There has been a lot of controversy concerning the similarities between 2013 hit "Blurred Lines" by Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams and Marvin Gaye's 1977 "Got to Give It Up." Today, March 10, a federal jury found "Blurred Lines" to be an infringement on "Got to Give It Up." Gaye's family has been awarded nearly $7.4 million.
According to the The NY Daily News an eight-person panel made the decision and both Thicke and Williams testified in front of the jury. The jury learned that "Blurred Lines" earned both singers more than $5 million each and that Thicke did not write the song but instead Williams wrote the song in 2012. A segment by T.I. was later added to the song. Thicke and Williams did not believe they infringed on Gaye's work.
"I love Marvin Gaye. My clients love Marvin Gaye. But this is not about his voice, his character, his charisma. The question is whether 'Blurred Lines' is a copy of what he wrote in the sheet music. And it's not," Howard E. King, the lawyer who represented Thicke and Williams told the Daily News.
The Associated Press reported that Gaye's daughter Nona Gaye cried when the verdict, an award of "nearly $7.4 million," was announced.
"Right now, I feel free," Nona Gaye said after the verdict according to the Associated Press. "Free from ... Pharrell Williams and Robin Thicke's chains and what they tried to keep on us and the lies that were told."
Gaye's attorney, Richard Busch sought to prove that Williams and Thicke went beyond emulating "the sound of Gaye's late 1970s music" and copied the "Got to Give It Up" hit instead. In his closing arguments, Busch accused Thicke and Williams of lying about how the song was created.
"[The family] fought this fight despite every odd being against them," Busch said according to the Associated Press.
After the verdict was announced, a representative for Pharrell released this statement to Rolling Stone:
"While we respect the judicial process, we are extremely disappointed in the ruling made today, which sets a horrible precedent for music and creativity going forward. Pharrell created 'Blurred Lines' from his heart, mind and soul and the song was not taken from anyone or anywhere else. We are reviewing the decision, considering our options and you will hear more from us soon about this matter."
