Songwriters drop lawsuit against Taylor Swift

Hall and Butler told a federal judge in Los Angeles that they would not pursue the 2017 case. The first hearing in the case was scheduled for January 17. It is unclear whether a settlement has been reached, Reuters news agency reports based on court documents.

In Shake It Off, Swift sings, “Players will play, play, play, play, play, and the haters will hate, hate, hate, hate, hate.” Playas Gon’ Play, written by Hall and Butler, contained the lines: “Playas they gon’ play, and haters they gon’ hate.” The song, performed by 3LW, was released in 2001 and became a moderate hit in the United States.

A judge previously dismissed the two’s claim in 2018, but a US appeals court revived the case a year later.

Swift told the court in August that she had never heard the song from 3LW before writing Shake It Off. She said she’s often heard the phrases “players gonna play” and “enemies gonna hate” used to “express the idea that one can or should get rid of negativity.”

However, Hall and Butler insisted the lyrics were too close to be a coincidence. They had sought an undisclosed amount in damages.