BTS have secured a legal victory in the United States after a federal court dismissed a copyright infringement lawsuit alleging that the group had used an unpublished song without permission.
The case, which also named Big Hit Music, HYBE, and HYBE America, was brought by songwriter Melissa Mays, who claimed that her unreleased work had been used without authorization.
On October 22, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia dismissed the amended complaint and entered judgment in favor of the defendants.
The decision came after the plaintiff was given an opportunity to revise her original filing but failed to address the legal issues identified by the court.
The lawsuit had initially been filed on August 25.
However, the plaintiff reportedly did not identify the specific BTS song that allegedly infringed her copyright or provide sufficient material to support the accusation.
The court first dismissed the complaint in September, allowing her to submit an amended version before October 9.
Although the revised complaint was filed on October 8, it did not change the outcome.
The court subsequently dismissed the amended filing, bringing this particular legal dispute to a close.
U.S. Court Dismisses Lawsuit After Amended Complaint Fails to Meet Legal Requirements
According to reports, Melissa Mays alleged that BTS and the companies associated with the group had used her unpublished musical work without permission.
However, the complaint reportedly lacked specific details identifying the allegedly infringing tracks and did not provide sufficient evidence to establish the copyright claim.
The court initially dismissed the original complaint in September, determining that it did not present legally sufficient claims.
Judge Leonie Brinkema allowed the plaintiff additional time to address the shortcomings and submit an amended complaint by October 9.
Mays submitted the revised filing one day before the deadline.
Nevertheless, the court found that the amended complaint still failed to meet the necessary legal requirements.
On October 22, the court dismissed the revised complaint and entered judgment in favor of BTS, Big Hit Music, HYBE, and HYBE America.
The ruling represents a legal victory for the defendants in this specific case.
The outcome also highlights the importance of providing specific allegations and supporting material in copyright infringement proceedings.
A claim that an artist has used another person’s work must be supported by sufficient legal and factual grounds.
Separate Copyright Lawsuit Over BTS’ ‘SWIM’ Remains Ongoing
While BTS and their associated companies have prevailed in the Virginia case, a separate copyright dispute involving the group’s song “SWIM” is still ongoing in California.
On July 8, three American songwriters, Steve Cooper, John Sandler, and Graylin Johnson, filed a copyright infringement lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.
They alleged that “SWIM,” the title track from BTS’ fifth full-length album ARIRANG, shares substantial similarities with a demo track of the same name that they created in March 2025.
The plaintiffs reportedly pointed to similarities involving the melody, chorus, harmony, rhythm, and lyrics.
They also submitted an analysis prepared by a musicologist and sought damages along with a share of the song’s profits.
Unlike the Virginia lawsuit, this separate case specifically concerns the title track “SWIM.”
The BTS members themselves have not been named as defendants in the California proceedings; the complaint names HYBE, Big Hit Music, HYBE America, and other parties involved in the song’s production.
Big Hit Music has rejected the allegations, describing them as the plaintiffs’ one-sided claims.
The agency has maintained that “SWIM” was independently created and stated that it would respond through the appropriate legal procedures.
The dismissal of the Virginia lawsuit does not determine the outcome of the separate California case.
The two disputes involve different plaintiffs and allegations, and the proceedings must be considered independently.
For BTS, the latest ruling marks the conclusion of one copyright dispute in the United States, while the separate proceedings concerning “SWIM” continue.
The outcome of that case remains to be determined.
