BTS copyright lawsuit over song SWIM ends as plaintiffs withdraw claims

The copyright infringement lawsuit regarding the BTS hit song “SWIM” has concluded after the plaintiffs voluntarily withdrew their claims in a United States court.

Composers Steve Cooper, Jon Sandler, and Greylyn Johnson filed the lawsuit in July, alleging that “SWIM” bore significant similarities to their unreleased demo track. The plaintiffs sought damages and recognition as co-creators, claiming the song's melody, harmony, rhythm, and lyrics were too similar to their work. The legal action targeted HYBE, BIGHIT MUSIC, HYBE AMERICA, and producer Ryan Tedder, though the BTS members themselves were not named as defendants.

This resolution follows a separate legal victory for the group. A federal court in Virginia recently dismissed a lawsuit filed by Melissa Mais, which also alleged unauthorized use of an unreleased song. The court ruled in favor of the defendants, citing a lack of evidence regarding copyright registration and reproduction.