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??
Jar of hearts is a stretch,price tag is closer to that part of halo than jar of hearts to the other part.
Halo might be another “We are young”
I’m thinking of Air Supply or Journey, something in that genre.
not too familiar with air supply..only “making love out of nothing at all”
time for a marathon of those 2
Ha. The video for that track is so 80s. Funny thing is one of the related videos on the side is Journey “Faithfully”.
If you’re thinking of something three decades ago, maybe it’s Don’t Stop Believing (1981). Also Halo sounds kind of like Always by Erasure (1987?).
But the bridge of Always is built on a pattern I’m sure anyone who’s had singing lessons has practiced.
Halo is from 2008, not from 2009.
Thanks! I’ll fix that. The wikipedia page says the single was released in 2009, but the album states 2008.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halo_(Beyonc%C3%A9_Knowles_song)
The likeness is uncanny Keith.
It’s almost as it we were sending telepathic messages with this one.
Good get, incredible similarities.
Where the hell do these people find these pairings?
They’re unbelievable.
Hey Haasey! Well, it’s a bit of a combination of myself and all of the music listeners of the world out there. At some point somebody is going to here two songs that song the same! Enjoy!
I’ve enjoyed pretty much all the posts and the similarities.
What can I say, I’m a devotee.
As I posted on Facebook, 2 pairings that need to be sussed out are;
John Mellencamp – Jack & Diane vs Tracy Chapman – Fast Car.
The opening riff of Madonna – Material Girl and Michael Jackson – Beat It.
Where is the Love by Black Eyed Peas is exactly the same as price tag
Beyonce is known to steal writing credits from other artists. She is also known to steal entire creative vision for her videos from other artists. I’m surprised she hasn’t been outted in a major way yet.
Listening to that clip of Beyonce singing ‘Halo’ made me immediately think of ‘Umbrella’ by Rhianna. It’s so similar.
Yeah, definitely. A few folks including myself have mentioned that as well. I should’ve included that.
Lovely Luke has done a few songs like Price Tag, basically they all recycle the chord sequence from Jason Mraz’s already ubiquitous “I’m Yours”. Katy’s “The One That Got Away” is another and there’s one on the Ke$ha album which sounds quite a lot like Teenage Dream in parts anyway. I really dislike Jessie J, the Katy soundalike Domino is alright but the smug, hectoring Price Tag is just vile.
NB: The poster above Haasey is onto something but I think they got the songs mixed up for the second example: Material Girl steals the bassline of The Jacksons “Can You Feel It”, Like a Virgin does sound somewhat like Billie Jean and she did the two as a medley in concert. I never noticed that opening riff similarity but it’s probably there as well!
“Jar of Hearts” especially sounds like Collective Soul’s “The World I Know”:
Just like The Goo Goo Dolls – Iris sounds like The World I Know.
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.