.png)
Ever heard a song and thought, Wait, this sounds familiar? Whether it’s intentional interpolation or a pure coincidence, some tracks undeniably echo the sounds of past hits. From 80s-inspired guitar riffs to nostalgic vocal melodies, these songs have striking resemblances to classic tracks. Can you catch the resemblance?
“Delete Ya” by Djo vs. “Kiss” by Prince and “Every Breath You Take” by The Police
Djo’s newest single, “Delete Ya,” from his highly-anticipated album The Crux, is chock-full of that bittersweet 80’s ballad nostalgia. The very first second of the track features a zingy little guitar riff that almost immediately makes you think of the intro to Prince’s 1986 classic, “Kiss.” The foundation for the track as a whole, however, is a steady, plucky guitar that always lets the last note or two in the melody ring out and reverb, giving it an airy, almost spacy quality. There’s a strong sense of yearning and longing in both the instrumental and Djo’s vocals that calls to mind The Police’s “Every Breath You Take” — equal parts heartwarming and heartbreaking. Though the songs seem to have almost polar opposite takes on a breakup— “Every Breath You Take” being an obsessive desire to remain intertwined while “Delete Ya” is a desperate plea to cut ties — both possess similar melancholia, rich both sonically and lyrically and easily capable of stirring that wistful pit in your stomach.
“Ralphie” by Post Animal vs. “Reelin’ In The Years” by Steely Dan
Post Animal immediately sets the tone for “Ralphie” with a confident guitar and drum breakdown that’s as much a jam-sesh as it is the song’s exposition. The prog-rock track is perfectly catchy and textured, with a steady bassline and a moving percussion that keeps the track upbeat with floaty vocals that become more punchy and desperate toward the chorus. The intro is entirely reminiscent of the mid-song breakdown in Steely Dan’s “Reelin’ In The Years,” from the band’s 1972 debut album, Can’t Buy A Thrill. The jazz-rock classic is a perfect groove with its concrete percussion and bassline, eclectic rhythm and melody guitars, and textured vocals. There’s an introduction of a cymbal to the instrumental at the end of the chorus that cleverly sets up the instrumental break, Elliott Randall’s guitar solo cutting halfway into the tune and adding some spice. Some stronger piano and bass here and there serve as accessories that strengthen the impact of the breakdown and keep it chugging, driving it through to the third verse. “Ralphie”’s intro riff is nearly identical in composition to this one, though the higher pitch and heavier sound give it that grit that’s on brand for the Chicago-based band.
“ROCKMAN” by Mk.gee vs. “Dirty Diana” by Michael Jackson and “Message In A Bottle” by The Police
Mk.gee is no stranger to 80’s influence. From his take on the recognizable “Every Breath You Take” chord progression in “I Want” to the “Beat It” adjacent notes woven into “Rylee & I,” he has a way with the style of the decade, reworking it and incorporating it into his signature eclectic, masterfully disjointed sound.
We (and many on Reddit) have mentioned before that there’s a similarity to the riff at the beginning of Mk.gee’s latest release, “ROCKMAN,” and that of Michael Jackson’s “Dirty Diana,” but in my most recent replays of the track, I picked up on the resemblance between the running riff in the song and “Message In A Bottle” by The Police. The guitar in “ROCKMAN” sounds as if the guitar in “Message In A Bottle” was pitched down and played underwater, more warbly with the bass almost directly behind it (where the double guitar and drum keep The Police’s riff more lively and high-energy). Mk.gee’s playing is choppier, and the note pattern has an audible start and end. Andy Summers’ playing for “Message In A Bottle” is clear and pronounced, an endless cycle. The commonalities are more audible right at the end of Mk.gee’s track, with the addition of small soundbites and mechanical-type noises serving as a refreshing touch of his personal style onto something familiar.
“Snap My Finger” by KAYTRANADA (ft. PinkPantheress) vs. “Everything She Wants” by Wham!
Admittedly, Twitter put me on to this one. It’s impossible to listen to KAYTRANADA’s track without nodding your head. The mix of the layered percussive elements and PinkPantheress’ vocals are intoxicating, and the production is equal parts funky and clicky, doing a lot without doing too much. KAYTRANADA’s June release, Timeless, is jam-packed with tracks sampling or interpolating songs like “Get Up, Get Into, Get Involved” by James Brown and “Standing in the Shadows of Love” by Barry White.
The last two lines of both verses in “Snap My Finger” interpolate one of my favorite songs of all time, “Everything She Wants” by Wham!. The cadence nestles perfectly within the walking beat of KAYTRANADA’s track, blending seamlessly into the flow of KAYTRANADA’s production. PinkPantheress has a voice that suits the glittery-ness of 80’s pop masterfully. At the same time, her staccato pronunciation of every word preserves the grooviness, beautifully blending both genres while still doing justice for the 1984 classic.
“NUEVAYoL” by Bad Bunny vs. “Un Verano en Nueva York” by El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico
Bad Bunny’s newest album, DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS, is a love letter to Puerto Rico. There’s an inherent vulnerability to the sentiment of his release that’s poignant, the album's theme apparent down to its cover. Bad Bunny artfully explores social and political issues surrounding Puerto Rico — the negative impacts of tourism on the island in “TURiSTA,” gentrification in “LO QUE LE PASÓ A HAWAii,” and his family’s history (and unapologetic pride in being Boricua in the face of adversity) in “LA MuDANZA” — while incorporating aspects of Puerto Rican culture, the tracks sonically aligned with more traditional genres of music to the island and even interpolating/sampling prominent Puerto Rican artists.
The album opens with “NUEVAYoL,” a track narrating an explosive summertime celebration in New York City while reflecting on the dissonance of being in tune with one’s roots in a culturally diverse area. Bad Bunny references many aspects of Puerto Rican culture that bleed into the Big Apple, such as Toñitas, one of the last remaining Caribbean social clubs residing in Brooklyn since the 1970s. The track’s introduction is sampled from El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico’s “Un Verano en Nueva York,” a salsa classic released in 1975 commemorating the vibrance of the city and its importance as an epicenter for Latin culture. Bad Bunny blends the traditional salsa sound with the reggeaton that’s become more popularized by younger generations, concocting a beautiful ode to the culture while making it his own.
“Bad Habit” by Steve Lacy vs. “The Dress” by Dijon
Like most artists whose songs hit the mainstream, Steve Lacy’s “Bad Habit” made its rounds on TikTok, becoming one of the defining songs of summer 2022. There’s a strong drum kick and strummy guitar, and an arcade-like synth sound joins Lacy’s hummed acapella in the latter half of the track. There’s a gentle grooviness to it, lowkey but catchy.
“Bad Habit” has that same slow-jam quality that “The Dress” by Dijon has, with the prominent drum beat and airy vocals. Both songs focus on regret surrounding a romantic relationship — Dijon’s track centered on yearning for the glory days with his lover and hoping they’ll reconsider and circle back, while Lacy’s lightheartedly laments the devastation and self-deprecation that comes with never even having the opportunity at all, likely a result of his own trepidation. Both songs open with rolling, conversational vocals that feel deeply personal, but while Bad Habit gradually builds into a quicker groove with sharper percussion and a quirky synth line, The Dress stays loose and hazy, leaning into its melancholic weight.
