Top 30 Rip Off Songs That Are More Popular Than The Original

#30: Waka Waka (This Time for Africa) (2010) Shakira

Original: Zangalewa (1986) Golden Sounds

Even before you factor in the alleged copyright infringement, Colombian superstar Shakiras 2010 World Cup anthem was mired in controversy. Audiences in South Africa, where that years FIFA World Cup was held, were far from happy, claiming that a South African musician should have borne the honor of representing the country. However, a media uproar exploded over Shakiras sampling of Zangalewa, performed by the Cameroonian makossa group Golden Sounds. While critics accused Shakira of unjustly stealing and plagiarizing the iconic tune, Golden Sounds manager Didier Edo set the record straight, saying the international singer has simply readapted the song, and that permission had, in fact, been granted for the sample.

#29: Good 4 U (2021) Olivia Rodrigo

Original: Misery Business (2007) Paramore

Before any Paramore fans come for us in the comments, well just point out that Good 4 U hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, while Misery Business only ever reached as high as #26. And to be clear, that in no way diminishes its status as a bona fide pop-punk anthem. Besides, you can hear Paramores fingerprints all over the Olivia Rodrigo smash hit. According to Rodrigo, her team reached out to the bands members, coordinating for them to eventually receive a songwriting credit on Good 4 U. Said Rodrigo, Every single artist is inspired by artists who have come before them. It's sort of a fun, beautiful sharing process. Nothing in music is ever new.

#28: Stay with Me (2014) Sam Smith

Original: I Wont Back Down (1989) Tom Petty

This treacly, mushy-gushy ballad became Smiths signature song in 2014, elevating the British singer to superstar status and reaching as high as #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. Unfortunately for Smith, things went free-fallin after legendary singer-songwriter Tom Petty heard more than a passing similarity to his 1989 hit I Wont Back Down, which Smith claimed to have been unfamiliar with. Despite that songs defiant title, no legal proceedings ensued between the two parties, with Petty and co-writer Jeff Lynne agreeing to be credited. Said Petty, All my years of songwriting have shown me these things can happen. [...] Sam's people were very understanding of our predicament and we easily came to an agreement.

#27: Love Is a Wonderful Thing (1991) Michael Bolton

Original: Love Is a Wonderful Thing (1964) The Isley Brothers

Would you believe the legal fight over this song lasted nearly 10 agonizing years? The Isley Brothers Love Is a Wonderful Thing, a mostly forgotten soul ditty from the early 60s, had been all but lost to history before hitmaker Bolton put his spin on it in 1991. The problem? Said lead singer Ronald Isley, I was upset because the credits weren't on there. So we got in touch with his people and then he went into the Oh, I didn't know you all had a song like this. A 1994 Los Angeles jury ruled in the Isleys favor, resulting in a multimillion dollar payoff for them.

#26: Only Wanna Be with You (1995) Hootie & the Blowfish

Original: Idiot Wind (1975) Bob Dylan

Copyright law can be a fickle, complicated thing. Just ask Hootie & the Blowfish: the earnest roots-rockers struck an agreement with Dylans management to use several lyrics from his song Idiot Wind in their signature song. Fast forward to 1995, after the songs release and crucially, after it had become a top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. Dylans team reached back out, and according to Hootie lead singer Darius Rucker, they wanted a payday based on the considerable success of Only Wanna Be with You. It was later reported that Dylan settled with the beloved cult band for $350,000.

#25: Greatest Love of All (1986) Whitney Houston

Original: If You Could Read My Mind (1970) Gordon Lightfoot

Originally commissioned for the Muhammad Ali biopic The Greatest (hence the title), Greatest Love of All was originally performed by jazz fusion guitarist George Benson before Whitney Houston brought it to another level in 1986. Her version of the song spent three weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 in the year of its release. However, the following year, trouble reared its head: Canadian folk legend Gordon Lightfoot filed a lawsuit against Greatest Love songwriter Michael Masser, claiming that he had stolen as many as 24 bars of music from Lightfoots song If You Could Read My Mind. Lightfoot eventually retracted the suit to avoid antagonizing Houston, and an out-of-court settlement was accompanied by a public apology from Masser.

#24: Pray for Me (2018) The Weeknd & Kendrick Lamar

Original: Sunrise (2007) Yeasayer

Chances are you heard this catchy pop-rap jam on the radio following its appearance on the Black Panther soundtrack in 2018. So, with that in mind, it seems fair to say that you probably havent heard of defunct Brooklyn art-rock band Yeasayer. In 2020, the band sued the Pray for Me artists, claiming that that song uses the recording of a distinctive choral performance, which Plaintiffs [Yeasayer] created and recorded using their own voices. Some months later, though, Yeasayer dropped the suit. But dont hesitate to give them a listen in our humble opinion, theres no reason they didnt deserve to reach the same heights as bands like MGMT and Animal Collective!

#23: Thinking Out Loud (2014) Ed Sheeran

Original: Lets Get It On (1973) Marvin Gaye

Sheerans Thinking Out Loud is the wedding song to end all wedding songs. When that first dance ends, theres nary a dry eye in the room which makes it all the more hilarious when you consider that Sheeran was accused of cribbing the comically risqué Lets Get It On. In 2016, the estate of Lets Get It On co-writer Ed Townsend sued the British hitmaker; the suit alleged that the melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic compositions of Thinking are substantially and/or strikingly similar to the drum composition of 'Let's [Get It On]. While that lawsuit was dismissed, Sheeran was sued again in 2018 by Structured Asset Sales, who owned one-third of Gayes original. The case was resolved in 2023, with the outcome ruled in Sheerans favor.

#22: Bitter Sweet Symphony (1997) The Verve

Original: The Last Time (1965) The Rolling Stones

Bitter courtroom battles dont always end in hurt feelings and million-dollar payouts. Sometimes, like in the case of the Verves Richard Ashcraft, they have a happy ending! For what became the bands signature song, lead singer Ashcroft sampled the Andrew Oldham Orchestra cover of this relatively obscure Stones tune. Under the threat of legal action from the rock gods, the Verve granted Mick Jagger and Keith Richards sole songwriting credits. Eventually, in 2019, Ashcroft personally appealed to the two, who conceded that the previously-struck deal had been overly harsh. Ashcrofts royalties and songwriting credit were restored, and he remarked that I never had a personal beef with the Stones. They've always been the greatest rock and roll band in the world.

#21: Stairway to Heaven (1971) Led Zeppelin

Original: Taurus (1968) Spirit

Keep an eye out for these British legends of hard rock and heavy metal this wont be the last time you see them on our list today. As you mightve guessed, Robert Plant and the boys developed an unfortunate reputation for ripping off classic blues songs without permission or even acknowledgment. In this case, though, the victim wasnt a blues musician, but L.A. rockers Spirit. In 2014, Mark Andes, the bands bassist, filed suit against Zeppelin with the goal of securing a songwriting credit for the late Randy California, Spirits guitarist. After a tortured, nearly decade-long legal battle, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in San Francisco ruled in Led Zeppelins favor, ending the struggle with a whimper, rather than a bang.

#20: Down Under (1980) Men at Work

Original: Kookaburra (1932) Larrikin Music

They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but a caveat to that saying might also be: watch from where you steal your musical inspiration. Greg Ham and his bandmates from Men at Work found this out the hard way when it came to light that Ham, the bands flautist, nicked a bit of the Australian childrens tune, Kookaburra for the groups smash, Down Under. It took until the mid-2000s for the similarities between the two songs to come to light via a television quiz show. At that point, the publishers of Kookaburra, Larrikin Music, successfully sued for back royalties, to the tune of five percent. Oh, and did we mention these royalties were backdated to 2002? Ouch.

#19: The Bad Touch (1999) Bloodhound Gang

Original: In the Night (1985) Pet Shop Boys

It isnt so much popularity thats at the center of this entry, but rather obscurity. Theres no denying that synth-pop icons Pet Shop Boys have a much greater legacy than comedy rockers The Bloodhound Gang. That said, the comparative obscurity of this Pet Shop Boys b-side, In the Night made it easy sample-fodder for The Gang. Their hit The Bad Touch does a great job at sampling the originals beat, while adding an infectiously electronic pop vibe of their very own. This, combined with The Bad Touchs legendarily silly video proved to be a recipe for MTV success.

#18: Surfin' U.S.A. (1963) Beach Boys

Original: Sweet Little Sixteen (1958) Chuck Berry

The publishing history of the Beach Boys Surfin U.S.A. is nothing if not a long and strange trip. Songwriters Brian Wilson and Mike Love openly admit to having swiped the arrangement of Chuck Berrys Sweet Little Sixteen for their hit, although they initially neglected to credit Berry as a composer. Yet, the song was still published under Berrys company, with sources alleging that the Beach Boys father/manager Murry did so under duress. Whatever the case, Surfin U.S.A. has endured as an icon of the era for quite a bit longer than Berrys hit. Its just another example of the Beach Boys chaotic careers as pop music megastars.

#17: I Gotta Feeling (2009) Black Eyed Peas

Original: Take a Dive (1998) Bryan Pringle

Heres a question: does it matter if a song has been legally cleared of plagiarism if the similarities remain evident to the naked ear? Intention certainly matters, and its unclear if the Black Eyed Peas had actually heard the dance mix of Bryan Pringles Take a Dive prior to writing their hit, I Gotta Feeling. The Wikipedia entry for the song lists Pringle as a sample source, and in 2010, the Peas were sued for copyright infringement. However, Pringle had only copyrighted the original version of Take a Dive, and not the dance mix. The case was ultimately decided in favor of will.i.am and company, but what do you think?

#16: Shake It Off (2014) Taylor Swift

Original: Playas Gon' Play (2001) 3LW

There are many perils that come along with fame, not the least of which is other artists attempting to piggyback upon anothers success. This seems to be the reason why a plagiarism case was thrown out against Taylor Swift by the songwriters behind 3LWs millennial hit, Playas Gon Play. Those composers, Sean Hall and Nathan Butler, claimed that Swift ripped them off within the lyrical arrangement to Shake It Off. Swift, in a statement, claimed that shed never heard the song, and wasnt even allowed to watch MTVs Total Request Live during 3LWs heyday.

#15: All You Need is Love (1967) The Beatles

Original: In the Mood (1939) Glenn Miller

The Beatles were at the height of their psychedelic and experimental powers during the release of All You Need is Love in 1967. The composition of this song, as a result, is full of different snippets from popular musical artists, including In the Mood, by Glenn Miller. The latters big-band jazz hit emerges near the end of All You Need is Love, and its clear that The Beatles are intentionally utilizing this sample for dramatic effect. This also serves as something of a changing of the guard, however; a moment of major cultural shift. Glenn Millers dancehall jazz was now being seen as a quaint relic, while The Beatles pushed for the justification of a youth culture that could change the world.

#14: Crocodile Rock (1972) Elton John

Original: Speedy Gonzales (1962) Pat Boone

The case of Crocodile Rock is another where the songwriters and performers seemed to know what they were doing. Bernie Taupin and Sir Elton John admit that the tune was a nostalgic throwback to rock n roll tropes of their youth. Meanwhile, the composers of a forgotten novelty hit titled Speedy Gonzales came calling two years after the release of Crocodile Rock, claiming they were ripped off. Their claim that Taupin and John adapted similar chords was eventually settled out of court, while the Pat Boone version of Speedy that charted back in 62 is largely left to the dustbin of history.

#13: Dazed and Confused (1968) Led Zeppelin

Original: Dazed and Confused (1967) Jake Holmes

One doesnt need to be a rock historian to understand that Led Zeppelin ripped off a LOT of songs. Its just one of the bands infamous legacies, but Led Zep were effectively caught red-handed with Jake Holmes Dazed and Confused. Sure, it took until 2010 for justice to be served, but versions of the song today list the composition credit as, Jimmy Page, inspired by Jake Holmes. Thats because Page admits that he heard Holmes perform the tune before adapting it for his old band, The Yardbirds, and eventually bringing Dazed and Confused with him to Led Zeppelin.

#12: Paradise City (1989) Guns N Roses

Original: Zero the Hero (1983) Black Sabbath

Maybe Guns N Roses figured that Black Sabbaths 1983 LP Born Again was far-enough removed from their glory days to be ripped off? Or perhaps GNR didnt think the Sunset Strip glam metal fans would notice the riff similarities between the formers Paradise City and The Sabs Zero the Hero? Sure, the Sabbath version is a bit darker, but the groove is remarkably similar, and also taken from around the same era. Fast forward to 1995, and Rocket from the Crypts On a Rope seemed to have the same idea. But you know what? We see you guys! And Sabbath does, too.

#11: Creep (1993) Radiohead

Original: The Air That I Breathe (1974) The Hollies

This song is a veritable spaghetti bowl of tangled rights claims and plagiarism accusations. Radiohead had to forsake a portion of their songwriting to Albert Hammond and Mike Hazlewood, who wrote The Air That I Breathe back in 1972. That song was a hit for The Hollies in 74, while the members of Radiohead fully copped to utilizing this inspiration during the composition of Creep. This admission makes it seem strange that the band would then contact Lana Del Rey for her song, Get Free, which they claimed ripped off Creep. Or is that Creep and The Air That I Breathe? Were so confused.

#10: My Sweet Lord (1970) George Harrison Original: Hes So Fine (1963) The Chiffons

Ex-Beatle George Harrison scored himself a #1 hit the first by a former member of the Fab Four with My Sweet Lord. He didnt have much time to celebrate, however, before he was hit with a copyright infringement lawsuit! It was alleged that Harrisons song contained overt similarities to the 1963 Ronnie Mack-written hit single Hes So Fine by New York girl group The Chiffons. Ultimately, the court decided that he had subconsciously plagiarized the song and Harrison nearly had to pay $1.6 million to Bright Tunes Music Corporation. This amount was reduced after the court ruled that Harrisons ex-manager Allen Kleins actions during the suit had been improper.

#9: Viva La Vida (2008) Coldplay

Original: The Songs I Didnt Write (2008) Creaky Boards

Plagiarism accusations are not uncommon, but verifying their legitimacy can sometimes be difficult. Anti-folk duo Creaky Boards once accused British rock band Coldplay of plagiarizing their track The Songs I Didnt Write for their hit song Viva La Vida. Lead singer Andrew Hoepfner even went so far as accusing the band of hearing it at one of their concerts! Hoepfner retracted the claims however, coming to the conclusion that both bands were influenced by Nintendos The Legend of Zelda series of computer games. We guess they didnt write that song after all!

#8: Roar (2013) Katy Perry

Original: Brave (2013) Sara Bareilles

There was something of an uproar in 2013 when pop superstar Katy Perry was accused of plagiarizing the less popular singer and actress Sara Bareilles. Not only does Perrys song Roar and Bareilles Brave hit the ear in a similar way, they share a similarly uplifting message about the power of believing in oneself. Some have even produced mashups to prove the overlap between the two tracks! Unlike with Taylor Swift and Perry, there doesnt seem to be any bad blood between these two, with Bareilles tweeting All love, everybody. All love.

#7: Come Together (1969) The Beatles

Original: You Cant Catch Me (1956) Chuck Berry

It seems pretty undeniable that The Beatles cribbed from the legendary Chuck Berry also known as the "Father of Rock and Roll" for their song Come Together, especially with the flat top line. It was alleged that the two songs were musically similar as well. This caused legal woes for John Lennon due to Berrys controversial publisher Morris Levy. However, as a direct result of the rampant Beatlemania of the time, the solution to this problem was less costly than you might think. As repayment, Lennon agreed to record three songs owned by Levy, which were released on his 1975 solo album Rock n Roll.

#6: Come as You Are (1992) Nirvana

Original: Eighties (1984) Killing Joke

Nirvana riffed pretty heavily on Eighties by U.K. band Killing Joke for Come as You Are seriously, listen to the riffs on these two tracks. Come as You Are is driven by a slowed down variant of the riff from the Killing Joke song. Tragically, Kurt Cobain passed away before the two bands could collaborate. During the 21st century, it was Dave Grohl who would eventually turn things around. The former Nirvana drummer and current Foo Fighters frontman paid the group back in 2003 by playing drums for their album Killing Joke 2003.

#5: Da Ya Think Im Sexy? (1978) Rod Stewart

Original: Taj Mahal (1972) Jorge Ben Jor

Da Ya Think Im Sexy? was a huge hit for British singer Rod Stewart in 1978. Brazilian musician Jorge Bens answer to the titular question seems obvious, as he presumably didnt find anything sexy about Stewarts alleged plagiarism of his song Taj Mahal. A settlement was reached out of court, with this song being another classic case of an artist admitting unconscious plagiarism of a song. In his 2012 autobiography, Stewart said that he had heard the Ben Jor song while at the 1978 Rio Carnival. He didnt stop there however, also admitting that the songs synthesizer riff was lifted from Bobby Womack's "(If You Want My Love) Put Something Down On It."

#4: Ghostbusters (1984) Ray Parker, Jr.

Original: I Want a New Drug (1984) Huey Lewis and the News

Who am I gonna call? My lawyer! is what we assume Huey Lewis said upon first hearing the theme song to the 1984 classic comedy. This may have been a case of envy, as Huey Lewis passed on writing music for Ghostbusters to do Back to the Future. Both films were hits, but we imagine he had to have still been kicking himself for not having done both! We admit though, the Ghostbusters theme does sound curiously similar to Lewis I Want a New Drug. This was settled out of court in 1985, only for Ray Parker, Jr. to turn around and sue Lewis back in 2001 after Lewis talked about the confidential settlement on VH1s Behind the Music.

#3: Whole Lotta Love (1969) Led Zeppelin

Original: You Need Love (1962) Muddy Waters

Led Zeppelin is one of the most acclaimed bands of all time. This is due not only to how they trailblazed in heavy metal and hard rock, but to how their many influences manifested in their music even though this could occasionally get them in trouble. Among those various influences was blues music including the work of one McKinley Morganfield, known professionally as Muddy Waters. This fact became a little bit too evident when Led Zeppelin were sued in 1985 for the whole lotta things in common their track had with Muddy Waters 1962 You Need Love. Willie Dixon, the songs writer, reached a settlement that includes listing him as co-writer.

#2: Feels Like We Only Go Backwards (2012) Tame Impala

Original: Oceano (1989) Pablo Ruiz

Kevin Parker, aka the one and only member of psychedelic project Tame Impala, may be one of the most influential artists in music today, working with names like Dua Lipa and The Weeknd. So it would make sense for someone with his talent to have wide-ranging taste and influences and for some of that to even subconsciously make its way into his music. However, sometimes a song really is too obscure to believe an artist could be ripping it off. When Chilean music site Rata published the claim that Parker had plagiarized the corny 1989 Pablo Ruiz track Oceano, we thought it must be a joke and they later claimed it was. That didnt prevent Ruiz from considering legal action, though!

#1: Uptown Funk (2014) Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars

Original: Funk You Up (1979) The Sequence

Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars chart-topping single Uptown Funk has been the subject of an unusually high number of alleged plagiarism cases. Even before the song was actually released, rapper and songwriter Trinidad James received a writing credit, due to Ronson and Mars borrowing from him for the songs hook. The Sequence, a lesser known hip hop group from the 70s composed of three women, sued Mars and Ronson for copyright infringement in 2018. They argued Uptown Funk had too many compositional similarities to their 1979 single Funk You Up. Funk You Up had been something of a hit itself when it was released, being only the third rap song in history to chart on Billboard's Top 50 Singles.

Which rip-off song on our list is your favorite? Are there any that we missed? Be sure to let us know in the comments below!