In a landmark decision for the music industry, Robin Thicke and Pharrell were found guilty of copyright infringement yesterday afternoon, and were ordered to pay Marvin Gaye’s family more than $7 million. Yikes.
Summer hit “Blurred Lines” was accused of being a ripoff of Marvin Gaye’s 1977 hit “Got to Give it Up,” and his family sought $25 million in damages. After Gaye passed away in 1984, his family was granted the rights to his music.
After the verdict was announced, Gaye’s daughter immediately spoke out: “Right now, I feel free… Free from … Pharrell Williams and Robin Thicke’s chains and what they tried to keep on us and the lies that were told.”
Needless to say, it got messy. “Blurred Lines” put Thicke on the map, earning nearly $17 million in profits since its initial debut. Looks like his reign is over – but regardless of the verdict, we’re still rocking out to the 2013 summer anthem.