Taylor Swift Sued Over 'Shake It Off' Lyrics
Sean Hall and Nathan Butler dropped a lawsuit against Taylor Swift and her track "Shake It Off," claiming that they own the copyright to some of the lyrics from their song that was launched 16 years ago.
Swift is being sued for allegedly copying the lyrics to Butler and Hall's "Playas Gon' Play," a big hit in 2001 released by the girl group 3LW, landing #81 on the Billboard Hot 100, TMZ reports.
Butler and Hall's lyrics go, "Plays, they gonna play and haters, they gonna hate." The two accomplished songwriters claim that 20 percent of Swift's "Shake It Off" — which launched 13 years after their song — came from their song's lyrics.
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However, Swift's rep told PEOPLE that Hall and Butler are just after the money.
"This is a ridiculous claim and nothing more than a money grab. The law is simple and clear. They do not have a case," Swift's rep said in a statement.
For Butler and Hall to win their copyright infringement suit, they must be able to prove in court that their "Playas Gon' Play" and Swift's "Shake It Off" are "strikingly similar" to each other, Forbes confirmed.
"Shake It Off" has a unique sound, and it might not be difficult for Swift's lawyers to win this for her, especially since the artist is known for creating new music based on her personal life.
However, this isn't the first time Swift has been given a lawsuit for copyright infringement for "Shake It Off." Swift was sued by R&B singer Jesse Graham for $42 million for the line, "Haters gonna hate," which he claimed was from his song, Mashable reports.
Also, the two songwriters after Swift have a very reputable history, which makes it hard to see their claim as fake. Butler was previously involved with the Backstreet Boys, Aaron Carter, Christina Milian, and Victoria Beckham, while Hall collaborated with Justin Bieber, Pink, Maroon 5, and Lionel Richie.
