Did Coldplay plagiarize Brooklyn's Creaky Boards?

Home » News » Did Coldplay plagiarize Brooklyn's Creaky Boards?

Did Coldplay plagiarize Brooklyn's Creaky Boards?

June 16, 2008 3:35 p.m. by Jim Allen

In a classic David-and-Goliath scenario, unknown Brooklyn band Creaky Boards have indirectly accused Coldplay of ripping off their song "Vida La Viva" from the Boards' own, ironically entitled "The Songs I Didn't Write." Creaky Boards songwriter Andrew Hoepfner made a YouTube video comparing the tunes, and remarking that his band thought they saw Coldplay singer Chris Martin in attendance at a CMJ gig where they played the song in question.

It seems unlikely that Hoepfner's claim will get much traction. Regardless of the fact that Coldplay could afford enough lawyers to squash Hoepfner like a bug, the second-biggest band in the world says their diaries place them in England at the time of the Creaky Boards' CMJ gig. And perhaps most importantly, upon close inspection the melodies of the two songs are somewhat similar but nowhere near identical.

Posted in: COLDPLAY , CREAKY BOARDS

Coldplay »
Artist Page

Creaky Boards »
Artist Page

More features, reviews, photos, mp3s, and video

Coldplay Apparently Not that Great for Simpsons Ratings, Matt Groening to Add New Fan-Created Character to Their Episode

Coldplay Accused of Video Plagiarism

Coldplay Donates A Million Dollars To Charity, News Somehow Reaches Press

Coldplay Settle Satriani Lawsuit, Possibly Out of Fear of Chickenfoot

APW - Sunday 2009 (Pics)

More news »

27 Responses

June 16, 2008 at 3:59 p.m.

Daba

I agree it's similar, but I don't think it's plagiarized either.

June 17, 2008 at 10:11 a.m.

Cup

Whatever, they're both sh t so who cares

June 17, 2008 at 1:07 p.m.

dukkookim

Yep, I'm sure Coldplay are big Creaky Boards fans and have been following their every move, waiting for just this opportunity.

June 17, 2008 at 3:51 p.m.

emmarose

it IS the same song. same melody, rhythm, vocals..everything. chris has ZERO real musical ability. he's a fake and colplay has been stealing riffs off other real bands for years and getting away with hit. they are total frauds.

June 17, 2008 at 9:08 p.m.

Ashley

emmaros e, to even say the entire song is excatly the same is quite dumb. It's obvious that you aren't a big fan of Coldplay. You tried to make the band come off as a bunch of a-holes, but unfortuately you look like the bigger douche.

June 18, 2008 at 1:12 a.m.

anonymous

the music sounds the same. do does the melody and Chris was at their show. he ripped them off.

June 18, 2008 at 11:18 a.m.

chris

F that, creaky boards ripped off coldplay - the rest of their songs are garbage! they got lucky and picked out a familiar melody over a standard chord progression.

June 18, 2008 at 5:51 p.m.

None of ur business

That is stupid. They sound nothing alike. ok, so there is a very little amount of similarity, but Chris Martin was in london when this so called "gig" happened so how could that be? Plus, the song (Viva La Vida) was written in March 2007. If you ask me, the "Creaky Boards" are trying to get some sympathy and fans, which is not working because any Coldplay fan hates them for this gay scheme.

June 18, 2008 at 10:03 p.m.

jman03

I seriously doubt Coldplay plagiarized, and even if they did, Viva La Vida sounds better. :p

June 18, 2008 at 11:46 p.m.

update on this story

http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7011305039

June 19, 2008 at 10:12 a.m.

Stevers

Nothing but a shameful publicity stunt. Both songs have an incredibly typical progression anyway. Hey Creaky Boards, try making it on the merits of your music, not by leeching onto one of the most popular bands in the world. You're a parasite, not an indie band!

June 19, 2008 at 10:38 a.m.

b	http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZLCR_PwxRQ

June 20, 2008 at 9:46 a.m.

Tina

If Coldplay stole this song from Creaky Boards then BOTH of these bands stole from guitarist Joe Satriani!! Here is the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ofFw9DKu_I&feature=related

Coldplay stole the riff and progression from Satriani ... Hey Creaky Boards what DO YOU have to say for yourselves? YOU STEAL, TOO THEN!!

June 20, 2008 at 8:16 p.m.

Piss off.

Viva La Vida is one of the best songs I have heard in a long time, and I cannot believe that this knobhead can possibly attempt this stupid failure of a publicity stunt based on a disaster and disgrace to music.

June 23, 2008 at 2:48 p.m.

lili mumu

How about a big Who Cares? Both bands suck.

June 24, 2008 at 5:15 p.m.

erod

dude you are such a hater emmarose you have a lot of hatred until the day that you can write and sing and have as much fame as coldplay then talk i have never wrote in these blogs but when i saw your comment i just thought you were so ignorant that it was worth it

June 25, 2008 at 4:47 p.m.

sarah

Andrew from Creaky Boards lied. Go to Daniel Bernsteins myspace blog and see for yourself. Daniel has proof that it is all made up. Andrew said it was done "just for a laugh" and he thought only his friends would see it. Sounds to me like it blew up bigger than he thought or could handle. He looked like a blubbering idiot in his G4 interview. He kept saying "ummmmmmmmmmm" and he kept looking up and to the left, true signs of a liar trying not to get caught. Andrew used a known band to his advantage. He also took advantage of the fact that most people can't think for themselves and will blindly follow the crowd without getting ALL the facts first! Viva La Ignorance

July 6, 2008 at 4:34 p.m.

Edward

actually... when you look up and to the right that is lying... to the left and you're accessing your memory, to the right you're accessing your creativity... just a correction.

December 6, 2008 at 9:40 a.m.

Ab	There's a lot of douche Coldplay fans here. The songs are similar.

December 8, 2008 at 7:14 p.m.

Thom

As long as plagiarizing Coldplay (Radiohead light) does not get the Grammy from Radiohead (the real thing), I’m happy.

December 8, 2008 at 9:49 p.m.

nimrod

Majority of Coldplay fans are young idiots who doesn't respect originality. They think every new music they hear is the greatest since slice bread.

December 9, 2008 at 2:07 p.m.

sean

i hate you coldplay, i hate you i hate you. not only did you copy the best band ever, Radiohead, and p1ss off thom yorke, but you are also ripping off other people better than you. i hope they all f*cking die, no talent, no creativity pieces of sh1t

December 11, 2008 at 9:14 p.m.

Justin

Yeah, the songs are scarily similar - much more credible than Satriani's claim, anyway. I'm not saying Coldplay 'stole' Creaky Boards tune, but it's a definite possibility. If they did, it certainly worked out well. Creaky Boards have dropped the suit, citing it as 'coincidence'....while fans (judging from comments here and elsewhere) either resolutely side with Coldplay or take the music snobbery route with the trite 'no one cares, they both suck' etc.

February 14, 2009 at 6 a.m.

dito

you all are a bunch of haters coldplay is 1 of the best bands ever go listen to deth metal u fools

February 23, 2009 at 4:14 a.m.

Chris Martin

Coldplay is garbage. It's just the truth. I'm sorry to break it to you guys.

April 10, 2009 at 4:41 p.m.

Francis

Attendez!
Wait!
Radiohead do not need to do that man!

Is Coldplay a band?

Too much similiraties...

May 5, 2009 at 3:40 a.m.

D	Now Cat Stevens has weigh in saying that all three artists has plagiarized his song too http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20276364,00.html I think Pete Townsend & Elvis Costello said it best years ago, "Musicians are the best thieves".