UPDATE: Pharrell Williams, Robin Thicke To Pay $7.4M Over “Blurred Lines” Verdict
UPDATE: The jury awarded Marvin Gaye’s children nearly $7.4M on Tuesday after determining singers Pharrell Williams, Robin Thicke and T.I. copied their father’s music to create “Blurred Lined,” the biggest hit of 2013.
Although all three denied claims of copying Gaye’s song, the producer and singers agreed that they were “channeling… the late-70s feeling” when the song was written.
“Sometimes when you look back on your past work, you see echoes of people, but that doesn’t mean that’s what you were doing,” Williams testified.
“The last thing you want to do as a creator is take something of someone else’s when you love him,” he added, expressing his admiration for Gaye. “I respect his music beyond words.”
The attorney for Thicke and Williams says the verdict in favor of Gaye’s heirs could have a chilling effect on musicians who try to emulate a genre or homage to another artist’s sound.
“Blurred Lines” was the biggest hit of 2013, earning $16,675,690 in profits, and was nominated for a Grammy Award.
Do you think the verdict was a fair decision? Listen to both “Got to Give It Up” and “Blurred Lines” below and tell us your thoughts!
(Photo by YouTube/RobinThickeVEVO)
