Tuesday marked the end of an 11-day trial in London.
Photo By Jim Dyson/Redferns
The 11-day trial over the copyright of Ed Sheeran’s “Shape of You” ended in London on Tuesday (March 22). The judge said he would take some time to consider his decision. Snow Patrol’s John McDaid and producer Steven McCutcheon deny accusations that the song is a copy of a 2015 song by Sami Switch, who performs under the name Sami Switch.
Lawyer Andrew Sutcliffe, representing the “Oh Why” co-writers, argued that two songs that “correlate” appeared months apart and suggested the chances were “minor.”
According to the lawyer, Sheeran had “Oh Why” “consciously or unconsciously” in his head when he wrote “Shape of You” in 2016. In addition, Sheeran, who attended the hearing throughout, was also alleged to have been dishonest and evasive in his testimony.
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Sheeran and his co-writers disclosed material during the trial and claim they never heard “Oh Why” before the case. Antony Zacaroli announced Tuesday he would deliver his judgment “as soon as possible.” Earlier this month, Sheeran performed a short bit of Nina Simon’s “Feeling Good” in court while presenting evidence.
In testimony on the second day of the trial, Sheeran sang parts of “Feeling Good” and his 2013 single “I See Fire,” as well as the “Oh I, Oh I, Oh I” chorus hook from “Shape of You,” in order to illustrate that the melody he is accused of copying is a common “minor pentatonic” pattern.
Sheeran, 31, said, “If you put them all in the same key, they’ll sound the same.” “Shape of You” was released in January 2017 alongside “Castle On The Hill” as one of two lead singles from Sheeran’s third studio album * (Divide). The song topped numerous charts around the world, including Australia, Germany, France, the United Kingdom and the Billboard Hot 100, where it held the No. 1 spot for 12 weeks and was also the UK’s biggest-selling song in 2017.
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