Update 1/30/2010: Check out “CatrianiPlay: The Most Used Melody In Pop Music”

https://www.thatsongsoundslike.com/2012/01/30/the-most-used-melody-in-pop-music

In December, 2008 Reuters reported that Joe Satriani filed a copyright infringement suit against Coldplay claiming that the, “song ‘Viva La Vida’ incorporates ‘substantial original portions’ of his 2004 instrumental ‘If I Could Fly.'”  Then just a few months later Cat Stevens publicly stated that “Viva La Vida” has some similarities to his epic 1973 track “Foreigner Suite” stating , ” [Viva La Vida] definitely sounds like it…It has such logical chords and the melody has to be what it is…”  But wait! There’s more!  Last year Brooklyn Band Creaky Boards posted a clip on YouTube of  their ironically titled track “The Songs I Didn’t Write” pointing out the striking similarities with this now all too familiar melody.