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Ed Sheeran Threatens to Quit Music If He Loses Copyright Trial
Ed Sheeran may be done with music if he loses his copyright trial.
The singer-songwriter is currently being sued for alleged copyright infringement over his 2014 hit “Thinking Out Loud.” The heirs of Ed Townsend, one of the co-writers on Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On,” have accused him of plagiarizing elements of the 1973 soul classic for his Grammy-winning single.
Taking the stand in Manhattan federal court on Monday, Sheeran denied claims he infringed upon the song and even threatened to quit music if found guilty.
“If that happens, I’m done, I’m stopping,” Sheeran said while addressing the toll the trial has taken on him (via Daily Mail).
“I find it really insulting to devote my whole life to being a performer and a songwriter and have someone diminish it,” he added.
Sheeran is being sued by Townsend’s heirs, who claim “Thinking Out Loud” bears “striking similarities” and “overt common elements” to “Let’s Get It On.” They are seeking $100 million in damages.
Video footage played in the courtroom showed Sheeran mashing up the two songs during a show, which Townsend’s lawyer Ben Crump described as a “confession.”
“If I’d done what you’re accusing me of doing, I’d be an idiot to stand on stage in front of 20,000 people [and do that],” Sheeran said in response to the allegations. “It is my belief that most pop songs are built on building blocks that have been freely available for 100s of years.”
According to the Associated Press, Sheeran’s lawyer told the court that he and co-writer Amy Wadge “created this heartfelt song without copying ‘Let’s Get It On.'”
Sheeran is gearing up to release his new album Subtract on Friday. He has announced a series of intimate theater shows across North America amid his stadium tour, which kicks off May 6.