Is Ed Sheeran being sued? Marvin Gaye copyright lawsuit explained 

Singer Ed Sheeran is set to stand trial at the Manhattan Federal Court in Foley Square, Manhattan, New York. The trial is based on charges of copyright infringement brought by the estate of Ed Townsend against the pop singer. The singer stands accused of copying Marvin Gaye and Ed Townsend's iconic single Let's Get It On and using it in his own single, Thinking Out Loud.

The allegations against the pop-singer was filed by Townsend's daughter Kathryn Townsend-Griffin, his sister Helen McDonald, as well as the estate of his late wife, Cherrigale.

The lawsuit was filed just two years after Marvin Gaye's children successfully sued Pharrell Williams and Robin Thicke for copyright infringement. The children had accused Williams and Robin of copying the song Got To Give It Up.

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Ed Sheeran in trouble over song similarities

The lawsuit filed by Ed Townsend's family charges the singer with violating the U.S.C. 107 civil code, and states:

"The Defendents copied the "heart" of Let's and repeated it continuously throughout Thinking - this incontrovertible musical similarity has been observed by music industry professionals previously, as embodied by various social media posts and articles about the matter."

Stating the accusation, the court file continues:

"Most notably, directly addressed in a featured article in the music industry publication, Spin Magazine. As such, there can be no legitimate question that the melodic, harmonic and rthymic compositions of Thinking are not the product of independent creation."

To further compound the gravity of the charges facing Ed Sheeran, the firm that owns the rights to Gaye's songs, Structured Assets Sales, LLC, have filed their own lawsuit against Ed Sheeran and his backers for copyright infringement.

The Structured Assets Sales, LLC lawsuit, representing the Pullman LLC group, states:

“Thinking Out Loud” copies various elements of “Let’s Get it On,” including but not limited to the melody, rhythms, harmonies, drums, bass line, backing chorus, tempo, syncopation and looping."

The document continues:

"Plaintiff brings this action for copyright infringement under 17 U.S.C.§101, 501 et seq., arising from the Defendants' unauthorized reproduction, distribution and/or public performance of the infringing composition."

Ed Sheeran and his label are set to lose more than $100 million, if not more, from just one of the lawsuits, as well as possibly losing the rights to some of the pop-singer's biggest hits.

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More about Ed Sheeran, his career, and his legal issues

Ed Sheeran first had copyright issues with Matt Cardle over the song Photograph. Back then, Cardle had claimed that the Sheeran song was a complete copy of the chorus of his own track, Amazing. The claim was settled out of court over an undisclosed amount.

Ed Sheeran was also accused of copyright infringement over his song Shape of You by Sami Chokri and Ross O'Donoghue, who claimed that the song was a copy in part of their 2015 song Oh Why. Sheeran won the case in court.

Aside from his legal issues, the singer is best known for his music, particularly his third studio album in the mathematical album sequences, ÷, which was a critical success upon release, becoming a chart topper on all major album charts internationally, including the French, German, US and Swedish charts.

The singer is also the founder of a music label, Gingerbread Man Records, which has a distribution deal with Warner Group, and is currently host to artists Jamie Lawson, Foy Vance, and Maisie Peters.