Ed Sheeran Victory: Songwriters Are Not Piggybanks

Ed Sheeran was cleared in court of copyright infringement that the estate of Marvin Gaye alleged. The song in question is Sheeran’s 2014 hit “Thinking Out Loud” and whether it had too much similarity to the 1973 Marvin Gaye and Ed Townsend’s hit, “Let’s Get It On.” The victory is significant not only for Sheeran but also for the entire songwriting industry.

This was an unnecessary trial brought by two attorneys who saw one thing: profit. A songwriter’s original work and gain should not be shaken like a piggybank. However, money and power-hungry attorneys aren’t quitting their jobs. As long as there is a courtroom, legitimate songwriters are vulnerable to this type of exploitation by lawyers, which is not good for music.