Who filed the US lawsuit over BTS’ Swim, and whom did they name as defendants?

Songwriters Steve Cooper, Jon Sandler and Greylyn Johnson filed the suit in July. They named HYBE, HYBE America, BigHit Music and credited writers including Ryan Tedder; BTS and its members were not defendants, although RM was credited as a songwriter.

Why did the songwriters sue over BTS’ Swim?

They alleged that BTS’ Swim bore substantial similarities to their own demo, which was also titled Swim. BigHit Music rejected the allegations as one-sided and maintained that the track was an independent creation.

What happened to the US copyright lawsuit over BTS’ Swim?

The songwriters’ attorneys asked the judge to dismiss the case in its entirety in a filing dated Wednesday, U.S. time. The request came about four months after the plaintiffs filed the lawsuit in July.

US copyright lawsuit over BTS song 'Swim' dropped: report

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Summary

Three American songwriters withdrew their U.S. copyright lawsuit over BTS song Swim in a court filing dated Wednesday, U.S. time. Steve Cooper, Jon Sandler and Greylyn Johnson had filed the suit in July, alleging the song was substantially similar to their demo of the same name. The plaintiffs named HYBE, HYBE America, BigHit Music and credited songwriters as defendants, but not BTS or its members. BigHit Music rejected the allegations and said Swim was independently created.

Key Facts

The plaintiffs’ attorneys asked the judge to dismiss the lawsuit in its entirety.
Ryan Tedder, a former OneRepublic member, was among the credited writers named as a defendant, while RM was credited as a songwriter but was not named as a defendant.
Swim is the lead track of BTS’ fifth full-length album, ARIRANG, and debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in March, giving the group its seventh chart-topper there.

By Yonhap

Published Nov 5, 2026 2:21 pm KST

American songwriters who earlier claimed that Korean superband BTS' chart-topping song "Swim" was copied from their own demo have withdrawn their claims in a U.S. lawsuit, a report showed Thursday.

The attorneys for the accusers, who are three little-known songwriters, requested the judge to dismiss the lawsuit in its entirety in a court filing dated Wednesday (U.S. time), according to the Billboard.

The move comes about four months after the songwriters — Steve Cooper, Jon Sandler and Greylyn Johnson — filed a lawsuit in July, claiming that "Swim" bears "substantial similarities" to their own song of the same name.

The plaintiffs had named HYBE, HYBE America and BigHit Music as defendants, along with the song's credited writers, including former OneRepublic member Ryan Tedder. Neither BTS nor its members were listed as defendants, although RM is credited as one of the songwriters on the track.

Hybe is the parent company of BigHit Music, while Hybe America is the American unit of Hybe.

In response, BigHit Music had rejected the allegations as "one-sided" claims, maintaining that "Swim" was an independent creation, and vowed to firmly respond through legal proceedings.

"Swim," the lead track of BTS' fifth full-length album, "ARIRANG," debuted atop the Billboard Hot 100 in March, becoming the group's seventh No. 1 hit on the main singles chart.

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