BTS’ Agency Denies Copyright Claims Over Swim, Vows Legal Fight

BTS’ agency, Big Hit Music, has responded to allegations that “Swim,” the lead single from the group’s fifth studio album Arirang, infringes on the copyright of a song written by three American songwriters.

On July 10, the agency rejected the allegations, stating that the claims are based solely on the plaintiffs’ assertions. It also maintained that Swim was created independently and confirmed that it will defend the matter through legal channels.

Big Hit Music Rejects the Allegations

In its official response, Big Hit Music denied that Swim copied any previously existing work.

The agency said the lawsuit relies only on the claims made by the plaintiffs and insisted that the song was developed independently.

Big Hit Music added that it would contest the allegations in court and present its defence through the appropriate legal process.

Why the Lawsuit Was Filed

According to a report by Billboard, American songwriters Steve Cooper, John Sandler, and Graylyn Johnson have filed a copyright infringement lawsuit over Swim.

The trio alleges that BTS’ song closely resembles a demo they had previously written under the same title.

The lawsuit names HYBE, HYBE America, and Big Hit Music as defendants.

It also includes several songwriters credited on Swim, including OneRepublic frontman Ryan Tedder.

However, the report states that the BTS members themselves have not been named as defendants, even though RM is credited as one of the song’s co-writers.

Plaintiffs Claim Their Demo Was Shared Across the Music Industry

According to the complaint, the songwriters claim their demo was circulated among music industry professionals beginning in March last year.

They allege that the track was shared with multiple people, including staff at Artist Publishing Group, before eventually reaching some of the writers who later worked on Swim.

Based on this sequence of events, the plaintiffs argue that those involved in creating BTS’ song may have had access to their original composition.

Musicologist Points to Similarities

To support their claims, the plaintiffs hired musicologist Alexander Stewart to compare the two songs.

According to the lawsuit, Stewart identified similarities between the tracks, particularly in the chorus hook, including the repeated use of the title “Swim.”

The report also claims that he found overlapping elements in harmony, rhythm, texture and lyrical content.

Based on his analysis, Stewart concluded that the similarities were significant enough to suggest that Swim was derived from the earlier demo rather than being an entirely original composition.

Stewart Has Worked on Previous Copyright Cases

Alexander Stewart has previously served as an expert witness in several high-profile music copyright disputes.

These include legal cases involving Ed Sheeran’s Thinking Out Loud and Led Zeppelin’s Stairway to Heaven.

Both of those lawsuits were ultimately dismissed by the courts.

Legal Battle Likely to Continue

With Big Hit Music firmly denying the allegations, the dispute is expected to proceed through the legal system.

At this stage, the claims remain allegations made by the plaintiffs, and no court has determined whether copyright infringement occurred.

The outcome of the case could have significant implications for everyone involved, including the production companies and songwriters credited on Swim.