Those “blurred lines” of copyright infringement aren’t so blurred anymore. This week, a jury has awarded the estate of Marvin Gaye 7.3 million dollars after finding Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams liable for copyright infringement. The artists were disappointed in the verdict, and Williams voiced concern that this “sets a horrible precedent for music and creativity going forward.” The two claimed that they did not have Gaye’s popular song “Got to Give it Up” in mind when they wrote “Blurred Lines,” but the jury ultimately found similarities. It will be interesting to see how, and if, this outcome will affect music written in the future.
Read our previous recap of the case here: http://windycitytrialgroup.com/2014/11/15/robin-thicke-blurs-lines-copyright-infringement-inspiration-2/