Since the infamous Blurred Lines case songwriters should be more aware of avoiding plagiarism. Still you can find that a big percentage of songs that are melodically resembling to other prior song. The sound-alike copying is widely and willfully used in the lower leagues of the pop-business, but also in the top songs.
Back then the Blurred Lines verdict (and recently Let's Get It On too) was supported by a couple of quotes by pop musicians or others feeling similarity between two songs.
I'm having similar experiences all the time, quite a few. Probably more than others. Hereby I list 25 recent plus some older songs that show melodic (or sound) similarity with an other prior song. A part of these are commonly known, a big part of them are my own findings.
Once someone points out the similarity, lay people are expected to recognise it too and say "wow, indeed!". Even small similarities or 4-5 coinciding notes are sufficient to creat an impression of similarity, even for first listen. Remember Stairway?
In plagiarism trials lay people jurors may also vote for "yes, these are similar indeed" unless they are not properly instructed. The majority of the findings in the list below are not close enough to take too seriously.
1)
Clean Bandit: Symphony
Pharrell Williams, Robin Thicke: Blurred Lines
Not a close one at all, but compared to the "substantial similarity" that was shown in the Blurred Lines vs Got To Give It Up trial, it is definitely in a higher class. The function of these passages also coincide.
1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 1 . 2 . 3
1 2 3 5 3 5 6 1 2 2 1 : Symphony
3 3 2 3 5 6 1 1 1 : Blurred Lines
* * * * * : matching notes
5 5 5 5 6 1 2 1 5 6 : GTGIU
see also Sweet Lullaby
2)
Meghan Trainor: All About That Bass
Pharell Williams, Robin Thicke: Blurred Lines
A double arch motif. Many matching notes, but it was not instant finding.
3)
Enrique Iglesias: Duele El Corazon
A. L. Webber: Then We Are Decided
1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 1 . 2 . 3 . 4
1111 31 432 1 4 4
111 3 1 433 2 3
4)
Avicii: I'm Addicted To You
Beatles: While My Guitar Gently Weeps
Melody plus the combination of chord and descending inner line. Harmony vocals are also reminiscent of other Beatles song. Instantly recognised.
5)
David Guetta ft. Zara Larsson: This One's For You
Queen:Who Wants To Live Forever
This is a case of parallelling melodies with almost identical special rhythm. It was another instant finding.
. 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 1 .
11 12 223 33 34# 445
11 15 556 11 17 771'
6)
Katy Perry: Fireworks
Erasure: Always
Regarding the length and speciality (rhythm and wide melodic leaps) this one is a relatively clear case of plagiarism.
. 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 .
5,1 5,2 1 2 3 1 6,
7)
Sam Smith: Stay With Me
Tom Petty: It Won't Back Down
A well known, heavily discussed case.
The long melody and the very special rhythm makes it an easy to judge case.
8)
Katy Perry: Chained To The Rhythm
Beatles: All You Need Is Love
The outro vocal of CTTR resonates with that of the AYNIL intro hook. Very far from plagiarism, but easy to recognise.
9)
Pharell Williams, Robin Thicke: Blurred Lines
Double Trouble ft Rebel MC - Just Keep Rockin'
sound alike
"copyed elements":
backbeat chords on "Rhodes",
"Hoo" vocals,
rap,
vocal percussion rhythm in JKR = cowbell rhythm in BL.
Plus: three gents (performers) and a biking lady on the video :).
10)
Adele: Rolling In The Deep (opening melody)
Metallica: Orion (guitar solo fragment)
Five notes only.
11)
Portugal.The Man: Feel It Still
Marvellets: Please Mr Postman
Obvious case. Even the Wikipedia article mentions this.
Plagiarism.
12)
Major Lazer/Justin Bieber/MO: Cold Water
Eric Clapton: I Shot The Sheriff
The hooks are very close. Instantly found.
13)
Justin Bieber: Love Yourself
Bee Gees: How Deep Is Your Love
That was another instant finding, but not plagiarism.
14)
Jason Derulo: Swalla
Art Company: Susanna (I'm Crazy Loving You)
Mainly the rhythm phrasing (first two phrases). This was an instant finding too.
15)
Willy William: Ego
Antonio Vivaldi: Concerto for two violins in A minor.
Just a short motif that is repeated:
1 2 3 4 1 : beats
3 3 3 212 :
16)
Selena Gomez, Marshmellow: Wolves
Police: Every Breath You Take
The hooks are similar and sound-alike. Instant finding.
17)
Pink: U + Ur Hand
Marvin Gaye: Got To Give It Up
Fragmentary bass and cowbell.
The hook is much more reminscent of Papa Was A Rolling Stone (The Temptations).
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1
#71 33 7 1 : PWARS
11 33 7 11 : UUR
The chorus also resebles to It's My Life (Bon Jovi)
18)
Lady Gaga - Born This Way
Madonna: Express Yourself
Well discussed case.
19)
Burak Yeter: Tuesday
Jean Michel Jarre: Equinoxe
The intros sound similar.
20)
Jonas Blue (Tracy Chapman) - Fast CarBeatles: Cry Baby Cry
Just a special syncopated rhythm.
Just a special syncopated rhythm.
21)
Fifth Harmony, Kid Ink: Worth It
Jason Derulo: Talk Dirty
A well known, instantly recogniseable case.
22)
Mike Posner: Cooler Than Me
Katy Perry: I Kissed The Girl
Sound alike.
23)
OneRepublic: Counting Stars
Bloodhound Gang: The Bad Touch
Sound alike.
24)
Ed Sheran: Perfect
Righteous Brothers: Unchained Melody
Far from plagiarism, still the verses are reminiscent.
25)
Ed Sheran: Thinking Out Loud
Cee Lo Green: Forget You
Opening melodies. This one was not an instant finding at all, no wonder no one else (?) noticed it yet. But many notes coincidence.
26) Kwabs: Walk
Zanzibar: Nem Vagyok Tökéletes
The "complaining" work is a Hungarian song from 2001.
The choruses are very similar: eight notes per phrase.
There are three similar consecutive phrases.
On the other hand: these phrases are repeated (with minor changes).
Above points also coincide with the Photograph-Amazing case.
The shape of the melody (3-2-1-7-1) is very common. The access is unprobable.
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1
333 2 1 1 71 : NVT
333 211 17711 : Walk (with slided notes)
333 2 1 1 7 1 : Walk (without slided notes)
27)
27)
Robin Schulz: Unforgettable
Justin Bieber: Sorry
28)
Catchy
Tequila
Older findings by me:
1)
Tom Jones: Sexbomb
Merle Travis: 16 tons.
Third phrase of the chorus
2)
Tom Jones: Delilah
Consuelo Velazquez: Besame Mucho
Only the third phrases.
3)
Beatles: Things We Said Today
Roy Orbison: Working For A Man
Sound alike.
4)
Mamas And Papas: Dream A Little Dream Of Me
Beatles: Blackbird
Intro pick-up, 9 notes. Difference: shuffle beat / even beat.
5)
Justine Timberlake: Can't Stop The Feeling
Spice Girls: Say youll be there
The bridges are reminiscent.
6)
Whitney Houston: One Moment In Time
Freddie Mercury: There Must Be More To Life Than This
Third phrase of the chorus (Verse in TMBMTL) and chords.
1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 1 . 2 . 3 . 4
6 66 7 765 32 1 : TMB
6 787 5 5 321 : OMIT
4 5 1 6 : chords
7)
Jason Crest: Waterloo Road
Queen: Killer Queen
3 2 1 7 6
.1 .2 .3 .4 .1 .2 .3 .4 .1 .2 .3 .4
.353 3232 2131 1727 56 12 13 : WR
3 3 1212 71 1 1727 7666 : KQ
* * * * * * **** *
Except the fourth block only the descending notes are matching
8)
Queen: We Will Rock You
Lee Dorsey: Working In A Coal Mine
The shape of the opening notes are close.
9)
Build Me Up Buttercup
Abba: Waterloo
Paralelling melodies plus the piano motif.
10)
Extreme: Midnight Express
Mike Oldfield: Taurus 3 (esp. "Good Morning Britain" performance)
11)
Steam: Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Good Bye
Hans Zimmer: He Is A Pirat
Pirat is in 3/4, NaNa is in 4/4 meter:
4 1 2 3 4 1 2
561 1 123 3
3 1 2 3 1 2
561 1 123 3
12)
Beatles: Hey Jude
Jean Michel Jarre: Magnetic Fields part 5
parallelling melodies
4 1 2 3 4 1
5 3 3562 : HJ
8 5 6783 : MF
13)
Soul Asylum:Runaway Train
Toad The Wet Sprocket: All I Want
14)
The Carpenters: We've Only Just Begun
The Hollies: He Is My Brother
15) Billy Ocean: When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going
Queen: Body Language
Sound-alike
16)
Beatles: I've Got A Feeling
Mannfred Mann: Mighty Quinn
17)
Ghostbusters
Pop Music
18)
Hank Williams:Move It On (1947)
Bill Haley and The Comets: Rock Around The Clock
19)
Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five:Aint That Just Like A Woman
Chuck Berry: Johnny B. Goode
20)
Simon and Garfunkel: Sound Of Silence
Brian Hyland: Sealed With A Kiss
16)
Beatles: I've Got A Feeling
Mannfred Mann: Mighty Quinn
17)
Ghostbusters
Pop Music
18)
Hank Williams:Move It On (1947)
Bill Haley and The Comets: Rock Around The Clock
19)
Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five:Aint That Just Like A Woman
Chuck Berry: Johnny B. Goode
20)
Simon and Garfunkel: Sound Of Silence
Brian Hyland: Sealed With A Kiss
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