“Blurred Lines” loses $7m lawsuit

A jury in the United States has ruled that the writers of “Blurred Lines” - one of the best-selling singles of all time - copied a Marvin Gaye track.

Jurors in Los Angeles decided that the 2013 single by Pharrell Williams and Robin Thicke breached the copyright of Gaye's 1977 hit “Got To Give It Up”. The family of the late soul singer has been awarded $7.3m in damages.

Thicke and Williams denied copying the hit, and their lawyer said the ruling set a “horrible precedent”. Meanwhile, the Gaye family's lawyer told Rolling Stone magazine he wanted to stop the sales of Blurred Lines.

Gaye died in April 1984, leaving his children the copyright to his music. His children - Nona, Frankie and Marvin Gaye III - sued Thicke and Williams in 2013. 

Nona wept as the verdict was read in court.

The hit, which earned a Grammy nomination, generated more than $16m in profits and made more than $5m for both stars.

Source: BBC