10 Rock Songs That Ripped Off Other Songs
That Sounds Familiar...TOO FAMILIAR.
Anyone who has ever worked as a songwriter will tell you how hard it is to nail down the hook. While you can flex your musical prowess across a track's runtime, you have to have that one element that sticks in the listener's head and keeps them coming back for more. Even though many bands have come up with original melodic phrases, it's sometimes just as easy to knick someone else's idea and put it in your own tune.
Across rock's storied history, many bands have come out with songs that bear more than just a passing resemblance to old rock classics. This had led to much fan speculation about whether it was intentional, while some artists have full blown admitted to ripping off their heroes. Sometimes these tracks have even gotten the band into hot water with record companies, who demanded royalties for what they saw as being "their song."
It may not necessarily be the right thing to crib your ideas from an already-existing song, but as the age-old saying goes, "Talent Borrows, but Genius Steals." With that in mind, let's take a look at some of these tunes and see if they are taking too much inspiration from the rock and roll of old.
10. Jet Stealing from the King of Punks - Are You Gonna Be My Girl
Out of all the hard rock revival acts to come out of the 2000's, Jet was one of the first bands to hit pay dirt with "Are You Gonna Be My Girl." This hard-edged slice of AC/DC-flavored rock sent the song soaring to the top of the rock charts overnight. Though many were grooving to the main riff, the actual rhythm was a bit more common than many may have realized.
The one thing that jumps out at you from the very beginning is that opening bass throb and its saucey bend, but the actual groove and key is taken straight out of the punk rock hierarchy. The entire pulse of the song is based around the slinky rhythm found in Iggy Pop's "Lust For Life." While the original song was far from setting the music world on fire, it was still in the public consciousness thanks to its brilliant use in the 90's film Trainspotting.
Despite the similarities, the band defended their song and even compared it to Motown classics like "You Can't Hurry Love." Even if they genuinely don't see the connection, these statements read like they're deflecting the obvious rip off rather than citing a legitimate musical influence.