"Blurred Lines," the barely-remembered single that once waterboarded our ear drums for an entire year, has since turned into a point of legal contention as Robin Thicke and Pharrell have been accused of swiping the whole thing from Marvin Gaye's "Got to Give It Up." Things aren't looking too great, either, as the pair have reportedly lost their first legal battle against Gaye's family.
As Spin reports, Judge John Kronstadt ruled that music experts "made a sufficient showing that elements of 'Blurred Lines' may be substantially similar to protected, original elements of 'Got to Give It Up.' Defendants have identified these with particularity for purposes of analytic dissection."
In an attempt to protect themselves, Thicke and Pharrell, as well as the song's guest T.I., filed a countersuit against Gaye's family. Their lawsuit suggested that "being reminiscent of a 'sound' is not copyright infringement," adding that the track was meant to be an homage to the era of Gaye's music.
Regardless, the case is likely not going to be settled any time soon. Marvin Gaye's family are rumoured to have declined a six-figure settlement, meaning they're likely not going to back down from this fight.
It's also been proven to be an embarrassing fight for Thicke. Under oath, he recently admitted to heavy drug use during the song's creation, going so far as to admit that it was almost entirely written by Pharrell.
The next trial in the case is scheduled for February 10.
As Spin reports, Judge John Kronstadt ruled that music experts "made a sufficient showing that elements of 'Blurred Lines' may be substantially similar to protected, original elements of 'Got to Give It Up.' Defendants have identified these with particularity for purposes of analytic dissection."
In an attempt to protect themselves, Thicke and Pharrell, as well as the song's guest T.I., filed a countersuit against Gaye's family. Their lawsuit suggested that "being reminiscent of a 'sound' is not copyright infringement," adding that the track was meant to be an homage to the era of Gaye's music.
Regardless, the case is likely not going to be settled any time soon. Marvin Gaye's family are rumoured to have declined a six-figure settlement, meaning they're likely not going to back down from this fight.
It's also been proven to be an embarrassing fight for Thicke. Under oath, he recently admitted to heavy drug use during the song's creation, going so far as to admit that it was almost entirely written by Pharrell.
The next trial in the case is scheduled for February 10.
