10 Rock Songs That Ripped Off Other Songs

At the start of the millennium, change was in the air for Green Day. After being ostracized from their original fanbase thanks to the success of their breakthrough album Dookie, the band spent the albums Nimrod and Warning trying to distance themselves from the pop punk sound. While the title track from 2000's Warning was a welcome change of pace with its folky structure, many classic rock fans were a bit skeptical about that guitar riff.

The ascending bass riff on the tune has the same type of pattern as the Kinks classic "Picture Book," only transposed up a few keys. When asked about the similarities, Billie Joe Armstrong went so far as to say that he was greatly inspired by the rock and roll of the 60's when making the record. Even though Armstrong mentioned the Kinks as a major influence on his songwriting technique, he denied any intention of deliberately copying their work.

However, the goodwill of rock prevailed and the Davies brother decided not to file any type of suit against the pop punk brats. Given that the band's deep dive into more ambitious rock moments on American Idiot was around the corner, "Warning" serves as a nice little song that bridges the gap between the band's punk rock past and their lofty rock and roll future.