Ed Sheeran wins his copyright trial. Here are 10 other hits that were accused of being copycats

Ed Sheeran has just won the high-profile case in which he was accused of copying elements from the 1973 classic “Let’s Get It On.”

After a two-week trial, a jury has decided that the British pop artist’s “Thinking Out Loud” did not plagiarize the Marvin Gaye song.

The heirs of Ed Townsend, who co-wrote the tune with Marvin Gaye, had sued Sheeran.

With artists being accused of stealing from other songs to write their hits in what seems to be an increasing rate, experts told the Star the verdict could have “major repercussions” for the industry.

Here are 10 other hits that have faced copyright accusations.

Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams lose lawsuit over “Blurred Lines”

In 2015, Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams were notoriously found to have copied Marvin Gaye’s 1977 hit “Got to Give It Up” to write their controversial 2013 sensation “Blurred Lines.” The singers denied copying Gaye, and made an appeal, but lost in a split decision from a three-judge panel. In 2018, Gaye’s children were awarded more than US$5 million.

Ed Sheeran wins in copyright trial over “Shape of You”

This isn’t Sheeran’s first copyright rodeo — he’s been taken to court before over copyright accusations and won then too. In 2022, the artist won a lawsuit during which he was accused of having copied British artist Sami Switch’s song “Oh Why” to create Sheeran’s 2017 hit “Shape of You.”

In a response posted to social media after the verdict, Sheeran said we “have become a culture where a claim is made with the idea that a settlement will be cheaper than taking it to court, even if there is no basis for the claim.”

“It’s really damaging to the songwriting industry,” he said then.

Katy Perry wins appeal over a copyright verdict for “Dark Horse”

In 2020, Katy Perry was ordered to pay $2.8 million over a decision that she had copied a Christian rap song in making her hit “Dark Horse.” The rapper, Marcus Gray, claimed in a 2014 suit that Perry had plagiarized an eight-note riff from one of his songs. However, Perry won her appeal in 2022, when a judge found the tune was not “particularly unique or rare,” the BBC reported.

Olivia Rodrigo gave writing credits, royalties to Paramore for “good 4 u”

The saga of these copyright accusations started with fans mashing up Olivia Rodrigo’s “good 4 u” with Paramore’s “Misery Business,” and it ended up with the “Sour” singer giving Hayley Williams and Joshua Farro of Paramore writing credits and royalties, according to Billboard. Variety later reported, however, that the two were actually in talks before the release of “good 4 u,” and the credit is actually an interpolation.

Avril Lavigne settled lawsuit over “Girlfriend”

In 2008, Avril Lavigne and ‘70s rock band the Rubinoos reached a private settlement over the Canadian singer’s “Girlfriend,” The Canadian Press reported. Although Lavigne said she had never heard the song and her manager said he consulted a musicologist who found no similarities, the band claimed she copied their 1979 song “I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend.”

Queen and David Bowie sued Vanilla Ice for “Ice Ice Baby”

The 1990 track, “Ice Ice Baby,” which sampled “Under Pressure,” was the target of a high-profile lawsuit that was ultimately settled out of court. In the end, Queen and David Bowie were given songwriting credits and an undisclosed amount of money. More recently, Vanilla Ice revealed that he actually bought the rights to the duo’s song.

Led Zeppelin settled suit for “Bring It On Home” and “Whole Lotta Love”

Blues musician and songwriter Willie Dixon brought forth two lawsuits against Led Zeppelin, arguing the tracks ripped off the ones he wrote, “Bring It On Home” and “You Need Love.” Both cases were settled, and songwriting credit was given to Dixon on the songs.

Lawsuit over Childish Gambino’s “This is America” dismissed

In 2021, Donald Glover was sued for his song “This is America” as rapper Kidd Wes said the song plagiarized his own 2016 tune “Made in America.” This March, a New York federal court dismissed the case, Pitchfork reported.

The Verve lost all royalties to “Bitter Sweet Symphony”

The Verve was famously sued for their global 1997 hit “Bitter Sweet Symphony,” which used a sample of an orchestral version of the Rolling Stones’ song “The Last Time.” By the end of the dispute, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards got writing credits on the song and The Verve lost all their royalties. It wasn’t until 2019 that The Verve’s Richard Ashcroft announced Jagger and Richards had transferred their publishing rights back and removed their songwriting credits in a “kind and magnanimous gesture.”

George Harrison plagiarized a song with his hit “My Sweet Lord”

Even a former Beatle has been accused of copying another artist’s creation. Harrison was found to have “subconsciously” plagiarized the 1962 John Mack song “He’s So Fine” for his “My Sweet Lord.”

“I conclude,” the judge said, that the composer, “in seeking musical materials to clothe his thought … there came to the surface of his mind a particular combination that pleased him as being one he felt would be appealing to a prospective listener.” Mr. Harrison’s subconscious mind, Judge Owen said, “knew this combination of sounds would work because it already had worked in a song his conscious mind did not remember.’

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