Chart-topping or copy-pasting? The Swift plagiarism debate

Taylor Swift may have dropped a chart-topper, but she has also stirred a raging controversy over the originality of her new album, "The Life of a Showgirl." Her latest release has ignited a fierce debate online, as fans and musicians alike accuse her of borrowing too heavily from musical eras of the past, from 1980s Latin rhythms to 2000s alt-rock riffs.

The first sparks flew on Reddit’s r/SwiftlyNeutral, where listeners noticed uncanny overlaps between "The Life of a Showgirl" and the Jonas Brothers’ 2019 single "Cool." The similarities, particularly in rhythm and melody, led some fans to call it "the same song in a different outfit." When favorable YouTube comments began vanishing, the conversation on Swift’s new album shifted from musical coincidence to possible reputation management.

Meanwhile, over on Threads, indie musician Karsen Veazey lit up the feed with a post claiming that Swift’s “Actually Romantic” was a near-carbon copy of one of her own songs from last year. 

The post exploded, with thousands backing her up and commenters telling her to “get those royalties.” Some even dredged up Swift’s earlier tangle with Olivia Rodrigo over “Deja Vu” and “Cruel Summer.” 

Not long after, writer David Dark added fuel to the fire on X, noting that ‘Actually Romantic’ “sounds a lot like the Pixies ‘Where Is My Mind?’,” a comparison fans were already making note for note.

The latest flashpoint is “Opalite.” A viral post on X from @mr_evertz claimed Swift “straight up plagiarized” it from Luis Miguel’s 1982 track “1 + 1 = 2 Enamorados.” The clip, a split-screen comparison, came with the caption, “Swifties, meet Luis Miguel. You hear it too, right?” Within hours, fans were pointing out the identical synth pulse and chord progression straight out of early-’80s Latin pop.

Soon, the debate widened. ‘Cancelled!’ drew parallels to Lorde’s ‘Yellow Flicker Beat,’ ‘Wood’ to the Jackson 5’s ‘I Want You Back,’ and ‘Opalite’ yet again to Post Malone’s ‘Circles.’ Defenders dismissed these as coincidences born of pop’s self-referential nature, but detractors saw irony: Swift herself has demanded credit for far subtler overlaps. 

The controversy has revived a timeless question in music: Where does influence end and imitation begin?