Ed Sheeran wins Shape of You copyright case, slams 'damaging' lawsuits - Action News
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Entertainment

Ed Sheeran wins Shape of You copyright case, slams 'damaging' lawsuits

Grammy Award-winning songwriter Ed Sheeran won a U.K. copyright battle over his 2017 hit Shape of Youon Wednesday, then slammed what he described as a "culture" of baseless lawsuits intended to squeeze money out of artists eager to avoid the expense of a trial.

Pop star and his co-writers denied allegations of copying 2015's Oh Why by artist Sami Switch

Musician Ed Sheeran arrives at the Rolls Building, High Court, in central London on March 15, 2022. Songwriters Sami Chokri and Ross O'Donoghue claimed Sheeran's 2017 hit song Shape of You copied parts of one of their songs. (Frank Augstein/The Associated Press)

Grammy Award-winning songwriter Ed Sheeran won a U.K. copyright battle over his 2017 hit Shape of Youon Wednesday, then slammed what he described as a "culture" of baseless lawsuits intended to squeeze money out of artists eager to avoid the expense of a trial.

The British pop star and his co-writers, Snow Patrol's John McDaid and producer Steven McCutcheon, had denied allegations that the song copied part of 2015's Oh Whyby Sami Chokri, who performs under the name Sami Switch.

"Whilst we're obviously happy with the result, I feel like claims like this are way too common now and have become a culture where a claim is made with the idea that a settlement will be cheaper than taking it to court, even if there is no basis for the claim," Sheeran said in a video posted on Twitter. "It's really damaging to the songwriting industry."

Andrew Sutcliffe, the lawyer for the co-writers of Oh Why,argued that there was an "indisputable similarity between the works." He claimed that Sheeran had Oh Whyin his head "consciously or unconsciously" when Shape of Youwas written in 2016.

The plaintiffs alleged that the refrain "Oh I, Oh I, Oh I" in the chorus of Shape Of Youwas "strikingly similar" to the line "Oh why, Oh why, Oh why" in their track.

During the 11-day trial, Sheeran denied allegations that he "borrows" ideas from unknown songwriters without acknowledgement and said he has always been fair in crediting people who contribute to his albums.

In Wednesday's ruling, High Court Judge Antony Zacaroli concluded that Sheeran "neither deliberately nor subconsciously" copied a phrase from Oh Whywhen writing his smash hit.

Sheeran, McDaid and McCutcheon said in a statement that the cost of the case was more than financial. The stress of going to trial also hurts creativity, means less time to make music and takes an emotional toll, they said.

"It is so painful to hear someone publicly and aggressively challenge your integrity," the trio said. "It is so painful to have to defend yourself against accusations that you have done something that you haven't done, and would never do."

Shape of Youwas the biggest-selling song in the U.K. in 2017.