Robin Thicke, Pharrell Williams and T.I. will not go quietly into the night.
The trio behind the 2013 hit “Blurred Lines” have filed an appeal to the judgment against them in their copyright infringement case.
A California judge initially ordered them to pay $7.3 million to the family of Marvin Gaye after they were found guilty of swiping parts of his 1977 hit “Got to Give it Up” for “Blurred Lines.”
Following the March verdict, Judge John A. Kronstadt reduced the fine to $5.3 million, and decided that half of all future royalties from “Blurred Lines” would go to the Gaye family.
Thicke had requested a new trial, and Team Gaye asked that sales and performances of the song be temporarily halted, but both motions were denied.
Following the original decision, Thicke and Williams issued a joint statement saying they were “reviewing the decision, considering our options, and you will hear more from us soon about this matter.”
Well, we heard on Monday, with their filed motion to appeal.
A lawyer for the Gaye family said he’s not worried about the ruling being overturned.
“[W]e remain confident that the appeal will have no merit, and when it fails, the Thicke / Williams camp will find themselves faced with the same judgment they’re facing today,” Paul Phillips, the Gayes’ attorney, tells The Wrap. “Meanwhile, the Gaye family’s entitlement to half of the ‘Blurred Lines’ royalties will have continued to grow over time. What I’m saying is that this appeal only delays the inevitable — we aren’t going anywhere.”
(Photo Source: Blurred Lines screenshot via YouTube)
