Ed Sheeran slapped with alleged plagiarism lawsuit

British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran is being sued for his 2015 hit single “Photograph,” just weeks after Justin Bieber and Skrillex wereslapped with a lawsuitfor their song, “Sorry.”

Songwriters Martin Harrington and Thomas Leonard are suing Sheeran for $20 million dollars, alleging that Sheeran’s song is strikingly similar to their 2009 work, “Amazing.” The lawsuit claims that the songs’ choruses share 39 identical notes. “The similarity of words, vocal style, vocal melody, melody, and rhythm are clear indicators, among other things, that ‘Photograph’ copies ‘Amazing,'” statesthe complaint.

In 2011, season 7 X Factor winner Matt Cardle went on to record “Amazing” for his debut album, “Letters.” Cardle is not a party to the lawsuit, according toUSA Today. Sheeran wrote “Photograph” withSnow Patrol pianist and guitarist Johnny McDaid in 2012, who is also named in the suit. “Photograph” just recently reappeared on the soundtrack for the 2016 film “Me Before You.”

Harrington and Leonard are being represented by Richard Busch,the attorney who represented Marvin Gaye’s family in a copyright lawsuit against Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams over their 2013 summer hit, “Blurred Lines.” That lawsuit resulted in a$5.3 million payoutfor the Gaye family.

Follow Chloe Tsang on Twitter@itschloet