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Entertainer Ed Sheeran has been found not guilty of infringing on four chords used in both his song and in Marvin Gaye's hit, "Let's Get It On". The same four-chord sequence is used in a lot of songs and at a key point in the trial a musicologist testified that the same four-chord sequence has been used in popular songs many times prior to Gaye's 1973 hit. The trial took place in Manhattan in New York and the jury took only three hours to reach a unanimous decision. The two songs featured at the trial also have very different lyrics and melodies as well as different use of the common four chords. While the decision does not form a legal precedent, it is likely to affect similar cases in the future.
During her closing argument, Farkas said the case never should have been brought and that Sheeran was "unjustly accused" of copying from "Let's Get It On."
"We all benefit from artists being free to create and to build on what came before them," Farkas said, warning the jury that a verdict against Sheeran would mean "creativity will be stifled for fear of being sued."
--ABC
Also
"I am just a guy with a guitar who loves writing music for people to enjoy," he added. "I am not and will never allow myself to be a piggy bank for anyone to shake."
--New York Times
Covered by:
- Digital Music News: Ed Sheeran Found 'Not Guilty' of Copyright Infringement In "Thinking Out Loud" Court Battle — As Sighs of Relief Emanate From Music Industry Corners
- BBC: Ed Sheeran wins Thinking Out Loud copyright case
- NBC: Ed Sheeran not liable in 'Let's Get It On' copyright trial, jury finds
- CNN: Jury finds Ed Sheeran did not infringe on the copyright of 'Let's Get It On'
- ABC: Ed Sheeran wins copyright infringement lawsuit involving 'Thinking Out Loud'
- New York Times: Ed Sheeran Wins Copyright Case Over Marvin Gaye's 'Let's Get It On'
and many others.
Related:
Somebody Wants to Copyright a Rhythm – Get Ready for the Dembow Tax If They Succeed
Appeals Court Rules Led Zeppelin Did Not Steal Stairway to Heaven RiffHappy Birthday Not Copyrighted, Court Rules
M.I.A. - Double Bubble Trouble
(Score: 2) by mcgrew on Wednesday May 10, @12:47AM
Those Marvin Gaye songs wouldn't be under copyright any more and this case could never have come to trial had it not been for Sonny Bono and a corrupt judicial system.
The rich pop singer Sony Bono got himself elected to the US Senate and made a lot of friends there before suffering a rich man's death at the hands of a skiing accident most could never afford. So for the poor dead talentless pop singer, they raised the copyright length from 20 years, extendable another twenty with proper paperwork and a twenty dollar fee, to the author's life plus ninety five years, ninety five if done for a corporation, without any copyright paperwork at all unless it gets to court.
Since the constitution allows copyrights and patents for limited times anybody with two functioning brain calls can't possibly believe that a century past the author's lifetime "The Congress shall have Power To...promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries;" is in any way constitutional. A lifetime plus a century is logically and reasonably unlimited.
I thought the law was passed as a result of bribery, but when folks tell me all congressman are crooked, I say it's almost statistically impossible that 535 people would ALL be corrupt. Then I realized, they don't have to be corrupt. 535 cowards fearful of losing an election are easy prey for the likes of the Music And Film Association of America (MAFIAA). "Nice campaign, be a shame if anything happened to it. You know I'm a good citizen who gives you and your opponent both fifty million buck campaign contribution. Be a shame if he got a hundred million and you got nothing."
But they can't do that to the Supreme Court. They face no election. It's been shown public ally that Clarence Thomas broke every ethical rule the judicial system has, Except the rules don't apply to the Supreme Court! Since the other eight refuse to enact a code of ethics, I must assume all nine are as God damned dirty as Thomas.
That not only explains "Limited means whatever congress says it means" but why Citizens United ruled that a corporation is a person (who can't go to prison or be executed for any crime, only fined).
Carbon, The only element in the known universe to ever gain sentience