Diffuser.fm » Song Parallels

Talking Heads vs. No Doubt – Song Parallels

Jeff Giles — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 14:11:31 +0000

We're obviously pretty excited about the new No Doubt record, 'Push and Shove,' but that doesn't mean we can't admit it when the band may have taken a page from one of its stronger influences. Take, for instance, their 2002 hit 'Hella Good.'

The Clash vs. One Direction – Song Parallels

Joe Robinson — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 19:04:45 +0000

British boy band One Direction have been the center of attention since topping charts around the globe last year with their debut album, 'Up All Night.' Now, they're getting attention for something else: possibly lifting a portion of an iconic '80s punk anthem by the Clash for their new single, 'Live While We're Young.'

Chicago vs. Green Day – Song Parallels

Jeff Giles — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 16:28:06 +0000

What do a bunch of classic rock legends and a group of young Berkeley punks have in common? Well, not much, probably. But in the case of Chicago and Green Day, they have at least one descending chord progression in common.

My Bloody Valentine vs. Smashing Pumpkins – Song Parallels

Jeff Giles — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 14:57:41 +0000

Few bands have fused feedback and melody as eloquently as My Bloody Valentine, and while their studio output has been minimal -- fans are still waiting for a follow-up to MBV's second album, 'Loveless,' released in 1991 -- their recordings have inspired countless bands. Take Smashing Pumpkins, for instance.

The Cure vs. Wilco – Song Parallels

Jeff Giles — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 16:00:48 +0000

On the surface, there wouldn't seem to be much in common between the Cure and Wilco; the former band is known for its gloomy, synth-assisted love songs, while the latter rose from the ashes of the pioneering alt-country act Uncle Tupelo. But maybe they have more in common than we thought.

Pixies vs. End of Fashion – Song Parallels

Jeff Giles — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 19:18:43 +0000

They may not have achieved widespread commercial success during their early years, but the Pixies were one of the most influential bands of the '80s -- and as we demonstrated in an earlier Song Parallels, echoes of their work can be heard in songs by a number of other artists.

PJ Harvey vs. Kings of Leon – Song Parallels

Jeff Giles — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 15:51:47 +0000

Kings of Leon named their 2003 single 'Molly's Chambers' for a line in 'Whiskey in the Jar,' a traditional song covered by Irish rock legends Thin Lizzy -- but when it came to writing the music for the track, they may have taken inspiration from an act who hails from a different part of the United Kingdom.

Florence + the Machine vs. OneRepublic – Song Parallels

Jeff Giles — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 17:35:08 +0000

What do critically revered indie songstress Florence Welch and hit-spewing OneRepublic frontman Ryan Tedder have in common? A fondness for tribal drums, handclaps and surging melodies, as today’s installment of Song Parallels reveals. The Florence-OneRepublic connection was first drawn by Idolator, where a recent post pointed out the similarities between Florence + the Machine‘s 2008 [...]

Doris Troy vs. Regina Spektor – Song Parallels

Jeff Giles — Fri, 24 Aug 2012 14:27:00 +0000

One of Regina Spektor‘s biggest claims to fame is her unique sound — although she’s been compared to artists like Tori Amos, she’s really her own artist, and she doesn’t really sound like anyone else. Well, except for that one song that borrows a chunk of the melody from a soul classic… We’re talking about [...]

Jane's Addiction vs. Judas Priest – Song Parallels

Jeff Giles — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 14:30:55 +0000

Nine times out of 10, Song Parallels finds examples of younger bands lifting chords and/or melodies from older acts -- but sometimes the roles are reversed, and bands who have already established their artistic legacies end up borrowing back from their musical descendants. For example, there was that time Judas Priest recorded a song that sounded just like an older track by Jane's Addiction.

Simon and Garfunkel vs. fun. – Song Parallels

Jeff Giles — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 14:00:24 +0000

When critics write about fun.'s music, they often talk about the band's obvious influences -- particularly the way their stacked vocal harmonies mimic the sound of Queen. But the title track from their 'Some Nights' album brings to mind an older -- and far folkier -- act.

Blondie vs. Nirvana – Song Parallels

Jeff Giles — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 14:00:47 +0000

Nirvana's Kurt Cobain once famously revealed that he lifted the opening riff from 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' off of Boston's 'More Than a Feeling' -- and as revolutionary as his songs may have seemed in the early '90s, they were actually often rooted in the classic songcraft of the past.

Ritchie Valens vs. R.E.M. – Song Parallels

Jeff Giles — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 14:00:36 +0000

One of the architects of rock ‘n’ roll — as well as a victim of one of its first tragedies — Ritchie Valens scored a string of hits during his brief career, influencing countless artists over the decades since his shocking death in 1959. Artists like, for instance, R.E.M. Of course, the ’80s alt-rock heroes [...]

Tears for Fears vs. Nine Inch Nails – Song Parallels

Jeff Giles — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 13:57:02 +0000

Before they topped the charts by sowing the seeds of love, the guys in Tears for Fears used synths and stomping beats to exorcise emotional demons -- and before he became an Oscar-winning composer, so did Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails. As it turns out, that isn't all they have in common.

Love and Rockets vs. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Song Parallels

Jeff Giles — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 13:59:55 +0000

No matter the art form, sequels and spinoffs aren't usually as successful as the originals -- but with 1987's 'Earth, Sun, Moon,' the members of Love and Rockets truly started establishing their own identity apart from their former lives in the legendary goth band Bauhaus, scoring a sizable alt-rock hit along the way. In the process, they may also have provided inspiration for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs nearly 20 years later.

Joe Jackson vs. the Raconteurs – Song Parallels

Jeff Giles — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 13:59:02 +0000

Much has been made of Jack White's affection for classic, blues-based rock 'n' roll -- as well as his decision to go without a bass player in the White Stripes. But that doesn't mean he doesn't know a well-written bass line when he hears one -- or that he hasn't been inspired by artists from the other end of the pop spectrum.

Prince vs. La Roux – Song Parallels

Jeff Giles — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 14:56:26 +0000

Built around a deceptively simple melody, rudimentary drum program and the glaring absence of a bass, Prince's 'When Doves Cry' heralded His Purple Majesty's arrival as one of the biggest hitmakers of the '80s -- and gifted pop fans with one of the most memorable songs of the decade in the process. So memorable, in fact, that the members of British duo La Roux seem to have had it on their mind when they wrote one of their own singles nearly 25 years later.

a-ha vs. U2 – Song Parallels

Jeff Giles — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 14:00:42 +0000

In a recent edition of Song Parallels, we explored the possibility that Kris Allen might have lifted a page from the U2 songbook -- but as it turns out, Bono and his pals may have been guilty of doing a little borrowing without asking themselves.

U2 vs. Kris Allen – Song Parallels

Jeff Giles — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 14:00:07 +0000

A quarter-century after its release, U2's 'The Joshua Tree' remains arguably the band's best-loved album -- and one whose sonic template of brooding vocals, soaring melodies, and atmospheric, widescreen guitars was copied by countless bands during the '80s. And actually, judging from Kris Allen's 'Out Alive,' maybe it's still being copied today.

Adele vs. Bruno Mars – Song Parallels

Jeff Giles — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 14:00:13 +0000

Adele has sold more records than anyone over the past couple of years, and her singles have been darn near inescapable; over the next couple of decades, we won't be surprised to hear a long list of young artists claiming her music as an influence. But judging from the chorus of one of Bruno Mars' biggest hits, Adele's success might already be exerting a major impact on her fellow songwriters.