What Is the BTS "Swim" Lawsuit?
The BTS "Swim" lawsuit is a copyright infringement case accusing BTS's record label of releasing a hit single that copied an independent songwriting trio's earlier demo, not a class action or multidistrict litigation. It involves three plaintiffs against HYBE's corporate entities and a group of credited songwriters.
Los Angeles songwriters Steve Cooper, Jon Sandler, and Greylyn Johnson filed the complaint on July 8, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. The suit names HYBE Co., HYBE America, HYBE Music Services, and Big Hit Music, BTS's agency, as corporate defendants, along with several individuals credited as co-writers of "Swim," including Ryan Tedder, Derrick Milano, James Essien, Jamison Baken (who records as Leclair), Tyler Spry, Sean Foreman, and Kirsten Spencer.
Big Hit Music publicly denied the allegations on July 10, 2026, calling "Swim" an independent creation and stating it would respond through the legal process. No independently verified court docket number is cited on this page since none has been published by the outlets that reviewed the filing.
Why Was the BTS "Swim" Lawsuit Filed?
The BTS "Swim" lawsuit was filed because the plaintiffs allege BTS's label had indirect access to their unreleased demo and that the finished song copies it in large part. Cooper, Sandler, and Johnson say they wrote and completed a demo titled "Swim" in March 2025 and began sending it to music-industry contacts to gauge interest.
According to the complaint, one recipient was Artist Publishing Group (APG), whose representatives allegedly listened to the demo through the music-sharing platform Disco and shared it with others, including Derrick Milano, an APG-signed songwriter later credited as a co-writer on BTS's "Swim." The complaint also says the demo reached Noreen Prunier-Winans, described as head of A&R and publishing at ATG Group, who allegedly shared it further with other songwriters and producers.
The plaintiffs hired musicologist Alexander Stewart to compare the two songs. Stewart's report, quoted in the complaint, states that elements of BTS's "Swim" were "unequivocally taken" from the plaintiffs' song, citing similarities in the title hook, harmonies, textures, and rhythmic and lyrical elements, and concludes that "independent creation of BTS can be ruled out." The complaint says the plaintiffs tried to resolve the dispute with the defendants before filing suit but did not reach a resolution.
What Harms Does the BTS "Swim" Lawsuit Allege?
The BTS "Swim" lawsuit alleges one central legal claim, copyright infringement, pursued through two alternative forms of relief. Each is defined in plain language below, followed by what the complaint specifically alleges. HYBE and Big Hit Music dispute the underlying infringement claim entirely.
Copyright Infringement
Copyright infringement is a legal claim that a defendant copied a substantial, protected part of a plaintiff's original creative work without permission.
The complaint alleges that BTS's "Swim" reproduces significant creative elements of the plaintiffs' earlier demo of the same name, including its title hook, harmonic structure, texture, and rhythmic and lyrical content, based on musicologist Alexander Stewart's comparison of the two recordings. The plaintiffs registered their "Swim" composition with the U.S. Copyright Office, attaching the registration certificate to the complaint. HYBE and Big Hit Music have denied the allegation, describing the BTS track as an independent creation.
Injunctive Relief and Damages
Injunctive relief is a court order stopping a defendant from continuing a specific activity, here requested alongside monetary damages for the alleged infringement.
The plaintiffs ask the court to bar further exploitation of BTS's "Swim" and to award damages plus disgorgement of the profits the song has generated, in amounts to be determined at trial. "Swim" debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, spent 15 weeks on the chart, and won Best Song of the Summer at the American Music Awards, figures the complaint can point to in valuing the alleged infringement.
Alternative Co-Authorship Claim
An alternative co-authorship claim asks a court, if it does not order an injunction, to instead recognize the plaintiffs as legal co-writers entitled to a share of a song's royalties.
As an alternative to blocking the song entirely, the complaint asks the court to recognize the plaintiffs as co-writers of "nearly all" of BTS's "Swim" and to award them a corresponding share of the song's profits plus an accounting of earnings to date. This alternative claim would let the song continue being distributed while redirecting a share of its royalties to the plaintiffs.
What Is the Current Status of the BTS "Swim" Lawsuit?
The current status of the BTS "Swim" lawsuit is active and pending, with no ruling, dismissal, or settlement reported since the complaint was filed. The case remains in its earliest pretrial stage as of this writing.
Cooper, Sandler, and Johnson v. HYBE Co. et al.
The three songwriters filed suit against HYBE's corporate entities, Big Hit Music, and several credited "Swim" songwriters on July 8, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. Big Hit Music publicly denied the allegations two days later.
| Court | U.S. District Court for the Central District of California (federal court) |
| Filed | July 8, 2026 |
| Plaintiffs | Steve Cooper, Jon Sandler, and Greylyn Johnson |
| Defendants | HYBE Co., HYBE America, HYBE Music Services, Big Hit Music, and credited "Swim" songwriters including Ryan Tedder and Derrick Milano |
| Relief Sought | Injunction, damages, and disgorgement of profits, or alternatively co-writer credit, royalties, and an accounting |
| Reported Status | Active and pending; no ruling or settlement reported |
Big Hit Music told Korean outlet Xportsnews on July 10, 2026, that "the lawsuit contains only the plaintiffs' unilateral claims" and that it "clearly maintain[s] that 'Swim' is an independent, original work," adding that it would "respond firmly through the legal process." No independently verified case number has been published for this filing as of this writing.
Has the BTS "Swim" Lawsuit Been Settled?
No. The BTS "Swim" lawsuit has not been settled, and no dollar figure has been reported or awarded; the plaintiffs are seeking damages and disgorgement of profits in amounts to be determined at trial, or alternatively a share of the song's royalties.
Because the case was filed July 8, 2026 and remains in its earliest pretrial stage, no settlement talks, mediation, or damages figure have been publicly reported. Any eventual recovery depends on whether a judge or jury finds the alleged copying substantial enough to constitute infringement, a determination only the court can make.
The plaintiffs' own musicologist, Alexander Stewart, previously worked as an expert witness for accusers in copyright cases against Ed Sheeran (over Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On") and Led Zeppelin (over "Stairway to Heaven"), and juries rejected the infringement claims in both of those cases, a precedent several outlets have noted as relevant context for how this case might play out.
Latest BTS "Swim" Lawsuit Updates
BTS "Swim" lawsuit updates so far cover the case's filing and the defendants' initial public response. The case is new, filed in July 2026, and has not yet produced a court ruling.
Full BTS "Swim" Lawsuit Timeline
Big Hit Music Publicly Denies the Infringement Allegations
Big Hit Music told Korean outlet Xportsnews that the complaint "contains only the plaintiffs' unilateral claims," maintained that "Swim" is an independent, original work, and said it would respond through the legal process.
Billboard and Music Business Worldwide Report the Filing
Billboard first reported the complaint, naming HYBE, HYBE America, Big Hit Music, and the song's credited co-writers as defendants; Music Business Worldwide separately confirmed it had reviewed the full complaint and reported the plaintiffs' requested relief.
Cooper, Sandler, and Johnson File the Complaint
Steve Cooper, Jon Sandler, and Greylyn Johnson filed their copyright infringement complaint against HYBE's entities and several credited "Swim" songwriters in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.
BTS Releases "Arirang," Including "Swim," as a Studio Album
BTS released its fifth studio album, "Arirang," with "Swim" as the lead single; the song debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and later won Best Song of the Summer at the American Music Awards.
Plaintiffs Complete Their Own "Swim" Demo
According to the complaint, Cooper, Sandler, and Johnson completed a demo recording titled "Swim" in March 2025 and began sending it to music-industry contacts, including Artist Publishing Group, to gauge interest.
How Did HYBE and Big Hit Music Respond to the "Swim" Lawsuit?
HYBE and Big Hit Music denied the copyright infringement allegations within two days of the lawsuit becoming public, calling "Swim" an independent creation. Big Hit Music, HYBE's music subsidiary and BTS's direct agency, issued its denial through a statement to Korean outlet Xportsnews on July 10, 2026.
"The lawsuit contains only the plaintiffs' unilateral claims," the statement read. "We clearly maintain that 'Swim' is an independent, original work. We will respond firmly through the legal process." The same core statement was also shared with The Korea Herald, which separately confirmed the company's denial.
As of this writing, HYBE and Big Hit Music have not filed a public response in court, and no motion to dismiss has been reported. The case follows two other U.S. copyright complaints filed against HYBE entities within the prior two months, including a May 2026 suit by four Los Angeles songwriters and a separate complaint filed the same week as the "Swim" case over the NewJeans song "ETA."
Is the "Swim" Lawsuit the Same as HYBE's Other Copyright Cases?
No. HYBE faced at least two other distinct U.S. copyright complaints within roughly two months of the "Swim" lawsuit, and each involves a different song, different plaintiffs, and a different set of alleged facts, so they should not be treated as one case.
The case detailed on this page concerns BTS's "Swim" and was filed July 8, 2026. A separate complaint, filed by a company called All Surface Publishing the day before, alleges the 2023 NewJeans song "ETA" copied elements of an instrumental dance track called "Samir's Theme" released nearly two decades earlier, a dispute over a different song by a different HYBE-affiliated group. Reporting reviewed for this page also references a third, earlier complaint filed in May 2026 by four Los Angeles songwriters against HYBE and ADOR, HYBE's label for NewJeans, though the specific song and allegations in that case were not detailed in the sources reviewed here.
| Case | Artist/Song | Filed | Status on This Page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cooper, Sandler, Johnson v. HYBE (this page) | BTS, "Swim" | July 8, 2026 | Active, pending; denied by Big Hit Music |
| All Surface Publishing v. HYBE (related, distinct) | NewJeans, "ETA" | July 7, 2026 | Not detailed on this page; separate case |
| May 2026 songwriters' suit (related, distinct) | NewJeans-affiliated (ADOR) | May 2026 | Not detailed on this page; separate case |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the BTS "Swim" lawsuit about?
The BTS "Swim" lawsuit is a copyright infringement complaint filed by three independent songwriters, Steve Cooper, Jon Sandler, and Greylyn Johnson, who allege that BTS's number-one hit "Swim" copied substantial elements of a demo they wrote and shared with music-industry contacts in 2025.
Is the BTS "Swim" lawsuit a class action?
No. The BTS "Swim" lawsuit is a single-case copyright complaint with three named plaintiffs, not a class action or multidistrict litigation, and there is no recruitable class of similarly situated claimants to join.
Has the BTS "Swim" lawsuit been settled?
No, the BTS "Swim" lawsuit has not been settled as of this writing. The case was filed July 8, 2026 and remains in its earliest pretrial stage, with no ruling, dismissal, or settlement publicly reported.
Are BTS members named as defendants in the "Swim" lawsuit?
No individual BTS members are named as defendants in the "Swim" lawsuit, even though member RM is credited as one of the song's co-writers; the complaint instead names HYBE's corporate entities, Big Hit Music, and the song's non-BTS credited songwriters, including Ryan Tedder.
Is the "Swim" lawsuit the same as HYBE's NewJeans copyright cases?
No. The "Swim" lawsuit is a separate, distinct case from at least two other U.S. copyright complaints filed against HYBE entities within roughly two months, including a July 7, 2026 complaint over the NewJeans song "ETA" and a May 2026 suit referencing NewJeans's label ADOR, each involving different songs and plaintiffs.
What is HYBE's response to the "Swim" copyright claims?
HYBE's music subsidiary, Big Hit Music, publicly denied the allegations on July 10, 2026, stating that "Swim" is an independent, original work and that the lawsuit contains only the plaintiffs' unilateral claims, adding that it would respond through the legal process.