• iconNews
  • videos
  • entertainment
  • Home
  • News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • Australia
    • Ireland
    • World News
    • Weird News
    • Viral News
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Science
    • True Crime
    • Travel
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV & Film
    • Netflix
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • TikTok
  • LAD Originals
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • Daily Ladness
    • Lad Files
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Extinct
    • Citizen Reef
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube

LAD Entertainment

YouTube

LAD Stories

Submit Your Content
Ed Sheeran claims he'll quit music altogether if found guilty of plagiarising song

Home> Entertainment

Updated 17:31 2 May 2023 GMT+1Published 08:38 2 May 2023 GMT+1

Ed Sheeran claims he'll quit music altogether if found guilty of plagiarising song

The singer is adamant he has done nothing wrong

Dominic Smithers

Dominic Smithers

Ed Sheeran has promised to quit the music industry if he's found guilty of plagiarism.

The singer has been taken to court by the Marvin Gaye estate, which claims the pop star copied one of his biggest songs.

Sheeran took the stand in New York last week, where he argued his case against Kathryn Townsend Griffin, the daughter of Ed Townsend, who worked with Gaye's on his 1973 hit, 'Let's Get It On'.

She alleges that the 32-year-old mimicked the iconic tune when creating his number one 'Thinking Out Loud' back in 2014.

She claims there are 'striking similarities' between the two tracks, as well as 'overt common elements' that violate their copyright.

Advert

Obviously, however, Sheeran has been pretty adamant that he's no cheat, and never copied anything from Gaye's back catalogue.

Ed Sheeran says he'll quit the music industry if he's found guilty.
Edna Leshowitz/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock

He said that if he were to be found in the wrong, he would call it a day on his music career.

"If that happens, I'm done, I'm stopping," he told his lawyer, Ilene Farkas.

"I find it really insulting to devote my whole life to being a performer and a songwriter and have someone diminish it."

Advert

He also faced questions from attorney Keisha Rice, who asked about another of his songs, 'Take It Back', in which he sings the words 'plagiarism is hidden'.

Attempting to defend himself, Sheeran responded: "Those are my lyrics, yep. Can I give some context to them?"

However, Rice didn't give him the opportunity, telling him that if she needed more context, she would ask him for it.

Rice then presented the singer with a video clip of a live show in which he made a medley out of 'Thinking Out Loud' and 'Let's Get It On' - a segment previously described as a smoking gun.

Sheeran argued that he sometimes made medleys out of songs with similar chords at his gigs, but when cut off by Rice, he said: "I feel like you don't want me to answer because you know that what I'm going to say is actually going to make quite a lot of sense."

Advert

The singer has been arguing his case in a New York court.
Edna Leshowitz/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock

Farkas had argued that the two songs are distinct, and that plaintiffs should not be allowed to 'monopolise' a chord progression and melody.

In an earlier court filing, the lawyers claimed: "The two songs share versions of a similar and unprotectable [sic] chord progression that was freely available to all songwriters."

While Sheeran himself told the court: "I mash up songs at lots of gigs. Many songs have similar chords. You can go from 'Let It Be' to 'No Woman No Cry' and switch back.

"And quite frankly, if I'd done what you're accusing me of doing, I'd be quite an idiot to stand on a stage in front of 20,000 people and do that."

Advert

LADbible has contacted representatives for Sheeran, Warner Music Group and Sony Music Publishing for comment.

Featured Image Credit: Edna Leshowitz/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock

Topics: Ed Sheeran, Music, UK News

Dominic Smithers
Dominic Smithers

Dominic Smithers is LADbible's Editorial Lead. After graduating from the University of Leeds with a degree in French and History, he went on to write for the Manchester Evening News, the Accrington Observer and the Macclesfield Express. So as you can imagine, he’s spent many a night wondering just how useful that second language has been. But c'est la vie.

X

@SmithersDom

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

6 hours ago
  • 6 hours ago

    Woman who partied with Noel in the 90s reveals what the Oasis brother is really like

    She says things changed around 1997

    Entertainment
  • 6 hours ago

    Lad with Oasis ticket reveals hilarious way he's going to wind up 'proper fans' at the gig

    This will really drive long-time fans wild

    Entertainment
  • 6 hours ago

    Black Sabbath fans shocked as Game of Thrones legend Jason Momoa joins moshing crowd at final gig

    He was specially recruited to be the compère at Villa Park, Birmingham, this weekend

    Entertainment
  • 6 hours ago

    Fans divided over 'terrible' Oasis show as first gig revellers complain 'they just play song after song'

    Probably tweets you wouldn't want to tag Liam in...

    Entertainment
  • Newly released photo of Johnny Depp, Russell Crowe and Ed Sheeran has got everyone talking
  • What racketeering conspiracy means as Diddy is found not guilty of most serious charge
  • Judge Rules Ed Sheeran Did Not Copy Number One Hit Shape Of You
  • Man found guilty of manslaughter after death at his ‘slapping therapy’ workshop