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.
RELATED: Taylor Swift Sued For $1 Million Over ‘Lover’ Album Artwork and Book
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 Images"Saying goodbye is death by a thousand cuts / Flashbacks waking me up / I get drunk, but it's not enough / 'Cause the morning comes and you're not my baby."
Taylor Swift's 20 Best Breakup Lines
19. the 1
Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images"I guess you never know, never know / And if you wanted me, you really should've showed / And if you never bleed, you're never gonna grow."
Taylor Swift's 20 Best Breakup Lines
18. Closure
Kevin Winter/Getty Images"Don't treat me like / Some situation that needs to be handled / I'm fine with my spite / And my tears, and my beers and my candles."
Taylor Swift's 20 Best Breakup Lines
17. Blank Space
Kevin Winter/Getty Images"So it's gonna be forever / Or it's gonna go down in flames / You can tell me when it's over / If the high was worth the pain."
Taylor Swift's 20 Best Breakup Lines
16. All You Had To Do Was Stay
Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images"The more I think about it now the less I know / All I know is that you drove us off the road."
Taylor Swift's 20 Best Breakup Lines
15. I Knew You Were Trouble
Craig Barritt/Getty Images"No apologies, he'll never see you cry / Pretends he doesn't know that he's the reason why / You're drowning, you're drowning, you're drowning."
Taylor Swift's 20 Best Breakup Lines
14. I Wish You Would
Christopher Polk/Getty Images"I wish you would come back / Wish I'd never hung up the phone like I did / I wish you knew that / I'd never forget you as long as I'd live."
Taylor Swift's 20 Best Breakup Lines
13. All Too Well
Kevin Winter/Getty Images"And you call me up again just to break me like a promise / So casually cruel in the name of being honest."
Taylor Swift's 20 Best Breakup Lines
12. Red
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images"Losing him was blue, like I'd never known / Missing him was dark gray, all alone / Forgetting him was like trying to know somebody you never met / But loving him was red."
Taylor Swift's 20 Best Breakup Lines
11. this is me trying
Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images"And it's hard to be at a party / When I feel like an open wound / It's hard to be anywhere these days / When all I want is you."
Taylor Swift's 20 Best Breakup Lines
10. The Story Of Us
Sascha Steinbach/Getty Images"I used to know my place was a spot next to you / Now I'm searching the room for an empty seat / 'Cause lately I don't even know what page you're on."
Taylor Swift's 20 Best Breakup Lines
9. Holy Ground
Kevin Winter/Getty Images"And I guess we fell apart in the usual way / And the story's got dust on every page / But sometimes I wonder how you think about it now / And I see your face in every crowd."
Taylor Swift's 20 Best Breakup Lines
8. august
Kevin Winter/Getty Images"And I can see us twisted in bedsheets / August sipped away like a bottle of wine / 'Cause you were never mine."
Taylor Swift's 20 Best Breakup Lines
7. Forever & Always
Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images"And I stare at the phone, he still hasn't called / And then you feel so low you can't feel nothing at all / And you flashback to when he said, 'Forever and always.'"
Taylor Swift's 20 Best Breakup Lines
6. my tears ricochet
Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images"Didn't have it in myself to go with grace / And you're the hero flying around, saving face / And if I'm dead to you, why are you at the wake?"
Taylor Swift's 20 Best Breakup Lines
5. Picture To Burn
Graham Denholm/Getty Images"So watch me strike a match on all my wasted time / As far as I'm concerned, you're just another picture to burn."
Taylor Swift's 20 Best Breakup Lines
4. exile
Mike Coppola/Getty Images"I think I've seen this film before / And I didn't like the ending / You're not my homeland anymore / So what am I defendin' now?"
Taylor Swift's 20 Best Breakup Lines
3. I Forgot That You Existed
Graham Denholm/Getty Images"Your name on my lips, tongue tied / Free rent, livin' in my mind / But then something happened one magical night / I forgot that you existed."
Taylor Swift's 20 Best Breakup Lines
2. You're Not Sorry
Christopher Polk/Getty Images"You got your share of secrets, and I'm tired of being last to know."
Taylor Swift's 20 Best Breakup Lines
1. White Horse
Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images"I was a dreamer before you went and let me down."
Taylor Swift's 20 Best Breakup Lines
