They say a picture is worth a thousand words. But Ed Sheeran’s 2014 hit “Photograph” may be worth $20 million, depending on the outcome of a copyright lawsuit in a Los Angeles federal courtroom.
ITV.com reported Thursday morning that California songwriters Martin Harrington and Thomas Leonard have charged that the chorus for the English singer’s hit song is strikingly similar to that of “Amazing,” a 2010 song performed by “X Factor” winner Matt Cardle.
Attorney Richard Busch, who “famously helped Marvin Gaye’s family win a $5.3 million copyright lawsuit” against Robin Thicke, is representing Mr. Harrington and Mr. Leonard, CBS News reported.
“I think that case has been very influential in getting attorneys interested in pursuing these claims,” CBS News quoted Hollywood Reporter’s Matt Belloni commenting on the case.
Mr. Sheeran himself has “even cited [“Photograph”] as the song that really made him,” Belloni added. “And if it’s really similar to another song by songwriters who might not be as successful as him, there’s a real incentive there to assert their rights.”
• Ken Shepherd can be reached at kshepherd@washingtontimes.com.
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