Ed Sheeran Win Assuages Music Creators Fearing Litigation Frenzy

Pop star Ed Sheeran’s victory in the latest high-profile music trial alleviates some litigation fears in the recording industry and offers a blueprint for how songwriters accused of copyright infringement should testify before a jury.

The verdict, clearing Sheeran of copying Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On” to write his hit “Thinking Out Loud,” follows a string of wins by defendants including Katy Perry and Led Zeppelin.

It stands in contrast to the multimillion-dollar 2015 verdict against Pharrell Williams and Robin Thicke over their song “Blurred Lines” that sparked the current litigation frenzy. English pop star Dua Lipa, for example, ...