BTS 'SWIM' hit with US copyright lawsuit; Big Hit Music denies claims

Three US composers—Steve Cooper, John Sandler, and Graylin Johnson—filed a copyright infringement lawsuit in US court on July 8 against the co-composers of BTS's SWIM and its label entities.

SWIM is the title track of BTS's fifth studio album ARIRANG, released roughly four years after their previous album. The song debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in March. It's BTS's seventh chart-topper on that chart.

The plaintiffs claim their own unreleased demo, also titled SWIM and co-composed in early 2025, shares significant musical similarity with the BTS track. They circulated the demo to industry contacts and publishing companies starting in March 2025. Some of the SWIM composers received the file during that process, they say.

Defendants named in the suit include HYBE, HYBE America, Big Hit Music, and co-composers Ryan Tedder (of OneRepublic), Derrick Milano, and James Essien. RM is credited as a co-composer of SWIM but was not named as a defendant. Producer PDOGG and other BTS members were also not named.

The plaintiffs are seeking an injunction to block further use of the song, damages, return of copyright royalties, recognition as co-composers, and future royalty distribution.

Musicologist Alexander Stewart, hired by the plaintiffs, submitted a preliminary expert report in April analyzing the two tracks. He identified similarities in the title-referencing hook, harmonic progression, musical texture, rhythm, and lyrical elements. "It is evident that it was taken from the original song," Stewart wrote. He added that "it is difficult to avoid the conclusion that it is a copied song."

(Stewart previously submitted expert opinions in copyright cases involving Ed Sheeran's Thinking Out Loud and Led Zeppelin's Stairway to Heaven—both suits were dismissed.)

Big Hit Music pushed back on July 10. "This lawsuit is merely a one-sided claim by the plaintiffs," the label said. "'SWIM' is an independently created work, and we will respond firmly through legal procedures going forward."