Members of Tool, Weezer, Fall Out Boy and Hundreds More Voice Support for 'Blurred Lines' Appeal

BY Josiah HughesPublished Aug 30, 2016

The lines between infringement and influence were undeniably blurred last year when Robin Thicke, Pharrell Williams and T.I. lost a lawsuit with the estate of Marvin Gaye over their mega-hit "Blurred Lines." Now, hundreds of musicians have voiced their support for Thicke and co. as they seek a retrial.

The Hollywood Reporter points to a brief filed earlier today (August 30) with the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals that seeks for the court to overturn its final judgement that "Blurred Lines" ultimately ripped off Marvin Gaye's "Got to Give It Up." If the judgement is not overturned, the three parties will have to pay $5.3 million US to Gaye's estate.

For their bid, they've enlisted the help of some friends. More than 200 musicians have signed on in support of Thicke, Williams and T.I., including members of Weezer, Tool, Fall Out Boy, Tears for Fears, Linkin Park, Earth, Wind & Fire, Train and the Black Crowes.

The list also includes R. Kelly, Hans Zimmer, Jennifer Hudson, Hall & Oates' John Oates, Danger Mouse and many others.

Ed McPherson, who authored the brief on behalf of the artists, explained exactly why this case is so important for the future of music:

The verdict in this case threatens to punish songwriters for creating new music that is inspired by prior works. All music shares inspiration from prior musical works, especially within a particular musical genre. By eliminating any meaningful standard for drawing the line between permissible inspiration and unlawful copying, the judgment is certain to stifle creativity and impede the creative process. The law should provide clearer rules so that songwriters can know when the line is crossed, or at least where the line is.

To read the full brief, go here.

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