Taylor Swift’s ‘Shake It Off’ Copyright Lawsuit Gets Dropped
Taylor Swift and two songwriters who claim she plagiarized the lyrics to her hit “Shake It Off” have reached an agreement to end the copyright lawsuit, which has gone on…
Taylor Swift, winner of the Artist of the Year award; Favorite Female Pop Artist award; Favorite Female Country Artist award; Favorite Pop Album award for ‘Red (Taylor’s Version)’; Favorite Music Video award for ‘All Too Well: The Short Film’; and Favorite Country Album award for ‘Red (Taylor’s Version),’ poses in the press room during the 2022 American Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on November 20, 2022 in Los Angeles, California.
Amy Sussman/Getty Images for dcpTaylor Swift and two songwriters who claim she plagiarized the lyrics to her hit “Shake It Off” have reached an agreement to end the copyright lawsuit, which has gone on for five years. Per Variety, both parties — Swift and songwriters Nathan Butler and Sean Hall — have asked a judge to “[dimiss] this action in its entirety.” The trial had been scheduled to begin next month.
As we've earlier reported, Swift said back in her declaration filed in August, “The lyrics to ‘Shake It Off’ were written entirely by me." The copyright lawsuit was originally filed in 2017 but later dropped. However, after it was appealed one year later, a judge recently ruled that the case would go to trial. Songwriters Hall and Butler accused Swift of plagiarizing their 2001 track “Playas Gon’ Play” for band 3WL.
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However, Swift claimed she didn’t even know the song existed. She said, “The first time I ever heard the song was after this claim was made.” In the declaration, Swift denied that she stole any lyrical content. Swift claimed that she used childhood stories to support her point. “I recall hearing phrases about players play and haters hate stated together by other children while attending school in Wyomissing Hills, and in high school in Hendersonville.”
She argued that these popular phrases had inspired lyrics for the song. Swfit pointed out that it was unrealistic for people to claim ownsherhip of sayings that are universal in society. “I also recall hearing similar player and hater phrases in many songs, films and other works prior to ‘Shake it Off.'” Swift added that co-writers Max Martin and Shellback made the melody and drumbeat, respectively, while she ad-libbed the lyrics. The co-writers also denied hearing the 3LW song prior to the lawsuit.
The terms of the settlement were unclear from the filings. It’s due to be decided by a jury at an undetermined date in the future. But Swift's attorney Peter Anderson is arguing that further evidence shows the plaintiffs’ claims are baseless enough to not warrant a trial.
Taylor Swift turns 34 today (December 13), and in honor of the hit songstress' big day, we compiled our favorite lyrics by the queen of breakup songs.
20. Death By A Thousand Cuts
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty ImagesCLEVELAND, OHIO - OCTOBER 30: Taylor Swift performs onstage during the 36th Annual Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on October 30, 2021 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame )
Taylor Swift's 20 Best Breakup Lines
19. the 1
Dia Dipasupil/Getty ImagesNEW YORK, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 13: Taylor Swift performs onstage during iHeartRadio's Z100 Jingle Ball 2019 Presented By Capital One on December 13, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images for iHeartMedia )
Taylor Swift's 20 Best Breakup Lines
18. Closure
Kevin Winter/Getty ImagesLOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 24: Taylor Swift performs onstage during the 2019 American Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on November 24, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for dcp)
Taylor Swift's 20 Best Breakup Lines
17. Blank Space
Kevin Winter/Getty ImagesLOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 19: Taylor Swift performs onstage during the 7th Annual We Can Survive, presented by AT&T, a RADIO.COM event, at The Hollywood Bowl on October 19, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for RADIO.COM )
Taylor Swift's 20 Best Breakup Lines
16. All You Had To Do Was Stay
Dia Dipasupil/Getty ImagesNEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 22: Taylor Swift performs on ABC's "Good Morning America" at SummerStage at Rumsey Playfield, Central Park on August 22, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images for ABA)
Taylor Swift's 20 Best Breakup Lines
15. I Knew You Were Trouble
Craig Barritt/Getty ImagesNEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 14: Taylor Swift performs at AEG and Stonewall Inn’s pride celebration commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising. AEG has pledged its support to SIGBI’s development of an LGBTQ+ anti-bias training standard. #EqualityForAll #BetterAsOne (Photo by Craig Barritt/Getty Images for AEG)
Taylor Swift's 20 Best Breakup Lines
14. I Wish You Would
Christopher Polk/Getty ImagesLAS VEGAS, NV - MAY 15: Recording artist Taylor Swift performs onstage during Rock in Rio USA at the MGM Resorts Festival Grounds on May 15, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images)
Taylor Swift's 20 Best Breakup Lines
13. All Too Well
Kevin Winter/Getty ImagesCARSON, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 01: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NO COMMERCIAL USE) Taylor Swift performs onstage at 2019 iHeartRadio Wango Tango presented by The JUVÉDERM® Collection of Dermal Fillers at Dignity Health Sports Park on June 01, 2019 in Carson, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for iHeartMedia)
Taylor Swift's 20 Best Breakup Lines
12. Red
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty ImagesNEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 23: Taylor Swift performs during the TIME 100 Gala 2019 Dinner at Jazz at Lincoln Center on April 23, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for TIME)
Taylor Swift's 20 Best Breakup Lines
11. this is me trying
Mark Metcalfe/Getty ImagesSYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 02: Taylor Swift performs at ANZ Stadium on November 02, 2018 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)
Taylor Swift's 20 Best Breakup Lines
10. The Story Of Us
Sascha Steinbach/Getty ImagesCOLOGNE, GERMANY - JUNE 19: Taylor Swift performs during 'The 1989 World Tour' night 1 at Lanxess Arena on June 19, 2015 in Cologne, Germany. (Photo by Sascha Steinbach/Getty Images for TAS)
Taylor Swift's 20 Best Breakup Lines
9. Holy Ground
Kevin Winter/Getty ImagesLOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 09: (EDITORS NOTE: Retransmission with alternate crop.) Taylor Swift performs onstage during the 2018 American Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on October 9, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images For dcp)
Taylor Swift's 20 Best Breakup Lines
8. august
Kevin Winter/Getty ImagesGLENDALE, AZ - MAY 08: Taylor Swift performs onstage during opening night of her 2018 Reputation Stadium Tour at University of Phoenix Stadium on May 8, 2018 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for TAS)
Taylor Swift's 20 Best Breakup Lines
7. Forever & Always
Mark Metcalfe/Getty ImagesSYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 28: Taylor Swift performs during her '1989' World Tour at ANZ Stadium on November 28, 2015 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)
Taylor Swift's 20 Best Breakup Lines
6. my tears ricochet
Kevork Djansezian/Getty ImagesLOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 15: Singer Taylor Swift performs onstage during The 58th GRAMMY Awards at Staples Center on February 15, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Taylor Swift's 20 Best Breakup Lines
5. Picture To Burn
Graham Denholm/Getty ImagesMELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - DECEMBER 10: Taylor Swift performs during her '1989' World Tour at AAMI Park on December 10, 2015 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Graham Denholm/Getty Images)
Taylor Swift's 20 Best Breakup Lines
4. exile
Mike Coppola/Getty ImagesNEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 12: Taylor Swift performs onstage during iHeartRadio Jingle Ball 2014, hosted by Z100 New York and presented by Goldfish Puffs at Madison Square Garden on December 12, 2014 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images for iHeartMedia)
Taylor Swift's 20 Best Breakup Lines
3. I Forgot That You Existed
Graham Denholm/Getty ImagesMELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - DECEMBER 10: Taylor Swift performs during her '1989' World Tour at AAMI Park on December 10, 2015 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Graham Denholm/Getty Images)
Taylor Swift's 20 Best Breakup Lines
2. You're Not Sorry
Christopher Polk/Getty ImagesLOS ANGELES, CA - AUGUST 21: Singer-songwriter Taylor Swift performs onstage during The 1989 World Tour Live In Los Angeles at Staples Center on August 21, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images for TAS)
Taylor Swift's 20 Best Breakup Lines
1. White Horse
Kevork Djansezian/Getty ImagesLOS ANGELES, CA - AUGUST 30: Singer Taylor Swift performs onstage during the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on August 30, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Taylor Swift's 20 Best Breakup Lines
