Ed Sheeran, the popular singer, might quit music if he loses his ongoing copyright trial. The trial involves the heirs of Ed Townsend, the songwriter who composed Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On," alleging that Sheeran copied the song's harmonic progressions, melodic and rhythmic elements in his hit "Thinking Out Loud" released in 2014.
However, Sheeran has denied the allegations and even took the stand in his defense. He testified that he wrote "Thinking Out Loud" based on his own experiences and played his guitar in court to demonstrate his songwriting. He disagreed with the testimony of the plaintiffs' expert witness, who claimed that the chords in "Thinking Out Loud" were "virtually identical" to those in "Let's Get It On."
According to Sheeran, the chords used in his song are common and are used in several other songs. He also clarified that he had never heard "Let's Get It On" before writing "Thinking Out Loud."
The verdict of the case is expected to be announced in the coming weeks, and if Sheeran loses, he might have to pay millions of dollars in damages. He has mentioned that he would be unable to afford such a sum and may have to quit music..
Sheeran is set to release his new album, "=' on October 29, which is his first album in five years.