Even though the family of the late Marvin Gaye won a $7.4 million judgment against Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams — plus recognition the two stars’ “Blurred Lines” had infringed on Gaye’s copyright for his ’77 hit “Got to Give It Up” — the family now wants all sales and performances of the current hit song to be banned.
On Tuesday, the Gaye family asked a federal judge to block the sale and performance of “Blurred Lines,” the 2013 hit written by Williams and co-performed by Thicke. The family is requesting a permanent injunction, saying it’s a way to begin negotiations over royalties.
Thicke and Williams’ lawyers contend that the judge should not grant the Gaye family the requested injunction because the companies that recorded and distributed the song were not found liable for infringement in the jury’s verdict from last week.
The jury also ruled that rapper T.I., who is featured on the “Blurred Lines” track, was not liable for copyright infringement. But the Gaye family’s lawyers fired back a motion on Tuesday asking the judge to hold T.I. and the record companies responsible, because even if they were not directly involved in the copying, they profited from an infringing track.
The legal battle is expected to continue through various appeals. On Thursday, Williams told the Financial Times that if the Gaye family’s position was ultimately held up, it would have a disastrous effect on overall creativity in the entertainment world.
