Ever since Beyoncé released “Halo” in 2008 I thought it sounded like something else. Then I discovered this Kelly Clarkson thing with her track “Already Gone” (2009). Clarkson accused her own co-writer (and OneRepublic frontman) Ryan Tedder of using the same music as “Halo” which he also co-wrote. But wait, there’s more! What’s going on with Christina Perri‘s “Jar of Hearts” (2012)? Doesn’t it also sound like “Halo”?
Kelly Clarkson unsuccessfully fought her record label not to release “Already Gone” as the third single off her new album, as the music is the same as the music from Beyonce’s hit “Halo.”
Clarkson co-wrote the lyrics and was provided the track by producer Ryan Tedder who had, unbeknownst to her, given the same track to Beyonce. By the time Clarkson heard Halo and realized what had happened, her album had printed and shipped and it was too late to omit the track. – Huffington Post
Have a listen to them all. And while you’re hear have a listen to this OneRepublic soundalike. Tedder seems to really like that huge arena drum beat sound.
OneRepublic – “Secrets” (2009) vs. Mötley Crüe – “Home Sweet Home” (1985)….
But wait! There’s more!! Now listen to Jessie J‘s 2011 “Price Tag” with the verse from “Halo”! Ok, this one is more of a stretch, but what the hell.
Jessie J – Price Tag (2011)
Had enough? “Price Tag” was co-written by our favorite producer Dr. Luke!
I’m also still convinced that “Halo” sounds just like something from a decade or two ago. Anyone have any ideas??
Torn by Natalie Imbruglia might be the song you’re thinking of
I’m Yours is a four-chord song, Wikipedia lists round about 116 songs which use that chord progression. It is one of the most common in popular music.
Well of course but this progression suddenly turned up in loads of songs after Mraz’s phenomenal commercial success – record longevity in charts, one of the biggest selling downloads ever. Hey Soul Sister being the most obvious to be inspired from it but that also takes from soul sister Alicia Keys ‘No One’. Coincidence? Methinks not.
People got to get their inspiration from somewhere and one tactic is often to take elements from a recent hit as the hook sticks in people’s brains more. If ya gonna reduce everything down to chord progressions there’s no point in this site.
Agreed. It’s not always about the standard four-chords (there are a million variations with just those alone!) but really glaring when huge pop hits are sounding more and more alike. I feel like these ideas would stem from more obscure hooks but these days it doesn’t seem uncommon to hear two huge artists release very similar sounding music within a year of each other. It’s also not surprising to see that a lot of these artists are being produced by the same circle of people a good deal of the time.
Songs used that same chord progression long before I’m Yours; it developed from what was known of the ’50s/doo-wop progression, and probably back further, some suggesting the progression was based on that of Pachelbel’s Canon.
Halo & Already Gone are the same song… both were written/co-written by the same person (the guy from One Republic)
In pop music, sometimes a Classical piece has been set to lyrics, maybe more than once, so I don’t generally consider two songs to be the same song unless they have the same melody (of a variation of it, like a Theme and Variation is common in Classical music) and the same lyrics.
And This Ain’t Goodbye by Train (2009) also sounds kind of like Halo (2008).
And the Madden Brothers’ new song Jealousy (All Your Friends in Silverlake) and like Price Tag, Hold it Against Me, Freedom by Akon, Photograph and the verse of Firework.