THE APEX TIMES
Publishing Company Sues NewJeans Members and HYBE, Alleging ‘ETA’ Copied Instrumental Parts From Nearly 20-Year-Old Dance Track
A copyright lawsuit filed in connection with NewJeans’ 2023 hit claims the song’s horn and drum elements are “virtually identical” to parts of an earlier dance recording.
A publishing company has filed a copyright lawsuit against NewJeans members and their label HYBE, asserting that the 2023 song “ETA” unlawfully copied instrumental elements from a dance track released nearly 20 years earlier, according to a report published by Billboard on July 7, 2026.
The complaint, as described in the Billboard report, centers on the arrangement used in “ETA,” with the plaintiff alleging that the horns and drums in the newer track are “virtually identical” to specific musical parts in the older recording.
The dispute is framed as a composition and sampling-style copyright claim rather than a dispute over lyrics or vocals, focusing on the underlying instrumental bed of the recording. The plaintiff’s theory, as characterized by Billboard, is that the similarity is close enough to constitute infringement.
For NewJeans and HYBE, the case adds legal risk beyond marketing and release timelines. Copyright lawsuits tied to hit songs can affect licensing and future distribution, depending on what relief the plaintiff seeks and whether any interim rulings are requested in the litigation.
The lawsuit also places the creative and business practices around production and clearance under renewed scrutiny, particularly how rights holders evaluate prior recordings when new works rely on broadly used musical components like drums, horns, or production signatures.
No resolution date was reported in the Billboard account. The next steps in such cases typically involve pleadings, motions, and discovery focused on how the tracks were created, what materials were available to the creators, and expert analysis of audio similarities.
Until the allegations are tested in court, the claim remains an allegation. NewJeans and HYBE have not been described as admitting wrongdoing in the Billboard report, and the matter will proceed under the legal process for copyright disputes in the relevant jurisdiction.
Why It Matters
- A lawsuit tied to a major 2023 hit can raise costs and operational burdens for the label and artists while the claims are litigated.
- If the plaintiff pursues remedies such as licensing changes, damages, or injunction-related requests, it could affect how the song is distributed and monetized during the case.
- The allegations underscore how rights holders evaluate similarities in specific musical components when determining infringement in modern music production.
- For audiences and industry stakeholders, the filing indicates that even widely used production elements may become the subject of rights disputes when plaintiffs argue the match is close enough to be actionable.
Key Facts
- A publishing company sued NewJeans members and HYBE over claims involving the 2023 song “ETA,” according to Billboard.
- The lawsuit alleges that horn and drum elements in “ETA” are “virtually identical” to parts of a nearly 20-year-old dance track, per the report.
- The case centers on alleged copying of instrumental parts rather than an allegation focused on lyrics in the Billboard account.
- Billboard reported the suit as pending, with no outcome disclosed in the description provided.
- The dispute highlights copyright and clearance questions tied to the creation and release of a hit K-pop track.