Robin Thicke 'Blurred Lines' Settlement Rejected by Marvin Gaye's Family; Claim Song Too Similar to 'Got To Give It Up'

The brewing legal issues between Robin Thicke and the Marvin Gaye estate are starting to bubble a little more deeply it would seem. The latest news is that the Gayes rejected a "six-figure settlement" with regards to one of the summer's biggest songs, Thicke's "Blurred Lines."

The issue began when the family of Motown extraordinaire Gaye hinted that they might bring suit alleging that "Blurred Lines" is a little too similar to the R&B singer's 1977 hit "Got To Give It Up." Last week Thicke, as well as guest stars Pharrell Williams and rapper T.I., filed an advance lawsuit looking to establish that the two songs aren't comparable enough to justify damages. Thicke's legal team must have gotten concerned, hence the proposed settlement.

Marvin Gaye III, the vocalist's son, said to an interviewer from TMZ that he hadn't moved to begin a lawsuit yet, but his tone indicated that one was coming. He also referenced Thicke's 2009 track "Million Dolla Baby," suggesting further plagiarism suits, and why a number in the hundreds of thousands isn't enough for the family.

Of course, if the Gayes want to sue every artist that has taken cues from the family patriarch, they have have thousands of records to go through. We'll put on our op-ed glasses here: There is undoubtedly a similarity in tone between Thicke and Gaye. However, Gaye was such an influence on his respective genre that it would be criminal to deny future artists from stealing some influence from him. It'd be as if Charlie Parker sued Miles Davis for adapting his work, and then Davis suing John Coltrane, and further and further. We're getting mushy. Compare the songs for yourself below.

Tags

Marvin Gaye, Robin Thicke, Blurred Lines, T.I., Pharrell Williams