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English singer Ed Sheeran left fans concerned after he said he would retire from his music career if he loses his trial for alleged copyright infringement over his 2014 single Thinking Out Loud. The 32-year-old British singer appeared in court for the fifth day on May 2, 2023, and expressed his frustrations with the allegations.
The lawsuit was filed by Structured Asset Sales, which bought a third of the rights of Let's Get It On in 2018, from the family of Ed Townsend. Townsend co-wrote the song with Marvin Gaye in 1973. The lawsuit against Sheeran states that Sheeran's song had directly copied parts of the 1973 song.
Outside a Manhattan Court where the trial is taking place, Sheeran was asked what he would do if the court found that the two songs were similar. According to the New York Post, he said that if that were to happen, he was "done," and that he was "stopping," and added:
“I find it really insulting to work my whole life as a singer-songwriter and diminish it.”
Ed Sheeran is getting sued by Kathryn Townsend Griffin — the daughter of the late Ed Townsend.
As per People Magazine, Sheeran was also questioned by Townsend Griffin's lawyer, Robert Frank. After answering a few questions, the singer complained about the lawyer's way of digging up answers. He said that the lawyer was trying to diminish his success and noted that Thinking Out Loud was his first Grammy.
However, Sheeran's admission of retiring from the music industry, if found guilty, left several fans concerned and saddened.
Twitter reactions on Ed Sheeran's statement about retiring if found guilty
After Ed Sheeran's statement that he would be retiring if found guilty went viral, Twitterati expressed concern. Several users pointed out copyright laws in the country and demanded they be altered.
Some also said that taking inspiration didn't mean that the song was plagiarized. Meanwhile, others noted that Sheeran was going through a lot in his personal life as he recently lost his grandmother and even found out that his wife had cancer. They said that the singer couldn't seem to catch a break at all.
Others slammed Marvin Gaye's estate for trying to dig up money from the singer and stated that the music industry would suffer a huge loss if Sheeran quits.
Woman who accused Ed Sheeran of copyright infringement collapsed in the court
During the trial, Ed Townsend's daughter, Kathryn Townsend Griffin, fainted in Manhattan's courtroom on May 3, 2023. She collapsed after Ed Sheeran's lawyers began cross-questioning a music expert testifying about the song's composition.
As per the New York Post, a few men lifted her with her arms and legs in the gallery before she was taken out of court on a stretcher for medical attention.
The incident halted the trial for approximately seven minutes as Griffin was taken out of the courtroom.
After that, Ed Sheeran's lawyer, Ilene Farkas, questioned musicologist Alexander Stewart, who stated that Thinking Out Loud had “the same harmonic rhythm,” as Martin Gaye's song.
