Eric Church's Copyright Lawsuit with Taylor Swift: A Closer Look at the Legal Battle and Resolution
Eric Church recently revealed in an interview with Rolling Stone that he found himself involved in a copyright lawsuit with Taylor Swift. The lawsuit stemmed from Swift's use of the lyrics "players gonna play, haters gonna hate" in her song "Shake It Off," which led to a legal battle that was eventually dismissed in late 2022. Swift mentioned that she first heard the phrase in Church's song "The Outsiders" during a deposition, which caught Church by surprise.
Church received a legal notice from the songwriters behind 3LW's "Playas Gon' Play," who claimed that Swift had used their lyrics without permission. Swift explained in her deposition that she had heard the phrases "players gonna play" and "haters gonna hate" in Church's song, leading to the lawsuit. Church reached out to Swift, asking to avoid such situations in the future, to which Swift apologized and reiterated that she had indeed heard the phrase in his song.
The lawsuit between Swift and the songwriters accusing her of copyright infringement was settled a month before the trial was scheduled to begin in December 2022. The reason for the dismissal was not disclosed in the court filings. The legal dispute originated in 2017 when Sean Hall and Nathan Butler sued Swift for allegedly using their lyrics in "Shake It Off."
Swift recently regained control of her music catalog after a six-year battle following the sale of her old label to Scooter Braun's Ithaca Holdings. Meanwhile, Church has been actively performing in Nashville during CMA Fest, surprising fans with appearances at events like Spotify House and showcasing songs from his latest album, Evangeline vs. the Machine. The incident with Swift shed light on the complexities of copyright issues in the music industry and the importance of clarifying sources of inspiration to avoid legal disputes.