57 Songs That Sound The Same

Ever hear one track and think it sounds just like another? You're not bugging.

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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Great minds think alike, and as more music gets made, it's only natural that more artists' sonic ambitions begin to overlap with what's already been put out there. That means that, yes, it's possible for a Nicki Minaj album cut to sound a lot like a Radiohead one from 10 years earlier. That also means that, oddly enough, the beat Hit-Boy gave Jay-Z and Kanye West for "N****s In Paris" strongly resembles a cult classic trap track that Lil Jon produced several years prior.

And it goes so much deeper than that. You have Kelly Clarkson songs out there that have the same chord structure as Spoon records. Rihanna has a joint on her new LP that starts off almost exactly the same as "Message in a Bottle" by the Police. Read on for more examples like these and get ready to have your mind blown. These are 57 Songs That Sound The Same.

RELATED: When Rappers Keep Making the Same Song

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Maceo "Nextel Chirp" (2005)

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Jay-Z & Kanye West "N****s In Paris (2011)


Where They Sound The Same: At the :26 mark of "Nextel Chirp," the resemblance is blatant.

Hit-Boy is commonly credited with making the most instantly recognizable beat of 2011. "N****s In Paris" is the kind of track that can make a stadium full of fans lose their shit. Most of those fans going ape for The Throne's massive hit probably haven't heard of "Nextel Chirp," but if you give that now-outdated ode to technology a listen, you'll hear that Lil Jon was on to something when he produced this one for Atlanta's Maceo in 2005. Listen to the two songs back to back and it's hard to deny that "N****s In Paris" sounds like "Nextel Chirp" on steroids.

50 Cent "Ayo Technology" (2007)

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Crystal Castles "Courtship Dating" (2008)


Where They Sound The Same: When 50's intro is over and the beat drops at :28, it sounds just like the beginning of "Courtship Dating."

It's likely that Timbaland and Ethan Kath both used 8-bit sound module Elektron SidStation to produce the similar synth sound on both records. This initially lead to some minor controversy, but it's been mostly accepted that this was just a major coincidence.

Young Money "Bedrock" (2009)

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Drake "Headlines" (2011)


Where They Sound The Same: The opening notes in the first 10 seconds.

Before veering of into completely different directions, Drake and Young Money both started things off strong with a sequence of notes that set the tone for these singles. Each is a little different, but the keyword here is "little." The tracks may not have much else in common, but the introductions will always have us thinking of these like a set of twins that grew apart as they grew up. To boot, Santigold's "Disparate Youth" actually sounds strikingly similar, too. Listen to the opening notes of that below and try to disagree.

Radiohead "Idioteque" (2000)

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Nicki Minaj "Save Me" (2010)


Where They Sound The Same: Listen to the sound that comes in at :12 mark on the Radiohead song. Then listen to the beginning of the Nicki Minaj song.

This similarity isn't an obvious one, but something is happening at the beginning of Nicki Minaj's "Save Me" that only sounds suspicious once you play Radiohead's "Idioteque" on fast-forward. It's not an exact match, but it's way too close not to have you pressing repeat a couple of times and wondering. Is it a Radiohead sample sped up, pitch altered, or reversed? Is it "Idioteque" on speed meshed with the Powerpuff girls theme song? Don't spend too much time on this one or—trust us—you'll start going crazy, but there is something happening here, that's for sure.

Spoon "I Turn My Camera On" (2005)

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Kelly Clarkson "All I Ever Wanted" (2010)


Where They Sound The Same: Kelly's singing sounds nothing like Britt Daniel's, but that guitar? It's not an exact match, but it's suspiciously similar.

Maybe it's because the guitar that anchors both of these records is particularly rhythmic and easy to execute, but there's undoubtedly some similarities here.

Drake "I'm Goin' In" (2008)

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Kanye West "Cold" (2012)


Where They Sound The Same: The first few seconds. Seems like Hit-Boy and Needlz got their hands on the same sound kit.

"I'm Goin' In" was produced by Needlz, who laced the trio of high-profile rappers with a stomping beat that enhanced the quotable verses and simple but effective chorus. In April of 2012, Hit-Boy was tapped for Kanye's "Theraflu" (later renamed "Cold") and the production sounds like "I'm Goin' In Pt. 2." Kanye's ruthless raps made "Cold" powerful enough not to sound derivative, so we'll turn our heads and pretend that the production isn't suspiciously similar.

The Police "Message in a Bottle" (1979)

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Rihanna "Love Without Tragedy" (2012)


Where They Sound The Same: Within the first five seconds of both songs.

Right up until Rihanna sings, "Red lipstick" in the opening line of "Love Without Tragedy," it sounds like RiRi is about to dive into a slowed down, more emotionally charged cover of The Police's "Message In A Bottle." The track, which was produced by The-Dream and Los Da Mystro, sounds so similar at points that some fans swear it's a sample, but writing credits all go to the duo of superproducers, not Sting.

DJ Khaled "We Takin' Over" (2007)

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Kevin Rudolf "Let It Rock" (2008)


Where They Sound The Same: The production. Add some guitar top of "We Takin' Over" and you've basically got the "Let It Rock" beat.

With Akon, T.I., Rick Ross, Fat Joe, Birdman and Lil Wayne all contributing to Khaled's infectious "We Takin' Over" single, there was plenty of star power, but Tunechi got the final word, and the last verse on the track is one of Wayne's most memorable. That was back in 2007, and less than two years later we got Cash Money's Kevin Rudolf going in with Wayne on "Let It Rock." With such a simliar beat, it almost feels like Lil Wayne said, "Let's do something like 'We Takin' Over,' but with guitars and not all those other guys." But hey, it worked. "Let It Rock" beat out "We Takin' Over" on the charts, peaking at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Nirvana "Smells Like Teen Spirit" (1991)

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Tony Toni Toné "Let's Get Down" (1996)


Where They Sound The Same: The chorus. Listen at the 1:38 mark of "Let's Get Down" and at :50 of "Teen Spirit."

On the YouTube video for "Let's Get Down," one astute listener pointed out, "Guess Kurt's inspiration for music was Tony Toni Tone... hahahaha!!" Good point, except that "Smells Like Teen Spirit" came out in 1991, and Kurt Cobain was dead before "Let's Get Down" dropped in '96. To be fair, Kurt Cobain once said that when he wrote "Smells Like Teen Spirit," he was really trying to make a Pixies song, so maybe this is all just part of a big, strange cycle of influence.

Madonna "Express Yourself" (1989)

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Lady GaGa "Born This Way" (2011)


Where They Sound The Same: The choruses. Listen to them both back to back and you'll hear why Madonna felt like she got ripped off.

Lady Gaga may be thought of as one of the most unique artists in music right now, but if you ask Madonna, her music isn't all that original. Madonna has been very vocal about her belief that Lady Gaga ripped off "Express Yourself" and flipped it into "Born This Way," and countless fan-made mash-ups have further driven the point home. While Madonna has taken jabs, Gaga has remained quiet about the whole issue, and her dedicated fan base hasn't been swayed by Madge's harsh words.

Chuck Berry "Sweet Little Sixteen" (1958)

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The Beach Boys "Surfin' USA" (1963)


Where They Sound The Same: Both songs sound almost entirely identical.

The Beach Boys had to know what they were doing with this one, but "Surfin' USA" was credited as a song written by Brian Wilson, giving no nod to Chuck Berry even though it was practically a cover with different lyrics. As one of the pioneers of rock music in the '50s, Chuck Berry's music was the blueprint for much of the rock music that came after it, and often times he wasn't credited for his influence. This one was too blatant though, and a lawsuit granted Berry writing credit and royalties after the case was taken to court.

TLC "No Scrubs" (1999)

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IMx "Stay The Night" (1999)


Where They Sound The Same: There is no one point where these two songs match up completely, but the overall vibe of the production is strikingly similar.

Besides having a three-letter name and being an R&B trio in the '90s, IMx has one other very obvious similarity to TLC: the song "Stay The Night." Not only does the beat sound almost identical, but the video is a look-alike too. Some call it an homage, some call it a response, and some call it a rip-off. Listen to "No Scrubs" and "Stay The Night" and decide for yourself.

Weezer "Say It Ain't So" (1994)

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Asher Roth "I Love College" (2009)


Where They Sound The Same: The guitar throughout the entire song.

Asher Roth was introduced to much of the world with the anthem for all beer pong enthusiasts and red cup chuggers, "I Love College." The original sampled Weezer's "Say It Ain't So," but-due to clearance issues-the song was reworked without the Weezer sample. The final version has a slightly tweaked chord progression, but the similarity is still glaring.

2Pac "All Eyez On Me" (1996)

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Nas "Street Dreams" (1996)


Where They Sound The Same: The beats. That's what happens when two artists use the same sample.

Sometimes the most accessible sounds are the simplest. 2Pac exploited that fact with the contagious bass in "All Eyes On Me," a sample of Linda Clifford's "Never Gonna Stop." It was so contagious that Nas decided to use the same bass line for "Street Dreams." The two rappers flipped it in their own way, making both tracks keepers, but it's hard to imagine that either would be as powerful without Linda Clifford's "Never Gonna Stop" providing them with that rap-ready backdrop.

Justin Timberlake "My Love" (2006)

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Crystal Castles "Affection" (2012)


Where They Sound The Same: It's all in those synths. Besides that, JT and CC have very little in common.

Out of all the same-sounding songs in the world, this has to be one of the most surprising. Crystal Castles has made their mark with dark, gothic, blistering electronic music and imagery fit for a cemetery or a horror movie. Justin Timberlake got his start with the Mickey Mouse Club and N*SYNC. But press play on "Affection," and you might start thinking, "Damn, this reminds me of something" before having your mind blown when you realize Crystal Castles and JT have more in common than you thought. The similarities on these two songs might end with the stuttering synths, but that's proof enough that sometimes musical intersections take place in the strangest of places.

Chicago "25 or 6 to 4" (1970)

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Green Day "Brain Stew" (1996)

Where They Sound The Same: The chord progression.

Green Day has had a long, successful career, and "Brain Stew" will be remembered by flocks of teenagers who got a guitar in the late '90s and learned this as one of their first lessons. It's simple, easy to play, and without knowing it, those kids were also learning Chicago's "25 or 6 to 4," released back in 1970. Just change up the timing a little and now you know how to play two songs on the guitar.

ABBA "Dancing Queen" (1976)

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Shania Twain "C'est La Vie" (2002)


Where They Sound The Same: These two don't sound anything alike until the :53 mark of "C'est La Vie," when Shania lifts that familiar ABBA melody for her own chorus.

Shania Twain's Canadian twang is unique enough to allow her to get away with a lot, but it can't mask the fact that the sticky chorus to 2002's "C'est La Vie" is lifted almost exactly from ABBA's biggest hit, "Dancing Queen," a song that hit No. 1 on the charts of over a dozen countries. It's an undeniable match, but you've got to give Shania Twain credit for the bold move.

LCD Soundsystem "All My Friends" (2007)

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Airborne Toxic Event "Sometime Around Midnight" (2009)


Where They Sound The Same: When the vocals kick in on "Sometime Around Midnight" at 38 seconds in. The first three notes are the same, and the opening words to "All My Friends" are very similar.

It's hard to imagine Airborne Toxic Event sitting around listening to LCD Soundsytem and getting inspired, but it's even harder to ignore how much the opening line of "Sometime Around Midnight" sounds like "All My Friends." Even more suspicious, ATE went on to work with producer Dave Sardy, who has also produced for LCD Soundsystem. Maybe they were sitting around listening to LCD.

U2 "Staring at the Sun" (1997)

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Gorillaz "Feel Good, Inc." (2005)


Where They Sound The Same: Play the first 30 seconds of "Staring at the Sun" then skip to the 1:05 mark on "Feel Good, Inc."

In 1997, U2 stumbled upon a memorable melody with the verses of "Staring at the Sun" before the song exploded in one of those big tunes that could make tens of thousands of people sway in unison. In 2005, Gorrillaz stumbled upon that same melody about a minute into "Feel Good, Inc." The Gorillaz track isn't the kind of thing you can sway to, but even amongst all that animated mischief, the peaceful sentiment of U2 bleeds through it.

Snoop Dogg "Who Am I (What's My Name)?" (1993)

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2Pac "Can't C Me" (1996)


Where They Sound The Same: Throughout both songs. The Funkadelic influence is strong.

Snoop and 2Pac were both dominant forces in defining the '90s West Coast rap sound, and for two of their most high energy tracks, they looked to funk pioneer George Clinton for a little inspiration. Both "U Can't C Me" and "Who Am I (What's My Name)?" borrowed heavily from Funkadelic's "(Not Just) Knee Deep," and the result is instantly recognizable in the production of the two songs. While Pac went with a straight sample and featured George Clinton himself, Snoop brought in another Clinton sample with Parliament's "Atomic Dog" but used such a straightforward interpolation of "Knee Deep" that both Pac and Snoop ended up with party-starting production that sound like West Coast rap's update to Clinton's funky '70s energy.

Led Zeppelin "Stairway To Heaven" (1971)

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Dolly Parton "We Used To" (1975)


Where They Sound The Same: The opening 10 seconds are almost exact matches.

In 2002, Dolly Parton covered "Stairway To Heaven," but long before that there was "We Used To." The song was released as a single in 1975, not long after Led Zep released the epic "Stairway." After hearing the first few seconds of Dolly's new single, it was impossible for critics not to notice the similarity.

The White Stripes "Ugly As I Seem" (2005)

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Kid Rock "Born Free" (2010)


Where They Sound The Same: The melody in the verses of Kid Rock's "Born Free" and the entire "Ugly As I Seem" song.

Judging from Kid Rock's "Born Free," it sounds like he may have taken a little inspiration from fellow Detroit native Jack White. And by "taken a little inspiration," we mean that it sounds like Kid Rock took the White Stripes' song, made some minor tweaks, added a big chorus, and turned it into one of his country-tinged, slightly corny pop rock songs.

September "Cry For You" (2006)

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Justin Bieber "Somebody to Love" (2010)


Where They Sound The Same: Listen to the chorus of September's "Cry For You" a minute into the song and you'll hear it.

Luckily for Justin Bieber, most Beliebers probably aren't aware of Swedish artist September or her hit song "Cry For You." Otherwise, they might get a little curious as to why the chorus to Bieber's "Somebody To Love," released in 2012, sounds so much like that moment when the Swedish singer belts out, "You'll never see me again" on her 2006 Europop hit. September ended up going gold in the U.S. in 2010, making her the second Swedish artist since Ace Of Base to do so, but that doesn't compare to Bieber numbers.

WZRD "Teleport 2 Me" (2012)

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Kid Cudi "Creepers" (2012)

Where They Sound The Same: When Cudi sings "right here" on "Teleport 2 Me" and "for real" on "Creepers."

Over the years, Kid Cudi has proven that he's got no shortage ideas. Whether it's straightforward rapping, melodic rock, moody pop, or some combination of styles that only he could pull off, he's definitely one of the most eclectic artists in the world of current music. Still, when we heard his solo contribution to G.O.O.D. Music's Cruel Summer, we couldn't help but think that we've heard this before. Then it hit us when we revisited WZRD's "Teleport 2 Me." Cudi doesn't re-do the whole song, but the way he hits a couple notes on the words "for real" on "Creepers" matches up perfectly with the moment he sings "right here" on "Teleport 2 Me."

The Hollies "The Air That I Breathe" (1974)

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Radiohead "Creep" (1992)


Where They Sound The Same: The verses. The similarity is obvious within the first 15 seconds.

There was perhaps no time quite as appropriate for self-loathing music than the '90s, and Radiohead's "Creep" is one of the essential songs that strikes that chord perfectly. But one listen to The Hollies' "The Air That I Breathe," and suddenly "Creep" seems a little suspect. Perhaps it's just coincidence, but the whole structure of Thom Yorke and company's debut single is strikingly similar to the 1972 song written and recorded by Albert Hammond before being made famous by the version recorded in the Hollies in '74.

Lana Del Rey "Born to Die" (2012)

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Rihanna "Diamonds" (2012)


Where They Sound The Same: The choruses aren't exactly the same, but the tail-end of Rihanna's "Diamonds" hook makes it sound like the long-lost sister song to "Born To Die."

Rihanna is a pop star for good reason, and one of her most important talents is the ability to take songs and mold them into her own. Her latest hit, "Diamonds," is the perfect example. It was created by Benny Blanco, StarGate, and the team of writers and artists brought into the studio to come up with new material for RiRi, and she pulls it off well. But at its core, beyond the massive production, the song sounds like it was made for Lana Del Rey. You can almost hear the mash-up: "Choose your last words, this is the last time/'Cause you and I, we're beautiful like diamonds in the sky." We can't help but recall Lana's "Born To Die," and if there ever is a mash-up, the name Rihanna Del Rey is all too perfect.

The Kinks "All Day and All of the Night" (1964)

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The Doors "Hello, I Love You" (1968)


Where They Sound The Same: Just replace the "I love you, won't you tell me your name" with "all of the day, and all of the night." Boom.

This seems like one of those cases where the overlap is accidental. The Doors' guitarist, Robby Krieger, has even openly denied that the band ripped off The Kinks, explaining that the track was actually inspired by Cream's "Sunshine of Your Love."

Chrissy "My Slushy" (2006)

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Ke$ha "TiK ToK" (2010)Where They Sound The Same: Not that all white girl pop raps are identical, but listen to "TiK ToK" then check out when Chrissy starts (kind of) rapping 17 seconds into "My Slushy." (Stream below.)

The flow on both of these records is remarkably similar, but it's the fact that the narratives also resemble one another that makes the comparisons valid.

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