‘Blurred Lines’ Ruled a Rip-off of Marvin Gaye's 1977 Song ‘Got to Give It Up’; Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams Ordered to Pay $7.3 Million to Gaye Heirs

An eight-person Los Angeles jury after deliberating for two days on Tuesday finally ordered Blurred Lines songwriters Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams to pay $7.3 million to the family of the late Marvin Gaye for copyright infringement.

Blurred Lines which was no. 1 on the Billboard single charts for 10 consecutive weeks and which has earned nearly $16.5 million in profits since it was released in 2013, with Williams and Thicke raking in over $7 million each, was found to have been copied from Marvin Gaye's 1977 song Got to Give It Up. The jury which determined that the infringement was not willful, but also not innocent awarded the Gaye family $4 million in damages, with profits of more than $1,600,000 from Williams and more than $1,760,099 from Thicke. Statutory damages of $9,375 were assessed according to The Wrap.

Gaye's daughter Nona Gaye who wept as the verdict was read later told the Associated Press: "Right now, I feel free. Free from ... Pharrell Williams and Robin Thicke's chains and what they tried to keep on us and the lies that were told."

Nona along with her siblings Frankie and Marvin Gaye III sued Thicke, Pharrell and rapper T.I. (real name Clifford Joseph Harris Jr.) back in 2013. The case against T.I. however was later dismissed since it was determined he had nothing to do with the creation of the contested song.

Following the verdict, Howard King, attorney for Thicke and Williams, said: "We are disappointed, but we know in our heart and soul that the song came from Pharrell Williams." Later, a spokesperson for the two released a press statement that reads: "While we respect the judicial process, we are extremely disappointed in the ruling made today, which sets a horrible precedent for music and creativity going forward. Blurred Lines was created from the heart and minds of Pharrell, Robin and T.I. and not taken from anyone or anywhere else. We are reviewing the decision, considering our options and you will hear more from us soon about this matter."

The attorney for the Gaye family, Richard Busch, on the other hand said they will also be seeking to halt further sales of Blurred Lines.