Is Blurred Lines by Robin Thicke a Copy of Marvin Gaye’s Got to Give it Up?

The music industry today is all about making money and not creating original music. The lawsuit case music has its eye on is Marvin Gaye Estate vs. Pharrell Williams and Robin Thicke for  the song Blurred Lines.

Pharrell Williams and Robin Thicke made over 5 million dollars each from the 2013 hit pop song Blurred Lines, but now they are dealing with an ongoing copyright infringement lawsuit because Marvin Gaye’s family claims the song is very similar to Marvin Gaye’s Got to Give It Up. The stakes are high for Robin Thicke in this lawsuit – including taking money from his touring salary ( Robin Thicke made nearly $12 million dollars from tour earnings while publishers made $8 million) and any money he makes off the song.

Marvin Gaye’s family believes they deserve 50% of the music royalties for Blurred Lines, including mechanical royalties (the profit publishers make for record sales and performance rights).

How profitable was Blurred Lines? Numbers don’t lie and those numbers were magnificent for a single.

Here is the break down:

  • As of year to date, Blurred Lines has earned  $16,675,690. Out of that figure Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams earned over $5 million dollars each. As for rapper T.I, he earned over $700,000. The rest of the earnings were split between Williams’ label Star Trak , Interscope Records and Universal Music Group.
  • The average profitable lifespan of any music record is 18 months.

What is Fromgirtogirl’s stand on the Blurred Lines lawsuit?

I have a great deal of respect for Marvin Gaye and Pharrell Williams. I enjoy the music of both artists. Marvin Gaye’s music is timeless. Pharrell Williams music is usually catchy but I wouldn’t say its timeless. There is  a good chance Pharrell did take some inspiration from Marvin Gaye. I don’t believe in originals. There is nothing new under the sun. Most people make a business profit not because they reinvent the wheel, but they give it a different twist and make it easier for people to relate to that twist off of an original.

I believe some if not all the lawsuit will drop in court because the structure of the song differs a bit from Marvin Gaye’s Got to Give It Up: the harmony patterns are different, the lyrics have no similarities, and the melody and rhythm are not mirrors of Got to Give It Up. Not to mention, common music patterns are on both songs – that doesn’t mean a copy right infringement.

The final decision will take place in a federal courtroom in downtown Los Angeles.

You be the judge. Listen to both songs below, let us know your thoughts:



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