Song Clearance Sheet
4 sources citedPhotograph
Pop2010s108BPM
UnconfirmedKey
More around 110 BPM → · More “Cleared After Dispute” →
Tempo/key via Deezer →
The verdict
Cleared After Dispute
A 2016 suit (over Matt Cardle’s “Amazing,” by the same lawyer as the “Blurred Lines” case, Richard Busch) settled out of court in 2017, dismissed with prejudice. A precisely documented royalty shift followed: the BMI share dropped from 100% to 82.5%, with the remaining 17.5% reflecting co-added writer Thomas Leonard’s ASCAP affiliation.
Quick Facts
Released2015
Albumx (Multiply)
GenrePop, Folk-Pop
LabelAsylum / Atlantic Records
ProducerJeff Bhasker & Johnny McDaid
More infoWikipedia → · Discogs →
Who you need to ask
The songwriters of record — Ed Sheeran, Johnny McDaid + (2017) Harrington & Leonard
Variety → · checked Jul 2026
The royalty split — BMI 82.5% / ASCAP 17.5% since the 2017 settlement
Hollywoodreporter → · checked Jul 2026
Has it been reused?
Settled 2017 (dismissed with prejudice) with a precisely documented royalty shift (100% → 82.5% BMI); same lawyer as “Blurred Lines” (this catalogue); source song is “Amazing” (this batch).
Do they allow reuse?
No standalone policy found; confirmed songwriters of record.
Related Songs
Same album, answer records, and songs worth knowing about
The song at the center of the dispute (this batch)
Same defendant, a parallel copyright suit (this batch)
Same plaintiff’s lawyer, Richard Busch (already in this catalogue)
Who Owns It
Licenses explained →The two permissions you need, and who holds them
The song itself (the writing)Ed Sheeran & Johnny McDaid, and (since 2017) Martin Harrington & Thomas Leonard
A precisely documented royalty percentage shiftThe parties settled out of court in 2017 (terms not formally disclosed; case dismissed “with prejudice”), and the BMI credits were updated to add Harrington and Leonard as co-authors. Specifically, the royalty share previously entirely controlled by BMI (100%, reflecting McDaid’s affiliation) dropped to 82.5%, with the remaining 17.5% reflecting Leonard’s own ASCAP affiliation — a precisely quantifiable shift resulting directly from the settlement.
The recording (current administrator)Reflects the confirmed BMI/ASCAP royalty split above
Receipts
Every public mention of terms, policy, or past deals we've found
Who actually received credit
Per one analysis, the three other co-writers of “Amazing” (Matt Cardle, Ash Howes, Richard Stannard) did not receive any writer share of “Photograph” — only Harrington and Leonard, who wrote the specific chorus melody at issue, received credit.
Lost in Music · read it →
Written on a hotel floor
Sheeran described writing it with Johnny McDaid in a Kansas hotel room during a May 2012 Snow Patrol tour — sitting on the floor building a Lego X-Wing while McDaid looped a piano piece, then singing over the loop. No lyrics reproduced.
Lost in Music · read it →
Can You Use It for Free?
How to check PD →Is it public domain?No
Sample History
—
Times sampled
Settled with a 100% → 82.5% royalty shift
Covers
—
First flip
Who to Contact
PG
Ed Sheeran & Johnny McDaid (+2017 writers)
The confirmed songwriters of record
What they'll chargeNobody's shared numbers yet
Don't Want the Hassle?
Sample something pre-cleared insteadCheck Tracklib →
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References
Every source cited on this page — 4 in total
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Page history · 2 updates
Jul 2026Page created — full research (Research Queue Batch 24)
Jul 2026BPM/Key pending the automated GetSongBPM/Deezer pass