#TheWeeklyRoundUp - 05.05.23

Ed Sheeran Wins Marvin Gaye Copyright Infringement Trial (Music Business Worldwide)

Ed Sheeran has won a major legal copyright battle over his hit song, Thinking Out Loud.

After a two-week trial, the verdict was handed down on Thursday (May 4) by a Manhattan jury, ruling that Sheeran did not infringe on the copyright of the Marvin Gaye classic, Let’s Get It On.

ABC News reports that the jury reached its decision after around three hours of deliberations.

The decision marks the culmination of a years-long copyright battle between Sheeran and the heirs of Ed Townsend, a songwriter who co-wrote the 1973 track.

Townsend’s heirs, in a lawsuit initially filed in 2016, accused Sheeran of copying elements of the Marvin Gaye song in Thinking Out Loud, released in 2014.

The final testimony was heard in court on Wednesday (May 3), where US District Court Judge Louis Stanton told a Manhattan jury that “independent creation is a complete defense, no matter how similar that song is.”

Stanton’s statement follows a lengthy exchange of evidence where both sides debated on the likeness of another song to Thinking Out Loud — Georgy Girl, a 1967 smash by Australian folk-pop group, The Seekers, Insider reports.

Georgy Girl was brought in as evidence by Dr. Lawrence Ferrara, an expert musicologist called by Sheeran’s team, to show that Let’s Get It On and Thinking Out Loud use a common chord progression.

Ferrara reportedly told jurors that Thinking Out Loud uses chords and rhythms that are commonplace “building blocks” of pop music.

Two other songs were cited by Ferrera to have shared the same chord progressions: The Contours’ 1962 hit, Do You Love Me (Now That I Can Dance), and a 1966 cover of The Temptations’ Since I Lost My Baby.

But the plaintiff’s lawyer, Attorney Patrick Frank, argued that these songs are “highly obscure” recordings and that Ferrara had to go to “extreme lengths” to find only four examples of the chord-rhythm pattern shared by the songs in the litigation.

“Doesn’t that suggest that Let’s Get It On is rather novel, or unique?” Frank asked Ferrara, according to Insider.

Townsend’s musicologist Dr. Alexander Stewart, told jurors that 70% of Thinking Out Loud is derived from Let’s Get It On, Insider reports.

On Tuesday, Sheeran blasted the Tonwsend team’s musicologist, saying Steward gave a “horrible depiction” of Thinking Out Loud.

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Here's everything you need to know about the Metro FM Music Awards (News24) There are just a few hours to go until the much-publicised Metro FM Music Awards take place for the first time after a five-year hiatus. The awards, last staged in 2017, takes place on Saturday, 6 May, at Mbombela Stadium in Mpumalanga. The Metro FM Music Awards were initially scheduled to take place on Saturday, 29 April however, the SABC announced in March it was postponed due to "circumstances beyond our control". Here's what you need to know about SA music's big night: Tickets Tickets for the Metro FM Music Awards main show can be purchased from Computicket. Prices range between R150 and R500. You can also buy tickets for the Pre-Party at The Prestige Lifestyle Grand on Friday, 5 May, the After Party which will take place at the stadium, and Love Movement on Sunday 7 May at the Nelspruit Rugby Stadium Precinct Voting While voting lines have closed, the public can still vote for their favourite nominee in the Song of the Year category until 21:00 on Saturday. Voting lines for the other categories closed on Sunday, 30 April. Song of the Year category nominees K.O for Sete AKA for Lemons (Lemonade) Konke & Musa Keys for Kancane Aymos for Fatela Big Nuz for Ngeke Kabza De Small for Khusela Betusile Mcinga for Ngena Noah Gaba Cannal for Healer Ntliziyo Yam Sjava for Isoka Wanitwa Mos for Sofa Silahlane Where to watch Those who cannot attend the awards show can watch the live broadcast on SABC1 (DStv 191) or stream the ceremony on SABC+ and Metro FM's YouTube channel from 20:00. The hosts This year's awards ceremony is hosted by Metro FM presenter Lerato Kganyago and TV presenter Katlego Maboe. Per a statement by the radio station, the decision to appoint the two is based on "their skills as sought-after hosts who are able to carry events of this calibre". "The two presenters exude class and high energy, elements that embody the prestigious Metro FM Awards." Zanele Potelwa and Alphi Mkhwanazi will host the black carpet and Somizi and Mpumi Mlambo are the hosts behind the black curtain.