A five-year legal battle over the copyright of the hit song “Blurred Lines” finally comes to an end with Marvin Gaye’s family receiving a final judgment of roughly $5 million against Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams. The two were accused of copyright infringement for their 2013 single due to excessive similarities to Gaye’s 1977 hit “Got to Give It Up.”
Both Thicke and Williams were ordered to pay Gaye’s estate more than $7 million in 2015, though the judgment was reduced to $5.3 million. The pair appealed the verdict.
Thicke, Williams and Williams’ More Water From Nazareth Publishing are required to pay Gaye’s family damages of nearly $2.9 million, according to the recent judgment from U.S. District Judge John A. Kronstadt in California.
Thicke is being ordered to pay more than $1.7 million, while Williams and his publishing company must pay $357,631 in separate awards to Gaye’s estate. In addition, the ruling also awarded Gaye’s family prejudgment interest on the damages and 50% percent of the royalties from “Blurred Lines” moving forward.