US Supreme Court rejects bid to revive copyright suit over Ed Sheeran hit 'Thinking Out Loud'
Singer Ed Sheeran performs on NBC's \"Today\" show at Rockefeller Center in New York, U.S., June 6, 2023. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo
Ed Sheeran poses on the red carpet as he attends the 66th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, California, U.S., February 4, 2024. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni/File Photo
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Supreme Court turned away on Monday a bid to revive a copyright infringement lawsuit accusing pop star Ed Sheeran of unlawfully copying from the late singer Marvin Gaye's 1973 classic "Let's Get It On" in his 2014 hit song "Thinking Out Loud."
The justices declined to hear an appeal by Structured Asset Sales, a company owned by investment banker David Pullman that has a copyright interest in Gaye's song, of a judge's decision to dismiss the case. The company had sued Sheeran, his record label Warner Music and music publisher Sony Music Publishing, seeking monetary damages over alleged similarities between the two songs.
Gaye, who died in 1984, collaborated with singer-songwriter Ed Townsend, who died in 2003, to write "Let's Get It On," which topped the Billboard charts. Sheeran's "Thinking Out Loud" peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2015.
Structured Asset Sales owns a share of the rights to "Let's Get It On" that previously belonged to Townsend. Its lawsuit accused Sheeran of misusing copyrighted elements of "Let's Get It On" including its melody, harmony and rhythm.
U.S. District Judge Louis Stanton decided in 2023 that the musical elements that Sheeran was accused of copying were too common to merit copyright protection.
The New York-based 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheldthe decision last year. The 2nd Circuit also rejected the Structured Asset Sales argument that Stanton should have considered elements of "Let's Get It On" that were not found in the "deposit copy" of the song's sheet music submitted to the U.S. Copyright Office.
In a 2023 trial in a separate copyright lawsuit over the same issue filed by Townsend's heirs, a jury in Manhattan federal court ruled in favor of Sheeran.
"It's devastating to be accused of stealing someone else's song when we've put so much work into our livelihoods," Sheeran said outside the courthouse following that verdict.
Structured Asset Sales has filed another lawsuit against Sheeran based on its rights to the audio recording of "Let's Get It On." That case is currently on hold. REUTERS
Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
21 hours ago
- Straits Times
Actress Michelle Yeoh sees Ne Zha 2 movie as homage to Chinese mythology
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Michelle Yeoh voices the mother of titular character Nezha for the English dub of Chinese animated film Ne Zha 2. LOS ANGELES - For Malaysian actress Michelle Yeoh, it is time for Hollywood to focus more on Asian mythological characters like the ones showcased in Chinese movie Ne Zha 2 (2025), which has become the highest-grossing animated film in history worldwide. 'They're warriors and demigods,' Yeoh told Reuters. The 63-year-old, who made history as the first Asian to win the Best Actress Oscar for her role in the science-fiction comedy Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022), voices the mother of the titular wide-eyed demon-child Nezha for the English dub of Ne Zha 2. 'I guess it's like Zeus, you know, and Thor, but these are ours,' Yeoh said. 'And I think that's very important because when you learn about another culture's myths, you have a nice, deeper understanding, and it teaches you to embrace something that is different.' Ne Zha 2, distributed by A24, follows the events of the first film, Ne Zha (2019). In the new film, the souls of Nezha and dragon prince Ao Bing work to regain their physical bodies and protect their families. The original film grossed over US$700 million (S$900 million) worldwide. The English-dubbed version of the fantasy film directed by Chinese film-maker Yang Yu and based on Chinese novelist Xu Zhonglin's 16th-century novel Investiture Of The Gods, arrives in American cinemas on Aug 22. The sequel, originally in Mandarin, made waves when it overtook Pixar's Inside Out 2 (2024) in February to become the highest-grossing animated film globally in history, according to data from ticketing platform Maoyan. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Singapore Parliament releases seating plan for 15th term: Find out who is sitting where Singapore 3 people taken to hospital after fire at Bukit Purmei flat Singapore 3 Sengkang Green Primary pupils suspended for bullying classmate, with 1 of them caned: MOE Life Why should we bear the burden of budget meals and app discounts, some hawkers ask Singapore There's no 'I' in team: What PM Wong's National Day Rally message means for Singapore Business Great Eastern shares open at $13.50 after year-long suspension, bonus issue World Israel says it has taken first steps of military operation in Gaza City Opinion How not to use AI is a skill Singapore must master Ne Zha 2 has amassed a total box office of 12.3 billion yuan (S$2.2 billion), including pre-sales and overseas earnings, making it the eighth highest grossing box office film globally in history. While Yeoh emphasises the cultural richness of the film, she wants audiences of all walks of life to understand that the most important thing is that it is 'a beautiful story'. 'I think we should stop seeing it as, 'Oh it's a Chinese film,'' she added. The Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) actress recalled watching the movie for the first time and not being able to tear her eyes away from the screen. 'You're going up to the heavens. You're going down to the bottom of the seas. You see the dragons,' she said. 'You see all these kind of things, and just for that two hours - be transported.' REUTERS
Independent Singapore
3 days ago
- Independent Singapore
87% of videogame developers use AI agents following record layoffs, Google study finds
Photo: Freepik/DC Studio (for illustration purposes only) A Google Cloud survey found that 87% of video game developers now rely on artificial intelligence (AI) agents to streamline work, with most using them to handle repetitive tasks so they can focus on creative work, as the industry shifts its focus to optimising costs after record layoffs. The survey, carried out with The Harris Poll in late June and early July, asked 615 developers in the United States, South Korea, Norway, Finland and Sweden. Reuters reported that gaming publishers have turned to AI to manage rising development costs and longer production timelines, driven by high player expectations and fierce competition in the market. About 44% of respondents said they use AI agents to optimise content and quickly process text, code, voice, audio and video. Still, the use of AI in video games remains contentious, with many in the industry voicing concerns about intellectual property, job losses, and lower pay. Last year, video game performers in Hollywood went on strike over pay concerns and AI use, while more than 10,000 jobs were lost as studios shut down. In early July, Bloomberg also reported that Microsoft's gaming unit will cut about 10% of staff, affecting around 200 workers, a move the company later confirmed without giving further details. Even with the wave of job cuts, the industry is expected to pick up pace this year and next, helped by the launch of premium titles and new consoles. The survey showed that 94% of developers expect AI to lower development costs in the long run, although about a quarter said it is still difficult to measure its return on investment, and high integration costs remain a hurdle. At the same time, 63% raised concerns over data ownership, as questions around licensing and the rights to AI-generated content remain unclear. /TISG Read also: Microsoft to cut about 6,000 staff globally as AI investments push spending () => { const trigger = if ('IntersectionObserver' in window && trigger) { const observer = new IntersectionObserver((entries, observer) => { => { if ( { lazyLoader(); // You should define lazyLoader() elsewhere or inline here // Run once } }); }, { rootMargin: '800px', threshold: 0.1 }); } else { // Fallback setTimeout(lazyLoader, 3000); } });
Straits Times
4 days ago
- Straits Times
China's favourite ‘ugly' products celebrated with exhibition and awards
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Visitors at the Era Of Uglies Has Arrived exhibition in Hangzhou, China, on Aug 13. HANGZHOU – From sandals inspired by cabbage leaves to a tower of misshapen cat pillows, a new exhibition in Hangzhou is celebrating the weirdest and most aesthetically unappealing products available for sale online in China. The Era Of Uglies Has Arrived exhibition, organised for the first time this year by Alibaba-owned e-commerce giant Taobao, spotlights more than 300 products that have won or been shortlisted for the platform's annual Ugly Stuff Competition, also known as the Uglies Award. On display at the exhibition are sandals inspired by cabbage leaves. PHOTO: REUTERS The Uglies Award' s project lead Yu Hu said the exhibition attracted more than 3,000 visitors a day during its run from late July to mid-August. 'Ugly' products on Taobao have generated more than 100 million yuan (S$17.9 million) in sales since 2020, according to Alibaba, with Yu estimating current growth rates for the sector in the 'double or triple digits'. Younger consumers are fuelling the popularity of these unprepossessing products because they want to express their individuality, Yu added. As the economy languishes, they are also looking for affordable luxuries, a phenomenon known as emotional consumption. 'In recent years, emotional consumption has become more and more of a 'blue ocean', meaning it's becoming increasingly popular, turning into a new (spending) track,' Yu said. The products have won or been shortlisted for Taobao's annual Ugly Stuff Competition, also known as the Uglies Award. PHOTO: REUTERS Ugly-cute accessory Labubu is a well-known example of the phenomenon, sparking a global buying frenzy with its wide eyes and toothy grin, and winning celebrity fans including Barbadian singer Rihanna and English former footballer David Beckham. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore NDR 2025: Age Well Neighbourhoods will help improve seniors' access to healthcare, social activities Singapore NDR 2025: New govt-funded traineeship scheme for ITE, poly, university graduates Singapore NDR 2025: More avenues for S'poreans to be heard, get involved will be opened up, says PM Wong Business Singapore key exports fall worse than expected in July as shipments to US plunge 42.7% World Trump, tech and Texas: What's next for the US? Singapore N(T) students more likely to finish school, do as well in job market as N(A) peers: Study Singapore Singapore-developed device for diabetics measures long-term average blood sugar levels within 6 mins Business Asean can fend off protectionism blow by boosting integration: Singapore Business Federation chief For some visitors, the exhibition was a reflection on the meaning of beauty, while others saw it as a lesson in creative thinking. 'Ugliness is another form of beauty,' said exhibition visitor Mei Duo, 55. 'There's so much creativity, it's a special type of beauty. ' REUTERS
