Robin Thicke and Pharrell had their fun getting rich off of Marvin Gaye’s handiwork but now it’s time to pay the piper. In other words, fork over a good chunk of those incredulous profits they made from the ubiquitous single, “Blurred Lines.”
A jury of their peers has agreed that the Star Trak pair copied Gaye’s 1977 smash hit “Got to Give It Up” and Variety is reporting that they’ll have to pay $7.3 million to the family for copyright infringement. “Blurred Lines” co-star Clifford Harris Jr., a.k.a. T.I. was also named in the lawsuit but it was specified if he would have to break off his reported $704,774 in earnings.
The eight-person jury ceased its full day of closed-door deliberations last Friday and resumed on Tuesday hearing to reach the verdict. The Gaye family was originally asking for $25 million in damages but they’re still happy with the outcome.
“Right now, I feel free,” Marvin Gaye’s daughter, Nona Gaye, said after the verdict was passed. “Free from … Pharrell Williams and Robin Thicke’s chains and what they tried to keep on us and the lies that were told.” Thicke and Williams made a reported $5,658,214 and $5,153,457, respectively but the money stream will end soon. Richard Busch, the Gaye family lawyer, is filing official paperwork next week to halt sales of “Blurred Lines.”
Released on March 26, 2013, “Blurred Lines” went on to become the top song of the year, selling more than seven million records in the United States alone.
Hit the flip to hear both songs side by side.
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Photo: NBC
