Jury finds ‘Blurred Lines’ duo liable for plagiarizing Marvin Gaye

LOS ANGELES — The jury has reached a verdict in the “Blurred Lines” case against Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams, ordering them to pay $7.3 million to the family of Marvin Gaye for copyright infringement.

In the trial, Marvin Gaye’s family argued that 2013’s “Blurred Lines” copied their father’s 1977 song “Got to Give Up,” and sued Thicke, Williams and rapper T.I.

The musicians have denied stealing any of Gaye’s music. “Blurred Lines” was a huge hit in 2013 and, by many measures, was the top song of the year.

Since it was released, “Blurred Lines” has made nearly $16.5 million, with the Gaye heirs seeking a portion of the profits. Overall, the family sought more than $25 million. Gaye died in 1984.

Both Thicke and Williams appeared in court to defend their case, with much of the trial featuring comparisons to both songs. Listening to the juxtaposed bass lines of the two songs in question, Williams even admitted the similarities, saying “It sounds like you’re playing the same thing.”

Still, while testifying last week, Williams said the two songs share “feel — not infringement.”

The eight-person jury closed its full day of closed-door deliberations on Friday after hearing a week of testimony, with court resuming on Tuesday.