BTS Lawsuit: US Songwriters File Copyright Claim Over “Swim”
BTS's "Swim" is now the subject of a federal copyright complaint filed in California.
YOU NEED TO KNOW
- Three U.S. songwriters filed a federal copyright lawsuit over BTS’s song “Swim.”
- Plaintiffs Steve Cooper, Jon Sandler, and Greylyn Johnson filed in California federal court.
- The lawsuit claims BTS’s “Swim” copied key elements from an unreleased 2025 demo.
- The case is in early stages, and all legal allegations currently remain unproven.
A federal court filing concerning the production history of BTS’s track “Swim” has drawn significant attention across the music industry and pop culture feeds.
In July 2026, songwriters Steve Cooper, Jon Sandler, and Greylyn Johnson filed a civil complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California regarding the origin of the song’s musical composition, which was released as part of BTS’s Arirang album in March 2026.
The legal filing outlines the timeline of the demo’s initial composition in early 2025 and its subsequent distribution among industry publishing networks and A&R representatives during album production sessions in Los Angeles.
According to court documentation, the complaint references analysis from musicologist Alexander Stewart comparing structural elements, vocal hooks, and rhythmic arrangements between the early demo and the final studio track.
A key distinction highlighted in official court records & frequently clarified in media reporting is the specific scope of the filing, the lawsuit names corporate publishing entities and credited songwriters rather than individual members of the group.
As legal proceedings continue in federal court, the case offers a rare look into song selection processes, A&R workflows, and credit documentation within the global music publishing industry.
The named defendants are HYBE Co., HYBE America, HYBE Music Services, Big Hit Music, APG, Ryan Tedder, and Derrick Milano, along with several other credited co-writers reported across outlets, including James Essien, Jamison Baken (who records as Leclair), Tyler Spry, Sean Foreman, and Kirsten Spencer.
RM, who co-wrote the track, and producer Pdogg are not consistently confirmed as defendants, reporting varies here, so treat that specific detail as unsettled.
Big Hit Music has already pushed back publicly. In a statement given to a South Korean outlet and reported by the Korea Herald, the label said “‘Swim’ is an independent creation” and called the lawsuit’s claims “unilateral and unsubstantiated,” adding that it would respond “firmly through the appropriate legal process.”
Beyond the headline claims, two gaps stand out in the viral framing of this story. First, this isn’t an isolated incident, it’s the third US copyright complaint against HYBE and its labels in about two months.
In May, four songwriters sued HYBE, ADOR, and NewJeans over “How Sweet,” and just one day before the “Swim” suit, a New York publisher sued over NewJeans’ 2023 track “ETA.”
Second, the plaintiffs’ own expert has a mixed track record: Alexander Stewart previously served as an expert witness in the Ed Sheeran “Thinking Out Loud” and Led Zeppelin “Stairway to Heaven” cases, both of which ended with juries ruling for the defendants, despite his testimony.
That doesn’t predict this outcome, but it’s relevant context absent from most write-ups.
Legal experts note the central hurdle for plaintiffs in cases like this is proving “access”, that the defendants plausibly heard the earlier work before creating their own.
That question remains untested; none of these allegations have been proven in court, and HYBE has signaled it will contest them.
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