Ed Sheeran Sued For $20 Million Copyright Lawsuit Over "Photograph"
The UK singer is the latest artist to be hit with copyright infringement.
UK pop singer Ed Sheeran has become the latest musician faced with legal issues, claiming that one of his biggest hits might not be entirely all of his making. In a lawsuit filed by two songwriters, they claim that much of the chorus in his song “Photograph” is taken from their works, and they want to be paid.
Martin Harrington and Tom Leonard filed the lawsuit in Los Angeles on Wednesday (June 8), seeking a reported $20 million as damages and an excess of unpaid royalties from the song. According to Harrington and Leonard, the chorus of Sheeran’s “Photograph” and Cardle’s “Amazing” share 39 identical notes. They also claim the two songs utilize similar overall structures, melodic rhythms and harmonies. Included in the court documents is a side-by-side comparison of the written composition of the songs.
The songwriters are represented by Nashville attorney Richard Busch, who memorably helped Marvin Gaye’s family win a multi-million dollar copyright lawsuit over Robin Thicke’s 2013 hit single “Blurred Lines.”
“My clients are professional songwriters,” Busch said in a statement, per NBC News. “Their work is their life, and I am honored that they have trusted me with this very important case.”
“Photograph” was just one of the many globally-successful hits from Sheeran’s latest album, X, which itself topped charts everywhere. His team has yet to comment on the matter.