Ed Sheeran Plagiarism Claim

[Satchmo Distel]

The comparison of the two songs in question doesn't look good for Ed:

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/jun/08/ed-sheeran-sued-photograph-matt-cardle-amazing

[WOM]

Ed Sheeran Plagiarism Claim

I can't hear it. Like, at all.

What I could hear was the Tom Petty rip off in the Sam Smith song. In fact, at a certain point in the SS song, I used to break into the Tom Petty lyrics and L would ask "Why do you always do that?" and I l was like "you can't hear the Tom Petty rip off in that song?"

Apparently SS acquiesced fairly quickly and gave TP a writing credit.

[Patrick Thistle]

Ed Sheeran Plagiarism Claim

It's the chorus bit. The curious staccato delivery of the words.

I'm not a fan of slightly maudlin faux folk music like Ed Sheeran so this has amused me.

[delicatemoth]

Ed Sheeran Plagiarism Claim

Are we running into the 'there are only so many notes in pop music' problem? Without wanting to sound too crotchety I'm glad this wasn't going on when every garage band in America was joyfully making its own version of 'Louie Louie'.

As a vocal improviser, accidentally filching someone else's tune is high on the list of my fears. Unconscious plagiarism is definitely a thing.

I think the plaintiff has engaged the lawyer who won for the Gaye estate vs. Robin Thicke, so Ed should probably negotiate a settlement and writing credits. I doubt he'll be left skint.

[Geoffrey de Ste. Croix]

Ed Sheeran Plagiarism Claim

I had a eureka moment a couple of weeks ago when I realised that 'Panic' by The Smiths is a complete rip off of T Rex's 'Metal Guru'.

As you were.

[Borracho]

Ed Sheeran Plagiarism Claim

I had my iPod on shuffle the other day. On came I Want A New Drug by Huey Lewis & The News. The very next song was Ghostbusters by Ray Parker jnr. Spooky.

Stays on here.

[WOM]

Ed Sheeran Plagiarism Claim

Yup...can hear that, for sure. [T-Rex/Smiths one...]

Also, the opening notes of Sunglasses At Night and Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This).

The opening keyboard riff to Like A Virgin is also eerily close to the opening bassline of Billie Jean.

[WOM]

Ed Sheeran Plagiarism Claim

Borracho wrote: I had my iPod on shuffle the other day. On came I Want A New Drug by Huey Lewis & The News. The very next song was Ghostbusters by Ray Parker jnr. Spooky.

'Sad' is the word you were looking for...

[Borracho]

Ed Sheeran Plagiarism Claim

I'll say nothing.

[WOM]

Ed Sheeran Plagiarism Claim

I don't have a leg to stand on, mind. My shuffle ranges from Tenpole Tudor to Yes. And worse, but I'm not telling..

[Jah Womble]

Ed Sheeran Plagiarism Claim

Geoffrey de Ste. Croix wrote: I had a eureka moment a couple of weeks ago when I realised that 'Panic' by The Smiths is a complete rip off of T Rex's 'Metal Guru'.

As you were.

Similarly, I remember noting - some good while after its release - that Christine by The House of Love is basically Roxy Music's Over You.

As you were. Again.

[3 Colours Red]

Ed Sheeran Plagiarism Claim

I don't think Sega ever sued:
https://[video=youtube_share;VlMxnhJ...?v=VlMxnhJ3uvk[/video]

Together Again was released six years after Sonic, I think they'd have had a case.

[hobbes]

Ed Sheeran Plagiarism Claim

I can't hear it. Like, at all.

Have you got the sound muted?

[Heatwaving Not Drowning]

Ed Sheeran Plagiarism Claim

Surely Ed heard this? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQDnFTtr2UQ

[Jah Womble]

Ed Sheeran Plagiarism Claim

Okay, I've now heard both songs in question. Apart from being as sterile and uninspired as I knew they'd be, the similarity seemed pretty transparent. However, though I'd never heard Sheeran's effort before, Cardle's I'd heard once or twice (probably in a department store), assuming it until now to be something by Snow Patrol.

The latter band, of course, featured musician Johnny McDaid - ie, Sheeran's co-writer - so I'd hazard that, with a good lawyer, he might even have a decent shot at counter-suing.

But it's all so chronically artless and unimaginative that I really don't care.

[WOM]

Ed Sheeran Plagiarism Claim

Quite. At least you could tap your foot to Blurred Lines while condemning the theft...

[Toby Gymshorts]

Ed Sheeran Plagiarism Claim

Not forgetting the massively rapey lyrics.

[Antepli Ejderha]

Ed Sheeran Plagiarism Claim

I wonder what happened to the Adele case, she pretty blatantly ripped off an Ahmet Kaya song and his family was going to sue on behalf of his estate. I remember the Adele song playing and my wife singing the Ahmet Kaya song at the same time, now I'm no expert but it struck me as a bit too much of a coincidence.

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

Ed Sheeran Plagiarism Claim

The Ed Sheeran one is bang to rights (yep, that's me as a juror out).

What I don't get is the damages claim. That song - the one Ed Sheeran's clearly ripped off - apparently sold 3 million copies when he did it. However, it launched his career. Are they suing for £14m on the basis that, well, Ed Sheeran would just be some annoying tit busking in Swindon or somewhere but for their work?

[Borracho]

Ed Sheeran Plagiarism Claim

A more interesting question is how Ed Sheeran has got so big.

This guy, who has no visible sex appeal or real presence, and whose music is pitched somewhere between James Morrison and a street busker, played to 160,000 people over two nights at Croke Park last year. I remember being horrified when Michael Buble sold out the 50,000-capacity Aviva in 2010. Buble is Miles Davis compared to this guy.

Why does he do so well commercially? Is it all just down to fiendishly good marketing? Because on the face of it, it seems amazing that so many teens and twentysomethings are desperate to go along and see this charisma-free zone play a succession of really weak, obvious, boring songs.

[Borracho]

Ed Sheeran Plagiarism Claim

I just typed Ed Sheeran into YouTube and clicked on the first video.

It sounds like a euthanised Sam Smith, but you'd expect that. Visually, it consists of Ed chasing a woman around an otherwise empty opera hall. But the really astonishing thing is that it has 1.128 billion views.

Has everyone just given up?

[Borracho]

Ed Sheeran Plagiarism Claim

He can't be selling out Croke Park solely on the basis that some teenagers have shifted each other while one of his shit songs has been wafting along in the background like a stale fart. Bruce Springsteen played Croker the other week and, from talking to colleagues, roughly 85% of the seats were occupied. The place is the third biggest stadium in Europe. Filling it requires something else.

The youth of today surely can't be that desperate for some entertainment.

[Borracho]

Ed Sheeran Plagiarism Claim

Oasis had something though, certainly on the first album. Lots of people mightn't have found it appealing, and it was gone within a year at the latest, but it was there for a little while.

Ed Sheeran has nothing as far as I can tell. He reminds me of the lovelorn blond bloke in Dawson's Creek who was forever in the friend zone. Actually, perhaps I've just answered my own question.

[Borracho]

Ed Sheeran Plagiarism Claim

Before anyone starts, I ended up seeing a good bit of Dawson's Creek over the years because my younger sister would invariably hog the television whenever it was on.

[3 Colours Red]

Ed Sheeran Plagiarism Claim

Borracho wrote: It sounds like a euthanised Sam Smith...

Considering I have compared Sam Smith to a glass of water and a Rich Tea biscuit, I'm guessing Sheeran is just the empty glass and the plate with no sustenance whatsoever.