In 2015, a California jury decided that the mega-hit “Blurred Lines” by Pharrell Williams, Robin Thicke, and Clifford Harris (a/k/a “T.I.”) infringed the copyright in Marvin Gaye’s song, “Got To Give It Up.” The jury awarded Gaye’s heirs $7.4 million. Last week, a panel of the federal court of appeals in San Francisco affirmed the
Blurred Lines
Whole Lotta Love for Zeppelin in Jury Verdict On Stairway Copyright Trial
By David M. Kohane & David S. Gold on
Posted in Copyrights
After less than a day of deliberation, a California jury has found the members of the legendary group Led Zeppelin (and their record label) did not copy the famous opening riff of Stairway to Heaven from an earlier song by the band Spirit. Applying basic copyright principles, the jury found that while Jimmy Page and…
Why The “Blurred Lines” Lawsuit Really Matters
By David S. Gold on
Posted in Copyrights
From the star-studded cast of characters to the fact that “Blurred Lines” remains the longest running number one single of the decade, there is no shortage of reasons why the “Blurred Lines” copyright infringement lawsuit has captivated the public’s attention. The action was first brought by Pharrell Williams, Robin Thicke and Clifford Harris (a/k/a T.I.)…