Ed Sheeran sued for $100 million for allegedly copying Marvin Gaye's 'Let's Get It On'

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Ed Sheeran and Marvin Gaye.

• Ed Sheeran is facing a $100 million lawsuit that alleges he copied Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On" for his 2014 song "Thinking Out Loud," TMZ reports. 
• Sheeran was also sued in 2016 over "Thinking Out Loud" by the family of Ed Townsend, a cowriter of "Let's Get It On."
• Sheeran responded to the 2016 suit in documents obtained by TMZ last week. He reportedly claimed that similar elements in "Let's Get It On" are in the public domain and unprotectable.

Ed Sheeran is facing a $100 million lawsuit that alleges the singer-songwriter copied Marvin Gaye's 1973 hit "Let's Get It On" on his 2014 song "Thinking Out Loud," TMZ reported.

The suit was filed by Structured Asset Sales, a company that owns one-third of the copyright to "Let's Get It On."

"According to the lawsuit, Sheeran's song has the same melody, rhythms, harmonies, drums, bassline, backing chorus, tempo, syncopation and looping as 'Let's Get it On,'" TMZ reported.

Sheeran was also sued over "Thinking Out Loud" in 2016. The family of Ed Townsend, a cowriter on Gaye's "Let's Get It On," sued Sheeran, arguing that "Thinking Out Loud" lifted the melody, harmony, and other rhythmic components from Gaye's track.

Sheeran responded to the 2016 suit in documents obtained by TMZ last week. He reportedly claimed that the chord progressions and drum patterns of both songs are "extremely commonplace," and that similar elements in "Let's Get It On" are in the public domain and unprotectable.

"Thinking Out Loud" peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 2014 and has been certified "diamond" by the RIAA for streaming-equivalent sales of over 10 million copies. "Let's Get It On" topped the Billboard singles chart in 1973 and is certified platinum by the RIAA. 

Sheeran's representatives have not responded to a request for comment from Business Insider on the latest suit.

Listen to "Let's Get It On" and "Thinking Out Loud" below: