Blurred Lines: Marvin Gaye's family keeps $5m payout

Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams copied one of Marvin Gaye's songs to create their 2013 smash Blurred Lines, an appeal court has ruled.

The court upheld a 2015 verdict against the stars, which means Gaye's family will get to keep a $5m (£3.5m) payout.

In addition, the family will receive 50% of future royalties from Blurred Lines.

Yet one judge dissented from the verdict, saying the two songs "differed in melody, harmony and rhythm".

Circuit Judge Jacqueline Nguyen added that the ruling "strikes a devastating blow to future musicians and composers everywhere".

In the original 2015 trial, a jury found that Blurred Lines had copied Gaye's 1973 hit Got To Give It Up - despite many observers claiming the songs were only similar in feel, rather than composition.

Thicke, Williams and rapper TI, who contributed a verse to the track, launched an appeal in 2016 and were backed by 212 fellow songwriters, among them John Oates, Jason Mraz and members of Linkin Park.

They argued the verdict "threaten[ed] to punish songwriters for creating new music that is inspired by prior works."

But the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals largely upheld the decision, while clearing TI - real name Clifford Harris Jr of any copyright infringement.

The judges rejected Williams and Thicke's request to order a new trial, saying Gaye's copyright was entitled to broad protection.

SOURCE: BBC NEWS
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