Harry Styles “As It Was” sounds a lot like a-ha “Take on Me”

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image comp: AnDyWuMUSICLAND

If you’ve heard Harry Styles’ 2022 chart topper “As It Was” you might have heard a familiar sounding hook. The main keyboard hook in Styles’ track sounds strikingly similar to the 1984 a-ha track “Take on Me”.  Here are some isolated clips of that riff:

 

 

YouTuber AnDyWuMUSICLAND even made a great mashup of the two tracks here:

 

Here are both songs in full:

Harry Styles – “As It Was” (2022)

 

a-ha – “Take on Me” (1984)

See Also:

One Direction “Night Changes” Sounds Like a Lot of Songs

One Direction vs. New Found Glory vs. Journey

One Direction vs. Def Leppard

One Direction vs. Rick Springfield

10 One Direction Songs that Sound Like Other Songs

One Direction vs. Big Time Rush

The Clash vs. One Direction

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Ed Sheeran being sued for “Thinking Out Loud”

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2/2/2023 Update

Well, it’s been over 6 years since I originally posted that Ed Sheeran was being sued my Marvin Gaye’s fam. You can read about some recent developments here.  Forget about “Thinking Out Loud” and listen to some even closer similarities to “Photograph” and “Shape of You” or this one that is a note-for-note rip.Byeeeee!

1/7/2019 Update

A New York District Judge has decided that a $100 million copyright infringement lawsuit filed against singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran, along with Sony/ATV Music Publishing and Atlantic Records, will proceed to a jury trial. – read more at forbes.com

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Original Post:

It seems that Ed Sheeran is getting sued again. This time the heirs of Ed Townsend, who co-wrote the lyrics to “Let’s Get It On” in 1973 and created its musical composition are suing Ed Sheeran for the similarity of Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On” and Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud” (2014). Have a listen!

Ed Sheeran - "Thinking Out Loud" (2014)

Marvin Gaye - "Let's Get it On" (1973)

Heirs of the composer for Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On” are suing British musician Ed Sheeran, claiming his hit song “Thinking Out Loud” copies core elements of the late soul singer’s 1973 track.

The copyright infringement lawsuit was filed on Tuesday by the heirs of Ed Townsend, who co-wrote the lyrics to “Let’s Get It On” in 1973 and created its musical composition, according to the complaint filed in federal court in the Southern District of New York.

Representatives for defendants Sheeran, Sony/ATV Music Publishing, and Atlantic Records did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The lawsuit, which asks for damages to be assessed at a jury trial, argues that the harmonic progressions, melodic and rhythmic elements central to “Let’s Get It On” formed the structure of Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud.”

“The Defendants copied the ‘heart’ of ‘Let’s’ and repeated it continuously throughout ‘Thinking,'” the lawsuit said.

“The melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic compositions of ‘Thinking’ are substantially and/or strikingly similar to the drum composition of ‘Let’s.'”

Grammy Award-winning Sheeran has become one of Britain’s top-selling artists in the past two years, and has written and co-written tracks for artists such as One Direction, Taylor Swift and Justin Bieber.

The lawsuit came two months after California-based musicians sued Sheeran for $US20 million over his hit song “Photograph” in an unrelated case.

Gaye’s family last year successfully sued R&B recording artists Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams for copyright infringement in another unrelated case over their hit single “Blurred Lines,” winning a $US7.4 million judgment.

Source

Have a listen!

Marvin Gaye – “Let’s Get It On” (1973)

Ed Sheeran – “Thinking Out Loud” (2014)

See Also:

Ed Sheeran Being Sued $20M for Photograph

Justin Bieber and Ed Sheeran vs. Elvis Presley

Ed Sheeran vs. Yacht vs. The Rolling Stones

Marvin Gaye family awarded $7.4 million in ‘Blurred Lines’ trial

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The Rolling Stones are being sued

The Rolling Stones | Photo by Morne de Klerk/Getty Images

I think the most shocking part of this post is that The Rolling Stones are still around.  Anyway, back in 2020 during the height of COVID lockdown the Stones recorded a song called “Living In A Ghost Town”. Some guy named Sergio Garcia Fernandez wrote a few songs back in 2006/2007 that he had personally shared with a family member of the Jagger’s.  I learned all of this from Yahoo!

The least exciting part about this is how mediocre the music is. I admittedly don’t spend very much time passing judgement on quality of music on this website but, well, have a listen. Do they sound very similar? Can you even spend the time listening when there is so much other great music to listen to?

Also, for whatever reason when I google “Rolling Stones Members” Mick Jagger is listed as “Harmonica”

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My Chemical Romance vs. Suit of Lights

This one was submitted by Lemon Twig.

I haven’t heard of Suit of Lights before but maybe MCR has? Have a listen to the intros of Suit of Lights’ “Goodbye Silk City” released 2 years before MCR’s “Welcome to the Black Parade”. It’s not just the melody but also the marching band instrumentation that makes this one interesting. Have a listen!

 

 

See Also:

Sum 41 vs. My Chemical Romance

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Does Kid Laroi “Stay” sound like Ben Folds Five?

When I first heard Kid Laroi and Justin Bieber’s song “Stay” playing on every radio station I kept thinking there was something familiar with the chorus. And then it hit me like a ton of bricks. It’s the same interval and rhythm as Ben Folds Five’s 1997 hit “Brick”. Did I do a fair analysis of this? Not really. Do I think Kid Karoi and Justin Bieber lifted this from Ben Folds Five? Nah. It’s just a coincidence. Or…. is it? Listen for yourself!

Kid Laroi and Justin Bieber “Stay” (2021)

Ben Folds Five – “Brick” (1997)

See also:

Justin Bieber Sued For 10,000 Hours

Did Justin Bieber “Anyone” Rip from Toto?

Justin Bieber used a royalty-free sample on his new album (and so did Asher Monroe)

Justin Bieber Sued for “Sorry”

Justin Bieber vs. September

 

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