Olivia Rodrigo - SOUR (May 21, 2021) • Page 32

Ah yeah, the true sign of being right. A YouTube video.

 

Why does anyone care that they sound similar? And why are random people denying that it sounds similar as if it’s a slight against either song?

 

No you don't get it. No two songs in the history of music have ever sounded similar and the fact that these two kind of have a similar vibe is the only discourse anyone should care about

 

I still think it’s so crazy that Queen ripped off Vanilla Ice

 

We don’t talk enough about how Paramore’s “Decode” sounds like an Evanescence song.

 

I think because the songs aren't close enough and they aren't about the same subject. I personally don't think they sound alike beyond the genre and being sassily delivered by a female vocalist so the comparison can come off as sexist and dismissive like all women that sing pop punk leaning music sound like Hayley Williams. Also, the fact that Misery Business is problematic enough that Paramore retired it probably adds to it making people mad since good 4 u doesn't have the same immature girls tearing each other down over a guy vibe that was very much of it's time. I like both songs but I can see how someone saying they're spiritually similar songs would be inflammatory.

 

played good 4 u yesterday at a bbq and two people who are not involved in music discourse at all said it sounded like Misery Business, unprompted

 

i value their opinions more than anyone on this site tbh

 

i have also heard the same from people who have no “connection” to music

is it “similar?” sure. there are also people acting like it sampled the song or that hayley would have a copyright claim, which is patently ridiculous lol

 

It is very weird that people are getting so mad about the comparison. I've heard multiple people in real life say the song reminds them of it as well. I'm imagining one of these dork motherfuckers coming up to them in person and screaming in their face about song structure or chords or shit lol.

 

as a general practice in life i try to never mention “chords” or “progressions” to normies

 

This is probably a rule I should adopt to be honest

 

Generally people I know haven’t been mad at the comparison or similarities at all, most really enjoy it

 

im not mad i just literally dont hear it lol

 

It’s cool if others hear it, but as someone who has been listening to that Paramore album for like a decade, I did not make the connection until someone else pointed it out. That has nothing to do with theory, either, something I know almost nothing about.

 

Not sure why people are being so weird about the choruses sounding kinda like "Misery Business" and not complaining about how the verses sound just like Lorde. But either way, why do people actually care so much?

 

Based on how some people are reacting to it, you'd think being inspired by other artists is a bad thing. Like, she clearly draws a lot from Taylor and Lorde (I mean, the bridge of Deja Vu immediately made me think of Cruel Summer). It's not a knock against her in any way to have a song sound similar to a Paramore song.

 

I think it's leftover from the time period where every single female fronted band in the scene was dismissed as trying to be like Paramore even when they sounded nothing alike. So if you don't hear the similarity between songs, the comparison just sounds sexist so being offended by it is a knee jerk reaction for some and I vividly remember being annoyed every time people would compare Hey Monday or WATIC or VersaEmerge to Paramore and act like they were mediocre rip offs so I understand where the sentiment is coming from.

 

Olivia has mentioned that the bridge was directly influenced by Cruel Summer

 

That's actually a fair point. I remember being annoying about how in the comment section of every female fronted rock band there'd be "WOW YOU SOUND LIKE PARAMORE" repeated ad nauseum. I just don't really see that being the case here seeing as the songs DO have some pretty key things in common IMO.

 

this sounds familiar

 

Pre-orders are up again if you haven't already snagged a copy

 

I think the sound people use on tiktok is cute, where Olivia's song plays and then it transitions to Misery Business and people dress like their 00s emo throwback look. I didn't think of Paramore when I heard her songs, but more of the 00s teen movies like Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen and Josie and the Pussycats. In a good way!

 

Ah thanks for the heads up!

 

Good 4 her