Jury says Pharrell, Robin Thicke copied 'Blurred Lines' from Marvin Gaye song, award $7.3 million in damages
A contentious copyright trial over the inescapable 2013 hit "Blurred Lines" has finally come to an end. Pharrell and Robin Thicke have been ordered to pay $7.3 million in damages to the Gaye estate over similarities between "Blurred Lines" and Marvin Gaye's 1977 hit "Got to Give It Up."
The Hollywood Reporter has a full breakdown of the damages, which include $4 million in copyright infringement, as well as profits attributed to that infringement: $1.8 million from Thicke, and $1.4 million from Pharrell. "Blurred Lines" itself made roughly $16.7 million.
The legal decision has been made — but as the case will undoubtedly continue indefinitely in the court of public opinion, listen to the mash-up below and form your own opinion about the similarities between the songs. —Scott Meslow
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Scott Meslow is the entertainment editor for TheWeek.com. He has written about film and television at publications including The Atlantic, POLITICO Magazine, and Vulture.
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