Taylor Swift’s Shake It Off plagiarism trial dropped | Music

Two songwriters have dropped charges against Taylor Swift. Sean Hall and Nathan Butler accused the singer in 2017 of plagiarism. She would have copied their lyrics in her number 1 hit Shake from 2014.

Hall and Butler told the Los Angeles judge they would not pursue the 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 Swift sings, “Players will play, play, play, play, play, and the haters will hate, hate, hate, hate, hate.” Playas will play, written by Hall and Butler, contained the lines: “Playas, they’ll play, and haters, they’ll hate.” The song was performed by 3LW and was released in 2001.

Swift told court in August that she had never heard 3LW’s song before Shake wrote. 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.

A judge previously dismissed the two’s claim in 2018, but a US appeals court revived the case a year later. Now Hall and Butler are drawing a line under the case themselves.