‘Blurred Lines’ copyright dispute will go to trial in 2015, judge rules

Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams will stand before jury for plagiarism charges

Robin Thicke’s ‘Blurred Lines’ lawsuit will go to trial in 2015, a US judge has ruled.

Thicke and Pharrell Williams have been embroiled in a legal battle with Marvin Gaye’s family over whether or not their controversial hit ‘Blurred Lines’ copies elements of Gaye’s ‘Got To Give It Up’.

The pair filed a lawsuit in September after receiving threats from the family claiming they copied elements of the 1977 track for their song. But US District Judge John Kronstadt has denied their request to reject the plagiarism claims and said a jury must now decide “the intrinsic similarity of the works”.

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After reviewing analyses submitted by music experts, the judge found that there was sufficient evidence regarding phrases, hooks, bass lines, keyboard chords, harmonic structures and vocal melodies between the two songs. He wrote that “Gaye’s family have 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.”

The judge also addressed Thicke’s earlier admission that he had lied to the media about going into the studio with Marvin Gaye in mind – something that came up because in copyright law lots of access to a song necessitates less proof of similarity. “Thicke’s inconsistent statements do not constitute direct evidence of copying,” he said.

The Gaye family claim the the late singer’s track ‘After the Dance’ was infringed for Thicke’s song ‘Love After War’ as well.

The trial is scheduled for February 10, 2015. In his court deposition last month,

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