The Copy-Cats in Music (1 Viewer)

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X Æ A-12

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#43
Sep 4, 2006
86,616
#43
Kanye West - Goldigger


In the beginning of this video the word "beware" flashes across the screen and I'm wondering if that's a reference to Louis Jordan's "Brother Beware". Of course the music isn't similar but the lyrics are about the same topic and I wouldn't be surprised if that is where Kanye got the idea.

Louis Jordan - Brother Beware

 
Bozi

Bozi

The Bozman
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#46
Oct 18, 2005
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#46
i think there seems to be a bit of misunderstanding on what constitutes "copying" music here. as far back as hip-hop has gone artists have "sampled" music and lyrics from other songs,a prime example is Biggies-mo money,mo problems which clearly uses a sample from Diana Ross song "I'm Coming Out" but that is not copycatting IMO

sampling and copying are two completely different things
 
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X Æ A-12

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#47
Sep 4, 2006
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#47
So what? Look at some of the examples 3Eblind was using. Nirvana clearly didn't copy Boston, the only similarity is the intro in Smells Like Teen Spirit sounds exactly like a riff in More than a Feeling.

I didn't think this thread was that picky.
 
JuveJay

JuveJay

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#48
Mar 6, 2007
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#48
bianconero said:
There is no new music.


Music is dead. All that is left is rephrasing and revamping of old tunes and rhythms.
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Do you think that is an inevitable consequence as the backlog of music history builds up, or has 'imagination' just vanished?

Re: riffs, it's a pretty grey area. Unless you have an exact copy, in genres like grunge, punk and the like you hear extremely similar main riffs all the time, there are only so many variations (maybe a hundred plus) you can use and keep that sound.
 
OP
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Blindman
Thread Starter #49
Jun 13, 2007
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  • Thread Starter
    • Thread Starter #49
    The Mod-father said:
    i think there seems to be a bit of misunderstanding on what constitutes "copying" music here. as far back as hip-hop has gone artists have "sampled" music and lyrics from other songs,a prime example is Biggies-mo money,mo problems which clearly uses a sample from Diana Ross song "I'm Coming Out" but that is not copycatting IMO

    sampling and copying are two completely different things
    Click to expand...
    Well, the chapter I read wasn't talking about how artists copy-cat an entire song. That would be ridiculous. But things as Kyle mentioned, Nirvana's intro in Smells Like Teen Spirit is exactly the same as Boston's 'More Than A Feeling', or the Bass line in Shaggy's 'Angel' and the Brazilian Band is identical etc.. I think the point is that the copy-catting is made in a very subtle way, and usually, people don't tend to notice it which is why I think this whole thing is very interesting.



    JuveJay said:
    Do you think that is an inevitable consequence as the backlog of music history builds up, or has 'imagination' just vanished?

    Re: riffs, it's a pretty grey area. Unless you have an exact copy, in genres like grunge, punk and the like you hear extremely similar main riffs all the time, there are only so many variations (maybe a hundred plus) you can use and keep that sound.
    Click to expand...
    I don't think 'music is dead' as Bianconero phrased it. I think certain genres in the music world are dying because people are losing interest in them. Rock music today cannot even be compared to Rock music in the 90's, and that was only a decade ago. In fact, I don't know many people my age who like Rock music unless they were influenced by an older sibling or friend who knows about older music. There are less people today, percentage wise, who try to become Rock artists than there were in the 70's for example. Now you've got all this new age music and in the end the music market is just like any other market. It's going to respond to demand and most people these days listen to Trance and Justin Bieber so obviously, it's going to feel like a musical void for those of us who listen to real music.
     
    KB824

    KB824

    Senior Member
    #50
    Sep 16, 2003
    31,670
    #50
    3EBlind said:
    Well, you probably won't hear it on the radio, but you'll see it pretty much everywhere else. I remember that after watching 8 mile; I was paying attention to the credits and after every song; they mentioned the artist, writer, and composer.

    I'm not talking about the money here. This is an over simplified example, but let's say I just started listening to music and heard Vanilla Ice's "Ice Ice Baby" and I just loved the melody of that song without really liking the lyrics. So I go out and buy Vanilla Ice's Cd's hoping to listen to more of the same. David Bowie doesn't get the credit, but some prick like Vanilla Ice does.

    ("Ice Ice Baby" is a hip hop song written by American rapper Vanilla Ice and DJ Earthquake. The song samples the bassline of "Under Pressure" by Queen and David Bowie, who did not initially receive songwriting credit or royalties until after it had become a hit.)
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice_Ice_Baby

    Is it really a problem? No. In the end; the credit will be given. But keep in mind that this is the song that made Vanilla Ice famous and it could very well be because of Bowie's bass line instead of Ice's brilliance. Could it be considered intellectual theft; I personally think it could.
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    Actually, I remember the whole issue that happened with Queen and Vanilla Ice (Queen being one of my all time favorite bands). When the law suit came up, Vanilla Ice tried to defend it by saying that he added an extra note to the bass line, therefore he wasn't copying "Under Pressure"

    Right.

    We all know how that lawsuit ended up.
     
    Bozi

    Bozi

    The Bozman
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    #51
    Oct 18, 2005
    22,740
    #51
    3EBlind said:
    Well, the chapter I read wasn't talking about how artists copy-cat an entire song. That would be ridiculous. But things as Kyle mentioned, Nirvana's intro in Smells Like Teen Spirit is exactly the same as Boston's 'More Than A Feeling', or the Bass line in Shaggy's 'Angel' and the Brazilian Band is identical etc.. I think the point is that the copy-catting is made in a very subtle way, and usually, people don't tend to notice it which is why I think this whole thing is very interesting.
    .
    Click to expand...
    in all fairness Shaggy never had an original idea in his life and used samples in every one of his songs,the problem only arises when it is so blatantly and they don't credit the original artist.
     
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