BTS Wins Copyright Lawsuit Against U.S. Songwriter; Dispute Over 'SWIM' Ongoing [Star Issue]

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Top idol group BTS won a copyright lawsuit filed in the United States.

The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia registered a judgment in favor of the defendants on October 22 (local time), dismissing the amended complaint in the copyright lawsuit filed by Melissa Mays against BTS, its agency Big Hit Music, HYBE, and HYBE America, among others.

Melissa Mays had filed the lawsuit on August 25, alleging that BTS and others had used her unreleased song without permission.

However, Melissa Mays failed to present specific evidence regarding the BTS tracks that allegedly infringed upon her work. Judge Leonie Brinkema, who was handling the case, determined in September that the plaintiff's complaint did not sufficiently contain legally viable claims, issuing an initial dismissal and granting an opportunity to supplement and submit the complaint by October 9.

Subsequently, although Melissa Mays submitted an amended complaint on October 8, the court dismissed it, determining that the amended complaint also failed to meet legal requirements, thereby concluding the case.

In addition to this, BTS is also proceeding with a copyright lawsuit related to 'SWIM,' the title track from their fifth studio album 'Arirang.'

U.S. songwriters Steve Cooper, John Sandler, and Graylin Johnson filed a complaint on July 8 in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, alleging that 'SWIM' infringed upon their copyrights.

They submitted an analysis report by a musicologist as evidence, claiming significant similarity between a demo song of the same name they completed in March 2025 and BTS's 'SWIM,' citing similarities in melody, chorus, harmony, rhythm, and lyrics, and demanded damages and revenue sharing.

In response, Big Hit Music rebutted, stating, "It is merely a unilateral claim by the plaintiffs. 'SWIM' is an independently created song."

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.View Original