SHEERAN OFF THE HOOK

Ed Sheeran doesn't have to worry about retiring anytime soon now that he's won the copyright infringement lawsuit involving his Grammy-winning song "Thinking Out Loud" and the 1973 Marvin Gaye classic "Let's Get It On." The verdict was handed down on Thursday (5/4) after a two-week trial.

It took the Manhattan jury three hours of deliberation to determine that Sheeran did not engage in willful copyright infringement. The singer-songwriter had been accused of appropriating elements of "Let's Get It On" by the family of the song's late co-writer, Ed Townsend; the suit alleged that Sheeran lifted the rhythm, chord progression and other elements without permission.

Sheeran had threatened to quit making music if he lost the case. The New York Post quoted him as saying, "If that happens, I’m done—I’m stopping. I find it really insulting to work my whole life as a singer-songwriter and diminish it.”

The trial saw Sheeran whip out his guitar and play a mashup of Gaye's songs. Clearly, the jury enjoyed his performance.