Ed Sheeran weighs in on music copyright laws in “Thinking Out Loud” trial interview.

English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran recently appeared on CBS Sunday Morning to discuss his new album, The Sum of It All, and his recent victory in court over the copyright lawsuit that was filed against his 2014 hit, “Thinking Out Loud.” In an interview with Seth Doane, Sheeran spoke about the lawsuit, stating, “There’s like four chords that get used in pop songs. And if you just think mathematically the likelihood of this song having the same chords as this song—there’s multiple, multiple songs—it’s all the same four chords … you are going to get this with every single pop song from now on. Unless it just stops, which I don’t think it does because it’s a big money business to take things to court. But you can only get caught out if you’ve done something wrong, and I have not done something wrong. I used four chords that are very common cords to use.”

## The Lawsuit

The “Thinking Out Loud” lawsuit was filed in 2016 by the family of Ed Townsend, co-writer of Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On,” after the judgement in the Gaye estate’s suit against Pharrell and Robin Thicke over “Blurred Lines.” The lawsuit alleged that Sheeran plagiarized elements of “Let’s Get It On” for “Thinking Out Loud.”

In 2019, the trial date was delayed due to a Manhattan district judge waiting for results in a similar copyright case involving Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven.” Led Zeppelin ultimately won their case, and the judge ruled that plaintiffs must prove that a work is “virtually identical” to their own to prove infringement. In 2023, the case was finally resolved in Sheeran’s favor.

## Criticism and Popularity

Sheeran is no stranger to copyright lawsuits, as he was previously sued over his song “Photograph.” He settled the case and credited the original songwriters. In addition, Sheeran recently fought and won a plagiarism lawsuit over his song “Shape of You.”

Sheeran reflected on the criticism he has received throughout his career: “I used to care a lot because I spent my whole life trying to become successful,” he said. “But you’re not always going to be everything to everyone. Like I’ve never really been a critical darling, but I don’t know, I think it’s more challenging to write pop music than any other kind of music.”

## Personal Struggles

While on the show, Sheeran also discussed recent personal struggles, including the death of a friend and his wife’s health issues. When asked about lyrics in his songs that seem to point to discomfort in his own skin, Sheeran responded: “Yeah. But that’s the human. You’re talking to the artist right now. The artist who can stand on stage in front of 110,000 people in Melbourne is not the same person that has anxiety and insecurity and depression.”

## Conclusion

In conclusion, the recent CBS Sunday Morning interview with Ed Sheeran provides insight into the challenges and controversies that can surround popular music. While Sheeran has faced criticism and lawsuits over alleged infringements in his music, he maintains that he is innocent and is taking steps to ensure originality in his work. In addition, he recognizes the personal struggles that come with the limelight and is willing to be vulnerable in his music. Regardless of the criticism, Sheeran remains a popular artist, highlighting the importance of integrity and authenticity in music.