Ed Sheeran Beats Second Copyright Lawsuit Over 'Thinking Out Loud’

May 16 (Reuters) – British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran on Tuesday defeated a second copyright lawsuit in federal court in Manhattan.

U.S. District Judge Louis Stanton dismissed the lawsuit brought by Structured Asset Sales LLC. Rule Portions of Sheeran’s „Let’s Get It On” were accused of infringing the most common of copyright protections.

Sheeran earlier this month won a separate jury trial over the songs in the same court.

Stanton presided over both events about co-writer Ed Townsend’s role in Gaye’s 1973 classic. Townsend’s estates failed to convince jurors that Sheeran infringed on their portion of Townsend’s copyright on the song.

Structured Asset Sales is owned by investment banker and „Bowie Bonds” creator David Pullman, and it owns a portion of Townsend’s interest in „Let’s Get It On.” It follows Sheeran, his label Warner Music Group ( WMG.O ) and his music publisher Sony Music Publishing after Townsend’s heirs filed their suit in 2018.

Stanton on Tuesday found that the combination of chord progression and harmonic rhythm in Gaye’s song is a „basic musical building block” that is too common for copyright protection.

Sheeran’s attorney Ilene Farkas called the decision „an important victory not just for Ed” and collaborator Amy Wadge, „an important victory for all songwriters and music consumers.”

Structured Asset Sales has filed another lawsuit against Sheeran, which is still pending, based on Gaye’s right to record.

Pullman told Reuters that the jury in the case will hear a recording of „Let’s Get It On,” as opposed to a computerized sheet music of the song from the Townsend trial.

„Their biggest fear, based on everything they’ve filed, is preventing the recording from coming in,” Pullman said.

(This story has been corrected to say the decision was published on Tuesday, not Wednesday, in paragraph 6)

Blake Britton’s report on Washington; Editing by Leslie Adler

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