BigHit Music Rejects US Plagiarism Lawsuit Over BTS Hit Swim

BigHit Music has denied allegations that the K-pop boy band BTS copied an unreleased track by three American songwriters for their latest song "Swim" from the new album Arirang. The agency responded to a US copyright lawsuit by dismissing the claims as baseless. The organisation stated it will defend the track through strict legal action.

"Swim" is the lead single from the band's fifth studio album Arirang. The track debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard charts earlier this year and has enjoyed strong global success since its release.

The legal dispute emerges as BTS are gearing up to headline the 2026 FIFA World Cup final halftime show. They will perform in North America on July 19 alongside Justin Bieber, Madonna and Shakira.

BTS Swim plagiarism details

American songwriters Steve Cooper, John Sandler and Greylyn Johnson filed the lawsuit. The trio claims the hit single mirrors their own unreleased demo, which is also titled "Swim".

The complaint names Hybe, Hybe America and BigHit Music as defendants. It also targets credited writers, including former OneRepublic member Ryan Tedder, Billboard reported. BTS members are not listed as defendants. However, the lawsuit mentions RM as a contributing writer.

The plaintiffs allege they circulated their demo to music industry figures in March last year. This included executives at Artist Publishing Group. The songwriters claim representatives from the independent label listened to the demo and shared it with individuals who later created the BTS track.

Testimony and denials

The plaintiffs hired musicologist Alexander Stewart to compare the two tracks. According to the complaint, Stewart noted similarities in the hook referencing the title, alongside unusual harmonies, textures and rhythmic and lyrical elements.

According to court documents, Stewart said, "In my expert opinion, independent creation of BTS can be ruled out and copying is the inescapable conclusion." Stewart previously served as an expert witness in copyright cases involving Ed Sheeran's "Thinking Out Loud" and Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven". Courts eventually dismissed both of those lawsuits.

BigHit Music denies allegations

BigHit Music rejected the allegations on Friday (July 10). In a statement to Korean media outlet Yonhap, the agency stated, "This lawsuit represents nothing more than a one-sided argument put forward by the plaintiffs. We make it unequivocally clear that 'Swim' was created independently and originally." 

"We will respond forcefully through proper legal channels going forward," it added.