The plaintiffs are the heirs of Ed Townsend, an American musician and producer who co-wrote "Let's get it on" with Marvin Gaye. Townsend's heirs, including his daughter, say there are "striking resemblances" to "Thinking Out Loud," released in 2014.
The complaint, filed in 2016, was initially dismissed on a procedural issue, then refiled in 2017, also against Sony. Ed Sheeran had come in person to defend his song "Shape of you" in the previous trial in London.