BTS Hit “SWIM” Faces U.S. Copyright Lawsuit Over Demo Claim

BTS’s hit single “SWIM” is now at the center of a U.S. copyright lawsuit, after three Los Angeles songwriters accused HYBE-related companies and several credited writers of using elements from an unpublished demo. The case, filed on July 8 in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, adds a new legal complication around one of the group’s biggest recent releases.

According to Music Business Worldwide, songwriters Steve Cooper, Jon Sandler, and Greylyn Johnson claim they wrote and recorded their own song titled “SWIM” as a demo in early 2025. Their complaint alleges that BTS’s track, released as the lead single from the album Arirang in March 2026, copied protectable elements from that earlier composition.

What the lawsuit alleges

The complaint says the plaintiffs completed their demo in March 2025 and then shared it with industry contacts while seeking interest in the song. One of the companies named in the case is Artist Publishing Group, or APG. The plaintiffs allege that APG representatives listened to the demo and that it was later shared within a professional network that included songwriter Derrick Milano, who is credited as one of the writers on BTS’s “SWIM.”

The lawsuit also points to another alleged route of access. It says the demo was sent to Noreen Prunier-Winans, described in the complaint as an A&R and publishing executive at ATG Group, and claims she shared it with other writers and producers. The plaintiffs argue that those alleged paths matter because BTS worked on Arirang in Los Angeles in 2025 while meeting songwriters and producers for potential material.

As with many music copyright cases, the central question is not only whether two works sound similar, but whether the defendants had access to the earlier song and whether the allegedly shared material is legally protectable. The allegations remain just that at this stage. They have not been tested in court, and the defendants will have an opportunity to contest both the access theory and the similarity claims.

Expert report cited in the complaint

The plaintiffs say they hired musicologist Alexander Stewart in April 2026 after repeatedly listening to BTS’s “SWIM” and concluding that it resembled their demo. In a preliminary report quoted in the complaint, Stewart allegedly identified similarities involving the hook connected to the title, harmonic choices, textures, rhythm, and lyrical elements. The complaint presents that analysis as support for the plaintiffs’ claim that the BTS track was not independently created.

The requested remedies are significant. The plaintiffs are seeking an injunction against further use of BTS’s “SWIM,” damages, and a share of profits to be determined. Alternatively, they are asking to be credited as co-writers on nearly all of the song and to receive a large share of profits tied to it, along with an accounting.

Who is named in the case

The lawsuit names HYBE Co., HYBE America, HYBE Music Services, and BTS’s label Big Hit Music among the defendants. It also names several credited writers on “SWIM,” including James Essien, Jamison Baken, Ryan Tedder, Tyler Spry, Sean Foreman, Kirsten Spencer, and Derrick Milano. BTS member RM and HYBE producer Pdogg are credited on the song but, according to the report, are not named as defendants.

That distinction is important for fans following the case closely. A lawsuit involving a BTS song does not necessarily mean the members themselves are being sued. In modern pop production, a single track can pass through labels, publishers, producers, topliners, A&R executives, and outside writing rooms before release. Copyright disputes often focus on that broader business chain rather than only the artist whose name appears on the single.

A wider HYBE legal moment

The timing also draws attention because this is reportedly the third U.S. copyright complaint involving HYBE-linked entities in two months. Earlier cases have involved allegations related to NewJeans tracks, including “How Sweet” and “ETA.” Those disputes are separate from the BTS case, but together they put more public scrutiny on how major K-pop companies source songs, manage demos, and document creative development.

For BTS, the lawsuit lands during a high-profile period. “SWIM” reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 after release, while Arirang topped the Billboard 200. The group is also in the middle of its large-scale ARIRANG world tour, meaning the song is not just a catalog entry but an active part of the current BTS era.

The next steps will likely determine whether this remains an early-stage claim or becomes a prolonged industry case. The plaintiffs will need to prove more than general resemblance, while the defendants may challenge access, originality, protectability, and the weight of the expert analysis. Until a court evaluates the evidence, the case should be treated as an unresolved legal dispute rather than a finding of plagiarism.