Robin Thicke and Pharrell Ordered to Pay $7.4 Million Over 'Blurred Lines' Copyright Case

If you've been anywhere near a radio, mall, sporting event or pretty much anywhere else in the last year, chances are you've heard "Blurred Lines."

Therein lies the problem that led to this case.

As it turns out, Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams have made about $16 million off of the song, which would be fine except for the fact that it's a blatant ripoff of a classic Marvin Gaye song from 1977 titled "Got to Give It Up."

We say "fact" because a jury has found that "Blurred Lines" infringes on the copyright of Gaye's song, leading a judge on the case to award $7.4 million in damages to Gaye's estate. Pharrell and Thicke will pay $4 million in copyright damages, plus extra percentages of their personal profit off of the song.

It's nothing new to see a case like this, as artists often go after well-known songs if they believe that the similarities to their own music goes past simple "inspiration" or "homage." However, the cases aren't always for such a huge song financially, nor do they always go this long in the courts.

Case in point, Sam Smith's "Stay With Me" was challenged by Tom Petty's record label over its similarities to "I Won't Back Down." That case settled out of court.

That's a hit for Thicke, whose latest album bombed and whose public profile has waned thanks to judgements about his character following his divorce from actress Paula Patton. Pharrell, however, made another mega-hit with "Happy" and currently judges on "The Voice," so don't feel too bad for him.