Things Continue to Get Worse for Zach Bryan: The Swifties Have Entered the Chat

Let’s be honest, it’s not a great time to be Zach Bryan. Things started going downhill after his breakup with Brianna Chickenfry. Since then, she has gone public with accusations that the singer/songwriter is emotionally and mentally abusive among other things. Additionally, her podcast co-hosts have dropped a pair of diss tracks containing pointed insults and further accusations. All of this has started to shift public opinion of the “Something in the Orange” singer. As if that wasn’t bad enough, the Swifties have once again focused their ire on him.

Bryan kicked the hornets’ nest that is Taylor Swift’s fanbase earlier this year when he tweeted that he preferred Kanye West to Taylor Swift. This caused backlash from several corners of the internet. However, most of the anger came from the Swiftie camp. As a result, he took to social media to release a lengthy apology, walking back his statement.

[RELATED: Zach Bryan Offers Apology Over Drunken Taylor Swift Tweet: “It Came Out Wrong”]

This time, though, the Swifties aren’t coming for Bryan over something he tweeted. Instead, they claim that he copied several of Swift’s songs. They took to social media to share several examples of Bryan’s songs that sound eerily similar to tracks previously released by Swift.

DISCLAIMER: American Songwriter is in no way accusing Zach Bryan, his band, or anyone in his camp of plagiarizing Taylor Swift’s work. We’re only pointing out what others are saying and allowing you, the reader, to come to your own conclusions.

Swifties Accuse Zach Bryan of Ripping off Taylor Swift

Several examples of Zach Bryan songs that sound like Taylor Swift songs are currently floating around TikTok. Some seem like a bit of a stretch—while others may hold a bit more weight.

First, let’s look at a video that puts Bryan’s “Pink Skies” and Swift’s “Betty” side by side. Bryan released “Pink Skies” earlier this year as a single from The Great American Bar Scene. “Betty” appears on Swift’s 2020 album Folklore. The video below shows some similarities between the tracks. However, this is more a case of a similar arrangement. Both songs start with an acoustic guitar followed by a harmonica. However, the melodies are different.

Then, there’s the comparison between “Better Days” from Great American Bar Scene which features John Mayer, and “Dear John” from Swift’s 2010 album Speak Now. Interestingly, “Dear John” is about Mayer. These sound incredibly similar.

The next, and most intriguing video features “Let You Down” from Bryan’s 2020 EP Quiet, Heavy Dreams, and “Should’ve Said No” from Swift’s 2006 self-titled debut album. No one could deny that the fiddle melody in Bryan’s track is very similar to the banjo line in Swift’s track.

Featured Image by Keith Griner/Getty Images