Music fills our lives, and every year, countless songs compete for a spot on the charts. With so much music being produced, it’s easy to feel like many songs sound the same. However, if you listen closely, you might discover hidden connections and surprising inspirations behind your favorite tunes.
While every artist is influenced by their musical surroundings, some songs share more than just a passing resemblance to others. Many artists cleverly borrow lyrics, melodies, or riffs, transforming them into something new. Here are ten hit songs you might not know were secretly inspired by other big hits.
Las Ketchup, “The Ketchup Song (Aserejé)”
In the summer of 2002, Las Ketchup, a Spanish group, dominated airwaves with their hit “The Ketchup Song.” This catchy tune, featuring a unique mix of languages and a memorable dance, reached number one in 20 European countries, as well as Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. But there’s a hidden story within the song.
The lyrics tell the story of Diego, a hip-hop enthusiast who sees himself as a ladies’ man and a rapper. While the chorus seems like gibberish, the verses reveal the song’s main inspiration: a playful twist on the Sugarhill Gang’s 1979 classic, “Rapper’s Delight.” Diego is portrayed as a big fan of the song, enjoying it while drinking, dancing, and singing along in his own way.
Although the two songs don’t sound obviously alike, once you focus on the chorus of “The Ketchup Song,” you can hear the connection to “Rapper’s Delight.”
Deadmau5 feat. Rob Swire, “Ghosts N Stuff”
Joel Zimmerman, the music producer and DJ known as Deadmau5, often includes references to pop culture, old movies, and internet memes in his tracks. However, he doesn’t usually draw inspiration from other songs. This wasn’t the case for his collaborations.
Deadmau5 typically creates the melody and key components of his tracks before inviting a singer or lyricist to add their personal touch. This is how “Ghosts N Stuff,” one of his biggest hits, came to be when he enlisted Pendulum vocalist Rob Swire.
Swire admitted in a Reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything) that he “may have borrowed the melody” from Chris Isaak’s famous soft-country song “Wicked Game.” Luckily, no lawsuits have been filed, perhaps because Isaak isn’t a huge fan of dubstep and electronic music.
Olivia Rodrigo, “Brutal”
Olivia Rodrigo, the former Disney star turned pop sensation, found herself in the spotlight when fans noticed a striking similarity between her 2021 hit “Brutal” and Elvis Costello’s “Pump It Up.” The songs share what appears to be the same riff, making the inspiration hard to deny.
But the story doesn’t end there. Costello himself said that Bob Dylan’s “Subterranean Homesick Blues” inspired “Pump It Up.” The riff has appeared in various hit songs before and since, including Rogue Traders’ 2005 hit “Voodoo Child.”
Costello defended Rodrigo, stating that this is “how rock & roll works… You take the broken pieces of another thrill and make a brand new toy.” It’s a sentiment many agree with.
Sam Smith, “Stay with Me”
Tom Petty faced his share of imitators throughout his 40-year career. When Sam Smith’s “Stay With Me” topped the UK charts and reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100, it was hard for Petty to ignore the similarities. Despite Smith’s song being slow and gospel-infused, it sounded a lot like Petty’s guitar-driven “Won’t Back Down.”
After some discussions between their management teams, Smith acknowledged the influence and gave co-writing credit to Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne, the co-writer of “I Won’t Back Down.”
The Sex Pistols, “Pretty Vacant”
The Sex Pistols shook up the late ’70s music scene with their punk rock attitude. Despite releasing only one studio album, their influence is undeniable. While influences like Iggy Pop and the New York Dolls are easy to spot, others are more surprising.
Bassist Glen Matlock revealed that ABBA inspired the main riff from “Pretty Vacant.” Matlock was looking for the final piece of the song when he heard ABBA’s “SOS” on the radio, and it clicked. When ABBA’s bassist found out, he was amused and even put Matlock on his Christmas card list.
Led Zeppelin, “Whole Lotta Love”
Led Zeppelin has a history of borrowing from older songs. One of their biggest hits, “Whole Lotta Love,” was inspired by Willie Dixon’s “You Need Love,” which Muddy Waters famously recorded in 1962.
Robert Plant admitted to adapting lyrics from Dixon’s song. While Plant claimed Jimmy Page created the iconic riff, it still bears some similarity to Dixon’s original work. A lawsuit in 1985 gave Dixon credit and royalties for the song.
Sonny & Cher, “I Got You Babe”
Sonny Bono and Cher rose to fame in the ’60s with hits like “I Got You Babe.” Bono said that their 1965 song was inspired by Bob Dylan’s 1964 track “It Ain’t Me Babe.”
Bono explained that he often used phrases he heard and looked for a hook lyric. He said that Dylan had “babe” all over the airwaves, so he added the “I got you” part to it.
Dylan himself wasn’t impressed, aware that artists were taking parts of his music and adapting it to their audience. He couldn’t appreciate their “jingly-jangly” sound.
Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars, “Uptown Funk”
When Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars created “Uptown Funk” in 2014, it became an instant hit. However, The Gap Band felt that the song was too similar to their track “Oops Upside Your Head.”
Ronson admitted to being influenced by older artists and funk records but didn’t mention The Gap Band. The similarities were more than coincidental.
The Gap Band sued, claiming that Ronson and Mars had stolen from their song. They were added to the track’s publishing credits in 2015.
Bon Jovi, “You Give Love a Bad Name”
Sometimes, the songwriter, not the artist, provides the inspiration. Before writing “You Give Love a Bad Name” for Bon Jovi, Desmond Child wrote “If You Were a Woman (And I Was a Man)” for Bonnie Tyler.
Child reworked the chorus, lifted the melody, and orchestrated the guitar riff, creating an international hit for Bon Jovi. Many Bon Jovi records have benefited from Child’s touch.
One Direction, “Best Song Ever”
One Direction faced media scrutiny when critics noticed similarities between “Best Song Ever” and The Who’s “Baba O’Riley.” While the intros sound alike, the inspiration came from the songwriters.
Pete Townshend of The Who shared a story about Randy Bachman of Bachman-Turner Overdrive admitting to copying “Baba O’Riley” for their hit “You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet.” One Direction wasn’t the first to do it, and they likely won’t be the last.
Music is an ever-evolving art form, and sometimes the greatest hits draw inspiration from unexpected places. These songs demonstrate how artists can transform existing ideas into something new and successful.
What do you think about these musical connections? Leave your comment below!
