Sheeran settles $20m lawsuit over song Photograph

ED SHEERAN has settled a multi-million dollar legal dispute over songwriting credits for his 2014 track Photograph.

The 26-year-old singer was accused of making a ‘note-for-note copy’ of a Martin Harrington and Thomas Leonard song called Amazing, released by former The X Factor winner Matt Cardle seven years ago.

In the complaint, they said: ‘This copying is, in many instances, verbatim, note-for-note copying, makes up nearly one half of Photograph, and raises this case to the unusual level of strikingly similar copying.’

Harrington, who has also written hits for Kylie Minogue, 5ive and Emma Bunton, sued for damages along with Leonard in excess of $20million (£16m).

Photograph — released from his album x — reached No 15 in the UK singles chart and its video has more than 300m views on YouTube. Cardle’s track Amazing, meanwhile, peaked at No 84 in 2012.

Author: Chloe Kerr