'Shake It Off' is undoubtedly one of the biggest pop songs of the last decade - but did Taylor Swift plagiarise another track to write it?
That's what the songwriters of 3LW's 'Playas Gon' Play' have alleged since 2017 - and now the case will go to trial, despite Swift's attempts to avoid it.
Sean Hall and Nathan Butler claim that Swift lifted the chorus of their 2001 song for 'Shake It Off', originally filing a suit in 2017 - but a judge dismissed it, saying that the lyrics were "too brief, unoriginal and uncreative to warrant protection under the Copyright Act."
The lyrics of 'Playas Gon' Play' include "Playas gon' play, and haters they gon' hate / Ballers, they gonna ball / Shot callers, they gonna call", whereas those of 'Shake It Off' go "Players gonna play, play, play, play, play / And the haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate / I'm just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake / Shake it off, shake it off."
However, the case took another turn when it was ruled by a court of appeals that the originality of the lyrics should be judged by a jury, and not a judge.
The same judge who dismissed the suit in 2017 has now ruled that the case should go to trial in January 2023, despite several attempts by Swift to have it dismissed. Michael W. Fitzgerald said: “I still think there’s a genuine issue of material fact, in part because of the expert opinion."
So far, Swift has not commented on the latest development.
She releases her tenth album 'Midnights' next month.
Hear both songs below...
