Pharrell and Robin Thicke ordered to pay $7.4m to Marvin Gaye's children for copying Blurred Lines from the soul legend's music

 

A jury awarded Marvin Gaye's children $7.4million on Tuesday after determining singers Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams copied their father's music to create Blurred Lines, the biggest hit song of 2013.

Marvin Gaye's daughter Nona Gaye wept as the verdict was being read and was hugged by her attorney, Richard Busch. See pics of trial and Mavin gaye's family after d cut..

Busch, far left, walks with the late singer, Marvin Gaye's family members, from left, daughter, Nona, ex-wife, Jan, and son, Frankie

The verdict could tarnish the legacy of Williams, a reliable hit-maker who has won Grammy Awards and appears on NBC's music competition show The Voice.

It was previously revealed that the song had made a staggering $16million for Pharrell, Thicke, rapper T.I. and the record company, though T.I. and various record and music companies had previously been cleared of copyright infringement charges.

The jury decided that the family should receive $4million in damages and $3.4 million in profits from the song, with Thicke forced to pay $1.7million from his own pocket and Pharrell $1.6million

An attorney for Thicke and Pharrell has said a decision in favor of Gaye's heirs could have a chilling effect on musicians who try to emulate an era or another artist's sound. 

All three later released a statement, saying; 'While we respect the judicial process, we are extremely disappointed in the ruling made today, which sets a horrible precedent for music and creativity going forward.

'Blurred Lines’ was created from the heart and minds of Pharrell, Robin and T.I. and not taken from anyone or anywhere else. We are reviewing the decision, considering our options and you will hear more from us soon about this matter.'

'Right now, I feel free,' an emotional Nona said after the verdict. 

'Free from ... Pharrell Williams and Robin Thicke's chains and what they tried to keep on us and the lies that were told.'

This was no doubt in response to the fact that Pharrell and Thicke had filed a lawsuit against Gaye's estate back in August 2013 in an attempt to stop his family from suing them for copyright infringement.

'Plaintiffs, who have the utmost respect for and admiration of Marvin Gaye, Funkadelic and their musical legacies, reluctantly file this action in the face of multiple adverse claims from alleged successors in interest to those artists. Defendants continue to insist that plaintiffs' massively successful composition, 'Blurred Lines,' copies 'their' compositions,' read the suit. 

This suit however was thrown out in October of that year, when a judge ruled that the family had made a sufficient showing that the two songs were similar.

'We did not start this fight… Pharrell Williams and Robin Thicke started this lawsuit,” Busch said outside of the courthouse.

'We fought this fight with one arm tied behind our back.'