#20. Big Pimpin By Jay-Z
Over the years, we've been lucky enough to have enjoyed some fantastic Jay-Z songs. His style has clearly evolved over the years. Many media outlets have frequently discussed plenty of controversial events surrounding the artist.
One specially polarizing controversy occurred in 2000. Many noticed that "Big Pimpin" sounded just like the song "Khosara Khosara". Things escalated when the artist's Egyptian family members accused Jay-Z of mixing the original song with demoralizing messages.
#19. Viva La Vida By Coldplay
Coldplay is a popular British band that has been around since 1996. The cohesive sound they've created in every single one of their albums has earned them a place in the rock industry.
Their most famous hit is undeniably "Viva la Vida" and it's no wonder why: the song is beautiful. However, guitarrist Joe Satriani filed a lawsuit when he heard the riffs from his own song "If I Could Fly".
#18. The Rest Of Our Life By Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran is a talented singer and songwriter. All of his albums convey depth and emotion. For that very same reason, I was quite surprised to find him on this list. The song he allegedly plagiarized was a collab between himself, Faith Hill and Tim McGraw.
The talented Australian singer Jasmine Rae realized that Ed's song had exactly the same notes as her song "When I Found You". This isn't the first time Ed Sheeran has had these type of accusations. In the end, Rae took it to court in 2018.
#17. Corrina, Corrina By Rod Stewart
No one can deny Rod Stewart is a great musician. Throughout the years, he has proven himself to be very talented. However, Rod has been involved in more than one case of plagiarism.
A famous blues singer called Chatmon took his demand to court. He stated that Rod's song "Corrina, Corrina" was an exact copy of his own "Corrine, Corrina". It's actually difficult to tell which one is which.
#16. Roar By Katy Perry
Katy Perry is one of the most entertaining artists out there. Her songs have accompanied a whole generation of rebellious teens and her looks have inspired more than one outfit.
A huge dispute arose when many of her fans compared "Roar" to another hit called "Brave" performed by Sara Bareilles. Seriously, listen to both, and try and spot the differences. However, since both gals are pretty close friends, the performer wasn't mad.
#15. Live While We're Young By One Direction
One Direction became huge after participating as a boy band in The X Factor. Their popularity grew exponentially as of 2012, even though they did not win the musical competition.
One of their most loved songs "Live While We're Young" was actually severely criticized by several media outlets and critics. The opening riff is just like the one in "Should I Stay or Should I Go" from The Clash.
#14. We Can't Stop By Miley Cyrus
When Miley Cyrus introduced her album Bangerz back in 2013, the public adored it. Many of the songs were catchy, rebellious, and you could easily dance to any of them. One of its top tunes was "We Can't Stop", although some thought it sounded very familiar.
Many noticed that Miley's hit sounded quite the same as Flourgon's song "We Run Things". Play that tune and you'll notice the similarities right away, especially in the lyrics of the hook. They're practically the same. The artist finally decided to take it to court in 2018.
#13. Come Together By The Beatles
The Beatles are arguably one of the most well-known bands out there. Their legacy in the music industry is unparalleled. However, at first, not everybody was a fan. Back in 1973, someone filed a lawsuit against John Lennon for a plagiarized song.
When Chuck Berry heard "Come Together", he felt cheated. To him, the song resembled one of his own: "You Can't Catch Me". Although some find similarities between both great songs, other believe this was just a publicity stunt.
#12. Blurred Lines By Robin Thicke
When "Blurred Lines" became a worldwide hit in 2013, controversy immediately surrounded Robin Thicke's song. Amidst the current social climate and women's movements all over, the lyrics were severely criticized.
Additionally, Marvin Gaye's family was shocked to realize the tune was surprisingly similar to the soul singers "Got to Give It Up". Unfortunately for the family members, the judge didn't agree.
#11. Treasure By Bruno Mars
Bruno Mars is an incredible artist. Every year he manages to present us at least one great new single. His chameleon-like abilities have kept him as a relevant figure in the industry. Take "Treasure", fir instance. When that song came out, it was played in every single radio.
Upon hearing the song, some people realized it reminded them of "Baby I'm Yours" performed by Breakbot. The band put matters into its own hands and publicly accused Bruno Mars. However, they didn't file a lawsuit.
#10. Whole Lotta Love By Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin are one of the undisputed kings of rock and roll. Their poetic lyrics, the masterful guitar-playing as well as Robert Plant's unique voice have consolidated the band's place in history.
Because of these factors, when the band is accused of plagiarism, many fans react defensively. When "Whole Lotta Love" was sued by Muddy Waters from copying his own "You Need Love", the court acted in favor of the plaintiff.
#9. Girlfriend By Avril Lavigne
Avril Lavigne was at the height of her career in 2007. Her rebellious style and attitude made her a hit with the teens. In fact, back in the day you could hear her top hit "Girlfriend" sounding loudly in every kids' room in America.
Not everything was as good as it seemed for the artist, though. Her beloved song got her in a very awkward lawsuit. The Rubinoos claimed that Lavigne plagiarized their own "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend".
#8. Baby By Justin Bieber
What can one say about Justin Bieber's "Baby"? Of course, I mean the song that launched the teen to fame in 2009. While the world went crazy for the newfound talent of this Canadian boy, not everybody was as thrilled.
Although it may sound surprising to his fans and not so surprising to his haters, his famous track sounds like an exact copy of a popular Brazilian tune. Take a quick listen to Perla's song called "Tremendo Vacilao" and you'll understand the accusation.
#7. All About That Bass By Meghan Trainor
Meghan Trainor was all over the news back in 2014. Her musical hit "All About That Bass" was fun, empowering, and catchy. In fact, that song earned a top spot in the Billboard for more than seven weeks straight.
The question is, was all the praise actually deserved? Parts of the songs sound particularly alike to "Happy Mode". The second song was performed by a group in South Korea called Koyote. Fortunately for Taylor, the band didn't file a lawsuit.
#6. On The Floor By Jennifer Lopez
Back in 2011, Jennifer Lopez was constantly on the radio, on every club, and on any playlist. Her songs were a blast of energy and the world gulped that up. Most of you will remember this iconic song "On the Floor". However, not all is what it seems.
The song is an uncanny copy of "Lambada", written by the group Kaoma. The problem is that the original song has already inspired so many artists that it has already been covered multiple times. It's difficult to tell whether it's a plagiarism of the original song, or a plagiarism of the plagiarism!
#5. Creep By Radiohead
Radiohead is a fantastic band with an immensely popular fan base. And with good reason: their sound is unique, their albums are thoroughly thought through, and they style is undeniably cool.
To some people's great surprise, the band's top hit "Creep" was questioned on the basis that it wasn't an original and authentic piece of work. In fact, The Hollies filed a lawsuit accusing the band of plagiarizing their song "The Air I Breathe". Justice was made and they got to an agreement that pleased both parties.
#4. Play Hard By David Guetta
David Guetta is a talented musician. He's well-known for producing popular songs that are ideal for parties, as they're incredibly upbeat and catchy. In fact, he's been an important member of the music scene for a number of years.
His famous 2012 tune "Play Hard" took plenty of bits and pieces from "Better Off Alone". This great song was played by Alice DeeJay. The question that arouse upon this conflict was: how much "inspiration" can a song take from another one for it to be acceptable?
#3. Heart To Heart By James Blunt
James Blunt is the kind of artist that you can always enjoy no matter your mood. His songs are adequate for a rainy and melancholic day, or even an upbeat get-together with friends. Although his songs are loved by many, back in 2013, he got involved in a major controversy.
Upon first hearing "Heart to Heart", something was off. Don't get me wrong, the song is great, but it sounds kind of familiar. This great tune sounds exactly like Five for Fighting's "100 Years". In spite of the similarities, this didn't go to court.
#2. Whatever By Oasis
Oasis is a band that has built up its reputation over the years. Their albums are top-notch and their songs are extremely relatable. However, their song "Whatever" was put on the spot for taking plenty of chords from Neil Innes's "How Sweet to Be an Idiot".
The band's hardcore fans defend the band to death, specially when it comes to allegations involving plagiarism and over-sampling from other songs. Their argument is that bands always draw inspiration from each other and this is bound to lead to similarities between songs.
#1. Stairway To Heaven By Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin is undeniably a master and talented band. That's why it's difficult to think that such a masterpiece like "Stairway to Heaven" was plagiarized. Without a doubt, this is one of the most controversial cases on this list.
The iconic intro to the song was allegedly plagiarized from a lesser-known tune called "Taurus", written by a band named Spirit. However, most fans and people from the music world discard the accusations as ludicrous.