BTS 'SWIM' Faces Plagiarism Allegations in U.S.; Big Hit Promises Strong Response

Big Hit Music, the agency representing BTS, has announced it will take strong legal action against plagiarism allegations filed by U.S. songwriters regarding 'SWIM,' the title track of the group's 5th studio album 'Arirang' released this past March, dismissing the claims as a one-sided assertion.
Billboard reported on July 8 (local time) that three songwriters—Steve Cooper, John Sandler, and Graylyn Johnson—filed a lawsuit claiming significant similarities between BTS's 'SWIM' and their own demo track of the same name.
According to the complaint, the lawsuit was filed against HYBE, HYBE America, and Big Hit Music, as well as the songwriting team behind 'SWIM,' including renowned songwriter Ryan Tedder.
Billboard noted that while BTS member RM is one of the songwriters for the track, neither BTS nor its members were named as defendants in the lawsuit.
Regarding access, a key issue in copyright litigation, the plaintiffs claimed that they had sent their demo track to various industry figures, including executives at Artist Publishing Group, starting in March of last year, and that this demo was subsequently passed on to some of the songwriters of BTS's 'SWIM.'
Alexander Stewart, a musicologist commissioned by the plaintiffs to analyze the tracks, compared BTS's 'SWIM' with the demo and argued, "From the hook that mentions the title to the unique harmonies, textures, rhythms, and lyrical elements, there are similarities." He further claimed, "From an expert's perspective, the unavoidable conclusion is that ('SWIM') is not an original creation by BTS but a copied song."
Stewart previously participated as an expert witness for the plaintiffs in high-profile copyright lawsuits involving Ed Sheeran's 'Thinking Out Loud' and Led Zeppelin's 'Stairway to Heaven,' both of which resulted in losses for the plaintiffs.
In response to the plagiarism allegations regarding 'SWIM,' Big Hit Music stated, "The lawsuit is merely a one-sided claim by the plaintiffs. We clearly state that 'SWIM' is an independent creation," adding, "We plan to respond firmly through future legal proceedings."
(Photo: Provided by Big Hit Music, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.