Catchy pop songs come and go. But what happens when a recent hit song sounds eerily similar to an earlier predecessor? That’s the case with the selections below. Some were even so blatantly similar that they ended up in court.
“Hotline Bling” by Drake sounds similar to “Why Can’t We Live Together” by Timmy Thomas
While Canadian rapper Drake’s “Hotline Bling” has been described as an R&B song with trap influences, most listeners aren’t aware of its soul sample from the 1972 anti-Vietnam war hit “Why Can’t We Live Together” by Timmy Thomas. At first, Drake and the song’s producer nineteen85 didn’t acknowledge this. In an interview with “Spin” magazine, Thomas said that one of his cousins actually informed him of the sample. After the song’s success and its undeniable similarities, Drake and his team came around to eventually crediting Thomas for the song. Although Thomas’s recording was sampled in an era of Internet memes, Drake is not the first to lift the tune. Thomas’s classic was also sampled and covered by Sade, Steve Winwood, Joan Osbourne, Santana – even MC Hammer.
“Blurred Lines” by Robin Thicke sounds similar to “Got To Give It Up” by Marvin Gaye
There’s a reason generations of music listeners did the Electric Slide to “Blurred Lines” at family gatherings – which was the longest running chart hit of 2013 and one of the biggest of this decade – the funky groove laced throughout the song sounded very much like Marvin Gaye’s “Got To Give It Up.” The song evoked immediate comparisons to Gaye’s 1977 classic upon its release, and was becoming such a massive success in early 2013 that Robin Thicke, Pharrell Williams and T.I. preemptively sued the Gaye family before they could file their lawsuit. Well, it backfired big time. According to Reuters, all three recording artists were found guilty of copyright infringement, and had to pay out nearly $7.4 million, plus, add a songwriting credit. Even with the legal victory, the “Blurred Lines” court battle still isn’t over. According to ABC News, in 2016, the family of Marvin Gaye is suing for $3.4 million more. Ouch.
“Stay With Me” by Sam Smith sounds similar to “I Won’t Back Down” by Tom Petty
British breakout star Sam Smith had a banner year in 2014, winning best new artist at the Grammys, largely due to the success of his cross-Atlantic smash “Stay With Me.” But Tom Petty and the team behind his 1989 tune “I Won’t Back Down” had reasons to feel used when the signature hook in Sam Smith’s ballad sounded eerily similar to his original recording and subsequently dragged Smith into court. Petty “stood his ground,” alright – the courts sided with the classic rocker, according to British newspaper The Sun, and was eventually credited for co-writing, with Smith having to pay royalties. Also, one YouTube user did a great job mashing up the two songs side by side displaying the similarities.
“Uptown Funk” by Mark Ronson, featuring Bruno Mars, sounds similar to both “Jungle Love” by Morris Day and The Time and “Oops Upside Your Head” by The Gap Band
Spirited novelty throwbacks to funky sounds from generations prior have been in vogue on the pop charts for quite some time – Daft Punk’s 2013 smash “Get Lucky” was a huge indicator of the reemerging appeal of funk on today’s pop charts. British-American producer Mark Ronson hit the ball out of the park with Bruno Mars in their collaboration “Uptown Funk” – scoring the longest running number-one single of the decade, according to “Billboard” magazine. Anyone old enough to remember the dominance Minneapolis funk had on pop and R&B in the early ’80s will remember Morris Day and The Time’s sinewy funk jam “Jungle Love.” The glowing keyboards and chanting sound very similar on Mark and Bruno’s version. However, Tulsa, Oklahoma, funk trio The Gap Band was credited for songwriting after the fact, since the “uptown funk you up” refrain sounded so similar to the band’s 1979 hit “Oops Upside Your Head.”
“Born This Way” by Lady Gaga sounds similar to “Express Yourself” by Madonna
Lady Gaga seemed like a one-woman tour de force at the start of the 2010s, she was one-of-a-kind in the eyes of many. However, all of her crazy costumes and catchy songs didn’t just come about by serendipity. When Gaga released her 2011 single “Born This Way” there was a heavy amount of Madonna’s “Express Yourself” thrown in the sound. The hook and the beat sounded so similar to the Material Girl’s 1989 single that Madonna seamlessly interpolated “Born This Way” into a medley alongside her classic tune during live performances on the road in her MDNA World Tour in 2012 – even closing the segment with the track “She’s Not Me.”
“Some Nights” by fun. sounds similar to “Cecilia” by Simon & Garfunkel
New York indie rock band fun. scored a sleeper hit with their catchy 2012 single “Some Nights.” However, for fans of ’70s singer-songwriters Simon & Garfunkel, the song sounded a little too similar to the 1970 tune “Cecilia.” Though the duo was never credited, according to Songfacts, lead vocalist Nate Ruess told “Billboard” magazine that Paul Simon’s “Graceland” was a huge influence.
“Roar” by Katy Perry sounds similar to “Brave” by Sara Bareilles
Singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles released “Brave” in 2013, and fans went nuts on social media after Katy Perry’s “Roar” surfaced later that year, mainly because of the similarities in the rhythm, chorus and feel of Perry’s song in comparison to “Brave.” According to E! Online, Bareilles felt the comparison wasn’t anything worth calling a ripoff. “I don’t feel like anything was taken from me artistically,” Bareilles explained. “I wasn’t the one having any problems with it.” Listen to the YouTube clip and you be the judge.
