The plaintiff, Kathryn Griffin Townsend, did not appear in court on Thursday due to an ongoing health issue, although she is hoping to attend court again soon. The lawsuit is based on the plaintiffs’ argument that “Let’s Get It On” and “Thinking Out Loud” are based on the same four chords.
In an effort to dispute this, the defense played a video that demonstrated the same four chords can form the basis for many songs, including “Don’t Stop Believin’,” “With or Without You,” “Poker Face,” and “Take on Me.”
The trial will continue on Monday, with Sheeran due to undergo cross-examination. Sheeran, along with Warner Music Group and Sony Music Publishing, is being sued by three heirs of songwriter Ed Townsend, who co-wrote “Let’s Get It On” with Marvin Gaye in 1973. The case highlights the ongoing legal issue of what constitutes copyright infringement in the music industry.
