Olivia Rodrigo releases debut album Sour, crediting Taylor Swift on one track

Olivia Rodrigo, then 18, released her debut album Sour on 21 May 2021 through Geffen Records. It followed the success of her single "Drivers License", which had topped charts around the world earlier that year and made her one of pop's most talked-about new artists.

One album track, "1 Step Forward, 3 Steps Back", interpolated Taylor Swift's 2019 song "New Year's Day", meaning it reused part of its melody. Swift and her collaborator Jack Antonoff were therefore listed in the songwriting credits. The credit showed that Rodrigo, who has often named Swift as an influence, had secured permission and shared royalties with the original writers.

The album was widely praised and sold strongly, but its similarities to other artists' work also drew attention. Critics and fans compared several songs to older hits, and some other writers were later added to credits. These early credit decisions became the starting point for later debates over how closely Rodrigo's songs echo earlier music and who deserves songwriting credit.