6 Ed Sheeran Songs That 'Rip Off' Other Artists

Overview

The video argues that Ed Sheeran has repeatedly written songs that closely reuse or interpolate elements from earlier hit records—sometimes intentionally—raising plagiarism and copyright concerns.

General claim about originality

• The host notes that music is often influenced by what came before.
• However, the video suggests some cases cross into plagiarism.

Key examples discussed

“Photograph” (2014)

• The video cites “Photograph” as the most “audacious” example.
• Lawsuit: filed in 2016
• Settlement: out of court in 2017

“Thinking Out Loud” (2014) vs. Marvin Gaye — “Let’s Get It On” (1973)

• Lawsuit: filed in 2016, alleging Sheeran plagiarized the older song.
• The video highlights:
  • Similar chord progressions
  • The same rhythm used to play them
• The video argues:
  • Shared chords and rhythm aren’t automatically plagiarism because these can be common “building blocks.”
• The host’s position:
  • The melodies are distinct enough, making the accusation less clear-cut.
• Status as of 2020:
  • The legal conflict is described as still ongoing.
  • The host personally believes Sheeran is within his rights for using shared musical elements.

“Shape of You” (2017) → TLC “No Scrubs” influence + Sami Switch dispute

• During writing, Sheeran is quoted/portrayed as wanting an “R&B feel” and intentionally interpolating “No Scrubs.”
• The original “No Scrubs” writers are credited.
• Sami Switch claims additional credit is owed for a segment he believes is lifted from his song “Oh H.”
• The host argues:
  • The hook is short and musically generic, making melodic ownership harder to prove.

“Strip That Down” → Shaggy “It Wasn’t Me”

• The video presents it as a direct borrowing from “It Wasn’t Me.”
• The older song’s writers are credited.
• It also discusses a complex copyright/sampling credit chain:
  • Shaggy’s song is said to sample “Smile Happy.”
  • The writers are credited even though the sampled element is not perceived as appearing in Sheeran’s track.

“The Rest of Our Life” → Jasmine Rae “When I Found You”

• The video claims “The Rest of Our Life” lifts multiple elements from “When I Found You,” including:
  • Starting from the piano intro
  • Similarities in verse melody phrasing/rhythm/contour
  • Shared musical characteristics (same key/time signature/style)
  • Similar lyrical themes
• The video says Jasmine Rae writers became aware via a fan tweet, then sued.
• Settlement: later that year with an undisclosed sum
  • Apparently in exchange for not seeking royalties or writing credit

“Don’t” → Lucy Pearl “Don’t Mess With My Man”

• The video frames it as a clear example of intentional sampling.
• It concludes that Sheeran appears to treat borrowing as a core songwriting tool, accepting tradeoffs:
  • Legal risk
  • Royalty/copyright costs

Overall framing / conclusion

The host frames these cases as a pattern:

• Some borrowings are admitted/intended (often with credits).
• Others are contested (involving lawsuits and settlements).
• The legality and how “distinct” melodies are are argued to vary substantially by case.

Presenters or contributors

Main presenter/host

• Not explicitly named in the subtitles
• The video mentions a sponsor and thanks Patreon supporters, but no host name appears.

Contributors referenced in the video

• Ed Sheeran
• Marvin Gaye
• TLC (writers credited; not individually named except via “writers of No Scrubs”)
• Sami Switch
• Shaggy
• “X1 directioner Liam Payne” (referenced)
• Jasmine Rae
• Faith Hill
• Tim McGraw
• Lucy Pearl
• John (Johnny) McDade
• Steve Mac
• Beau Golden
• Sean Carey
• Additional writers referenced indirectly, including:
  • “writers of When I Found You”
  • “writers of Smile Happy”

Sponsor / featured band

• Slightly killed (Russian indie rock band)
• Includes a credited Patreon-style acknowledgment to supporting individuals (names listed in the subtitles).