winner with Manchester United, has also turned to golf and plays off four. He said: 'This is my second time here and I absolutely love it. 'It is stunning and great to play with players such as my pro-am partner Paul McGinley. 'I played Royal Aberdeen a couple of years ago. You have a great word for the fog up here – the haar – and unfortunately that came in and we only got to play about 12 holes but I really liked that course. 'My own golf is up and down but I'm playing a lot. I just spent a couple of days at Loch Lomond, which was stunning. 'It doesn't get much better than playing golf on courses like this.' Former Hibernian manager Alan Stubbs pipped Ukraine legend Andriy Shevchenko to victory in the celebrity pro-am on countback with a winning score of 38 stableford points. The first round of the Staysure PGA Seniors Championship starts at 7.30am with Englishman David Salisbury getting play under way. Host Colin Montgomerie and his playing partner and fellow European Ryder Cup legend Paul McGinley tee off at 8.25am. Aberdeen's Paul Lawrie, the 1999 Open champion, tees off at 1.36pm alongside Englishman Anthony Wall.
Time Out
5 hours ago
- Time Out
Facebook Marketplace is popping up IRL on Melrose Avenue later this month
For one day this month, the digital world goes delightfully analog when Facebook Marketplace jumps off your screen and into the Melrose Trading Post, nestling alongside vintage racks, artisan trinkets and curious Angeleno scavengers. It all happens on Sunday, August 31, when Facebook Marketplace shows up IRL with a full-blown pop-up takeover. We're already assuming there will be a line of people trying to haggle down the $6 admission fee the same way they try to chip away at the price of literally everything on Marketplace. Get to this special edition of the weekly event early this weekend, because "Remix Lab" is your first stop, where you might score a free garment sourced from Facebook Marketplace, curated by Katie Chambers of Lue Studios and Marketplace seller BG. Or stop by after picking through the on-site vinyl offerings to create your own free remix. Fashionistas can walk into the 'Styling Sesh + Portrait Studio,' where stylist Harper Slate will elevate your fit the same way she dressed Charlie XCX for her Grammys performance. Then head over to a vibrant photo setup with customizable lighting and backdrops for a profile-pic moment courtesy of local photographer Thalia Gochez. If you're not a fan of second-hand clothes (we see you, germaphobes), you can head straight for a sweet treat at Sad Girl Creamery, snag a brand-new, L.A.-exclusive T-shirt or craft a cute keepsake with friends. Meanwhile, local Facebook Marketplace sellers will be milling about with their vintage visions, from oversized moto jackets to one-of-a-kind artifacts begging to come home with you. Once those caffeine cravings kick in, just grab a complimentary cup from Stereoscope Coffee at their Hollywood location off Santa Monica Boulevard. The Melrose Trading Post pop-up is the first stop on Facebook's cross-country road trip, intended to bring the best of the app for people to experience in real life. So mark your calendars for Sunday, August 31, from 10am to 6pm, at 7850 Melrose Avenue. It's that rare kind of weekend event that feels both effortless and curated, spontaneous and well-planned. Just a little less phone-centric than usual.
Daily Mail
7 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Natalie Portman becomes frontrunner to play Sinead O'Connor in biopic about her life
Natalie Portman is reportedly the frontrunner to play Sinead O'Connor in a biopic about her life. The Irish Grammy-winning singer passed away from natural causes at the age of 56 in July 2023 - just 18 months after the death of her son. In the days leading up to her tragic passing, Sinead was rumoured to be deep in discussions for a biopic inspired by her life. Now, Natalie is said to be in the running to take on the role, with a source telling The Sun: 'Natalie is the actress the filmmakers want to play Sinéad. 'They think she is the spit of Sinéad in terms of her physicality but as an actress, they know she has the strength and power to do justice to Sinéad.' Earlier this week, Variety reported that Irish production company ie: entertainment, which executive produced the O'Connor documentary is behind the film. Daily Mail has contacted Natalie Portman's representative for comment. The film was previously have said to have been based on her June 2021 autobiography Rememberings. According to insiders in 2023, the iconic artist had been considering a star-studded cast for the pivotal role, which included Hollywood's Demi Moore. Irish actress Saoirse Ronan was also in the running to play an earlier stage in Sinead's life as well as Niamh Algar. A source explained that when exploring initial concepts for the film, Sinead liked the idea of a 'triptych approach' and envisioned a film that would spotlight three distinct actresses. They added that this creative direction playfully alluded to the Catholic Church's symbolic trinity of father, son, and the Holy Ghost and added a touch of satire into the narrative. An inquest into Sinead son Shane's death in November said the pair had a 'complex and turbulent' relationship but were also very close and 'in some way dependent on each other throughout their lives.' The body of Shane O'Connor, 17, was found in a secluded area at the back of a housing estate outside Bray, Co Wicklow on January 7, 2022 less than 24 hours after he was reported missing from Tallaght University Hospital in Dublin. The Nothing Compares 2 U singer, who formally identified her son's body to gardaí, died suddenly herself from natural causes just 18 months later in London. At the time of Shane's death, he was due to be under supervised 24/7 one-to-one care. A sitting of Dublin District Coroner's Court heard the teenager had been brought to the emergency department by his mother on December 29, 2021 after a drug overdose, in what was believed to be an attempted suicide. Sinead O'Connor's father Sean described how his daughter and Shane were 'very close.' 'They loved each other madly,' he observed. Mr O'Connor outlined how the singer was also suffering mental health issues around the same time of her son's death.
