Looks like our favorite crooner's in hot water.

British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran is facing a $20 million lawsuit alleging he used another song as the basis for his international hit Photograph. The writers of X Factor winner Matt Cardle's song launched the legal action against him after alleging that he copied their work in his 2014 hit single bearing the title Amazing.

"The song's similarities reach the very essence of the world. The similarities go beyond substantial, which is itself sufficient to establish copyright infringement, and are in fact striking," the lawsuit says."The similarity of words, vocal style, melody, and rhythm are clear indicators, among other things, that Photograph copies Amazing."

Songwriters Martin Harrington and Thomas Leonard, who have also written for Kylie Minogue and Emma Bunton, have hired hot-shot attorney Richard Busch to take the case. According to the plaintiffs, the choruses to both songs share “39 identical notes,” adding: “The similarities go beyond substantial, which is itself sufficient to establish copyright infringement and are in fact striking.” To refresh your memory, Attorney Richard Busch recently triumphed on behalf of Marvin Gaye’s family in a copyright case over the Robin Thicke hit Blurred Lines.

In other reports, Cardle publicly claimed that he is not involved with the case and has since Tweeted his support for Sheeran, writing: “Please read news articles closely. This is not my lawsuit. I think Ed Sheeran is a genius and 100 percent deserves all his success”.

Ed will have to answer the charges alongside his Photograph co-writer, Snow Patrol’s Johnny McDaid, as well as other co-defendants including Sony/ATV Songs, Warner Music and Polar Patrol Music Publishing. Photograph topped pop charts throughout the world and sold more than 3.5 million copies. So what's Ed Sheeran's next move? He better not think out loud on this one.

#y101 #alwaysfirst #entertainment