2025 Legal Precedent: Court Rules Common Chord Progressions Aren't Copyrightable in Music

In 2025, a significant legal decision clarified the boundaries between musical inspiration and infringement. A U.S. court ruled that common chord progressions, such as those found in Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On," are not eligible for copyright protection. This ruling stemmed from a lawsuit alleging that Ed Sheeran's "Thinking Out Loud" copied elements of Gaye's classic. The court determined that the shared musical elements were too generic to merit copyright, emphasizing that such building blocks are fundamental to songwriting. This decision underscores the importance of distinguishing between original expression and common musical structures in copyright law.