Ed Sheeran Opens Up About Feeling Exploited During ‘Thinking Out Loud’ Legal Battle
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In May 2023, a court determined that Ed Sheeran was not responsible for copying core elements of Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On.”
Ed Sheeran has opened up about feeling taken advantage of after facing multiple copyright lawsuits over his 2014 hit “Thinking Out Loud.”
In an interview for TIME’s April 16 TIME100 cover story, the “Shivers” artist reflected on the lengthy legal ordeal sparked by claims his song bore too much resemblance to Marvin Gaye’s 1973 classic “Let’s Get It On.”
During that period, Sheeran, 34, said he often felt like he was being treated like a “piggy bank,” shaken for money by other songwriters.
But once the legal dust settled, he felt an immense sense of relief. “Now that it’s all behind me, everyone’s finally left me the f— alone,” he shared. “It’s like a huge weight’s been lifted.”
In November 2024, Ed Sheeran successfully defended his case in a copyright appeal, convincing the court to stand by its earlier ruling that he had not violated the rights to Marvin Gaye’s iconic track.
According to Billboard, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit concluded that the two songs only shared basic musical elements—such as chord structures and rhythm patterns—that are too generic to be claimed by any one songwriter.
The legal action was brought by Structured Asset Sales, a company holding a partial interest in the rights to Gaye’s song. They alleged that Sheeran had borrowed a chord progression and rhythm from “Let’s Get It On.”
Since its 2014 release, “Thinking Out Loud” has been at the center of multiple legal challenges. The first major lawsuit came in 2017 from the family of Ed Townsend, who co-wrote the Gaye hit. Townsend’s daughter, Kathryn Griffin Townsend, served as the main plaintiff in the civil case.
That trial came to a close in May 2023, when a jury found Sheeran not liable for copyright infringement.
Following the verdict, Ed Sheeran shared with PEOPLE that he felt validated by the outcome. “It feels like the truth was acknowledged,” said the “Shape of You” singer. “It’s a relief to finally move forward—though it’s unfortunate things had to escalate to this point.”
In November 2024, Structured Asset Sales (SAS) launched a new legal claim, this time focusing on the sound recording of “Let’s Get It On” rather than the sheet music. However, proceedings were paused while the earlier lawsuit played out.
Speaking with PEOPLE, Sheeran’s attorney, Donald Zakarin, expressed satisfaction with the result, saying he and his clients were “gratified” by the court’s ruling.