None of these songs are stolen; they're just similar like the title says. I think part of what makes Yoko Kanno so cool is her ability to perfectly emulate so many various styles. One of my favorite songs of hers is a piano piece from Darker Than Black that you would swear was written by Debussy. There is also a four note theme from Ferde Grofé's Grand Canyon Suite that is used throughout the Cowboy Bebop soundtrack.
You guys just assume that Yoko Kanno is sitting in her little place of composition plotting what songs she can steal next... smh... As if she thinks she is pulling some trick on you that gives her laughs... The people that agree with this video making her a bad composer, are just haters. You don't know to much.
As I said; there hardly has been ANY original work from ANY artist since the mid 90s. Their styles and arrangements have all been influenced and re-used from previous artists and musical genres. These videos are made by a musically and historically challenged person and therefore meaningless.
Um, it says in the production notes on each soundtrack what song sampled what. They receive permission from the artist to use that sample, and only after they do, are they allowed to continue. If they're not in the production notes, then the artist has been payed compensation. Keep in mind that most labels that release Kanno's music also have joint US/UK partnerships, so that "stealing" as some of you accuse, just simply isn't profitable, probable, and sometimes possible. Yoko Kanno = awesome.
Some of these are homages, but there are too many homages. No one in the west would be able to get away with this, regardless of their original contributions, if only because of how lazy it is.
i found a bunch of songs on cowboy bebop that are VERY similar to older jazz songs. and the most blatant "similarity" was ghost in the shell's run rabbit junk vs agent provocateur's red tape. personally i don't care. she takes existing works and makes them her own
@opsimathics Look at you, trying to look cool. In America, we have a thing called Democracy. In America, things like Democracy are ignored by a someone else with more influence. Regardless of what you think, nobody cares just as much as you don't care about what those people think.
Wow, there is so much cognitive dissonance and confirmation bias going on here. It's blatantly obvious that a lot of this is more than just homage and is borderline, if not outright theft. One example that this video didn't include is John Coltrane's "Dear Lord" compared with Kanno's "Space Lion". You'd have to be deaf not to hear the similarity of the opening riff. She covers it up very nicely with background ambiance and reverb. I'm still a Kanno fan but let's not lie to ourselves here, guys.
It's clear that for Cowboy Bebop she deliberately borrowed styles from popular rock over the ages, and imitated specific songs on a number of tracks. That was the whole idea. What makes her spectacular is that she's flexible and versatile enough to compose Japanese tracks in so many different genres of music. If you analyze her orchestral music, you can see elements borrowed from Stravinsky, Ravel, Copland - but no one would fault her for that. Williams, Horner, Zimmer, etc do it regularly.
If artists had a serious problem with her stealing their music/tunes (and they'd be sure to find out eventually) then she wouldn't be able to market the song. It's nothing but flattering to have a riff of yours turned into a Yoko Kanno masterpiece, in my opinion.
Se me hace una reverenda estupidez comparar canciones de Yoko Kanno... ni que todas las canciones no fueran inspiradas en algo... por favor!!! somos un chingo de mentes tu crees que no coincidan una que otra... por Dios Kanno a compuesto infinidad de rolas el dia que tu saques una cancion espero que la compartas para ver si eres original
Yoko Kanno's re-arrangements are often quite superb, but I can't push away the feeling of being cheated since I discovered things some time ago. Those tunes are obviously either borrowed or copied - and I totally don't mind if artists do this, because art often borrows or copies. What I don't like is lack of honesty. Nowhere in official profiles or articles I've seen I witnessed Kanno talking about borrowing tunes or being inspired by such and such artists.
maybe she hears hers favorite songs, and remixes them like in hip hop, if anything she samples amazing compositions otherwise no one would ever hear of these pieces.
And the truth is her knowledge in listening and knowing all kinds of music puts her alone. Her ears are a gift and talent unto themself. I've heard the samples and sounds she takes from she knows what she's doing and been known. If you didn't care for her you wouldn't be talking about her there are far too many popular artists who take. She has respec and dignity. You can't touch her.
If you had been listening to all of her work you'd notice that her music sounds similar to her music of the past. Listen to "reincarnations" and her most recent like "aquarion". She has her style. If her ego had gotten in the way like alot of other artists (dont matter where they come from) she wouldve fell off along time ago and wouldn't have been able to bring freshness and quality to the music she so often puts out.
People who thought her music is entirely "original" and now all of a sudden dislike her because you found out its not how can you be that stupid? If she has a variety of sounds to her work what makes you think she's just gonna come up with it on her own? And the racism spewing from you people is crazy how in the hell can you praise rolling stones, Elvis etc. and hate Yoko Kanno. That's crazy.
I was scared for a second! So the songs she allegedly stole weren't even ones I liked anyway. I can live with that. But hey, as an artist, I've been taught to steal. The more you steal and absorb, the more original the style once combined. I think her original shit is mind blowing
She's a composer for movies and television shows. Every single composer for movies & TV takes very obvious samples from other music into their work. There's a reason why she writes for the industry and not independently.
P1 Its this simple she's a jobbing composer doing work for loads of TV and films shows, now if she was really good she would be world know and be up there with John Williams, Max Steiner, Jerry Goldsmith but she's not that good fact! So to make ends meat she steals not borrows from others all grates do as the saying go's and the shocker is most of the grate composers did as well, but today you tend to put "Inspired by" on the work as a nod to the Original and to cover your ass.
P2 But her Clients are nearly all asian and Japanese, I have lived there and I can tell you 50% of the of the whole culture is nicked so music is just one more part of that, most of all in Advertisement and TV shows. Hell in China the copy whole TV formats and to hell with copyright. So he raids here Record collection when ever a new job comes in for her and she has a whole team working at for filling her musical Brief. So yes she robs stuff from other as a starting point,
P2 But her Clients are nearly all asian and Japanese, I have lived there and I can tell you 50% of the of the whole culture is nicked so music is just one more part of that, most of all in Advertisement and TV shows. Hell in China the copy whole TV formats and to hell with copyright. So he raids here Record collection when ever a new job comes in for her and she has a whole team working at for filling her musical Brief. So yes she robs stuff from other as a starting point,
A lot of these song sound more like the same style, not the same song..... A lot do not have the same beat tempo or even sound remotely the same.... I think your just making connections that don't exist... its like say Bach plagiarized Beethoven because they both played piano.
Wow... it's CALLED being influenced by other composers/artists. You don't think people actually compose something absolutely BRAND NEW, and call it awesome. How do you think the contemporary era of music started, without the Rite of Spring by Stravinsky? (in which he "stole" Russian folk music to create a brand new genre of neo/post-romanticism). In jazz, any GOOD jazz player knows he/she must imitate the styles/and literally play the transcriptions of other known famous jazz players to be good.
in the case of the sting song "Russians", he credits the Lieutenant Kijé Suite by classical Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev in the liner notes (i have the sting CD) for borrowing a chunk of that song -- albeit a small part -- it seems to be re-borrowed somewhat in Kanno's piece. in the case of this song, they all have similar themes but are all different enough to be unworthy of comparison.
man, i dunno. i think this stuff happens a LOT. it's pretty much unavoidable nowadays that your music is going to sound like SOMETHING else that's already been done. miles used to say that you can't play anything on a horn that satchmo hasn't played. besides, how is this really different from sampling? it's not. it's culture building on culture.
The track from Brain Powerd sound more like something Yuki Kajiura would compose rather than copy of Sting's song. I think both of those ladies borrowed style from each other a number of times.
Jesus f***. The "Want It All Back" and "Diggin" ripoffs are so blatant. I hope there were credits on the album. I loved those songs too. Come on, Yoko.
I don't believe she stole any of these pieces, she may have heavily relied on the Beatles for that one Cowboy Bebop track but other than that I doubt any of these are copies, they're too great.
Yoko Kanno has composed of so much more music than the ones being compared in the videos, even if these were not original, her other music still blows my mind, and proves her skills.
A lot of the "tribal" sounding music in Chikyuu Shoujo Arjuna came from pre-existing songs, but I'll be damned if they don't sound better through Kanno's instruments!
@QwoPhasaArius I wouldn't say better words ! U're right. I do sample to, this is not stealing, it's about adding our touch and make discover younger people those beautiful songs. But I have to admit that my samples are more transformed than hers
I just want to speak up. Having been someone who has been into movie music for years and has seen TONS of similar tracks appear over dozens of artists, I think this is not an uncommon practice. Looking down on this would be like looking down on painters for using a similar style or writers for using a similar character archetype.
That said, I don't think every example is exactly a direct copy. Some look more like a 'homage'. Or even a case of inspiration.
some of her fans are really crazy. It's okay cus her version is better? she have stolen fuckin many songs from others, they are victims. how can you say that? then if your friend steal your clothes and she looks more great with your clothes on than you, then is it okay and it becomes her clothes? wow
Haha so much drama for a bunch of minor bgm songs... so tell me, where did she steal "Blue" from?, or "Aoi Hitomi"?, where did she steal "Ballad of fallen angels", "Rain", "I do", "Pulse", "Yubiwa", "Tomodachi", "Kaze ga fuku hi", "Tank!" from?.
Yoko's greatest job is totally original and breathtaking. She's one HELL of a talented composer and arranger, and a bunch of minor songs can't talk me out of that =)
It doesn't just happen in anime. Someone put up a comparison between the videogame TF4's intro and a Malmsteen's "Soldier without Faith". Undeniable lift there.
These are mostly just examples of work in the same genre. Taking advantage of anime fans' lack of musical sophistication? Particularly galling was OH MY GOD A COUNTRIFIED ROCK SONG SOUNDS LIKE THE ROLLING STONES!
I am reminded of G.H. Hardy. When first reading the work of Ramanujan, he knew that such work could only be that of a fraud or a genius. But to defraud with such wide ranging and difficult work presupposes genius. This is a contradiction. Thus we have only one option.
For example. I am fond of both I will not forget you and... that other sound (no time to read the Katakana) but... well...
I don't really totally see the similarities besides both having a chick singing with a guitar and a rhythm. You could take any two songs really and say, this sounds like this, such as a song by Charlotte Martin that sounds like one by Tori Amos.. But, yes, most of these songs ARE similar, but some are stretching it buy a lot.
Stings Russians and Yoko's KOVIA both asked for the rights from the popular original classical composer of this melody.. His Name was Sergei Prokofiev
Now, I don't want to sound like I'm saying "NO NO YOKO KANNO'S THE BEST COMPOSER EVER SHE CAN DO NO WRONG," but you have to admit, these plagiarized songs take up less than 5% of her musical catalog. I understand that she stole parts of songs, but to call her a fake and otherwise insult her undermines the hundreds of songs under her belt that are completely original. I'm annoyed by a lot of comments here treating her like every one of her songs was plagiarized.
@Locodiablogato a fuck load of her songs have sampling from other people's music, more than there is here, but she really does make them her own, just listen to 'wake up in new york' by craig armstrong and listen to 'heaven's not enough' by yoko. These were the songs that made me first question yoko kanno's originality so of course I googled it all and came up with a whole heap of others. But I almost always prefer yoko's version, so I hope she continues to 'steal', if only for my benefit.
@Locodiablogato This happens to composers all the time. You can go back to Bach, Mozart, etc. They all had this same problem. What is remarkable about Yoko Kanno is her ability to compose music in the classical, rock, and jazz style. Most classical composers have trouble with the free style of jazz and most jazz composers have trouble with the discipline of classical. .
I mean, take the world of Fine Arts for example. Have the balls to steal from a single piece of art and get caught and your career is over, no matter how great a pedigree you may have.
I don't think an outstanding catalog of work should make any form of plagiarism acceptable or forgivable, it's just unfair to give preference to someone just because their other work is good.
If they are so good, it's even worse that they are stealing then!
Yoko Kanno doesn't actually "steal" musical motifs as much as she pays homage to trends in musical styles: taking the listener muscally to the place they are in visual terms by anchoring the brain intio the musical styles from a particular period in history. It sounds good and hooks the listerner into the image on the screen. fholla01
Well this is a nice work, "Want it all back" and "Imperial Drag" is to think about it, lots of the comments are speached by the voice of fanatism and they just attack the video, but the way you posted the video itself is the same thing, just attacking, the cooment by ravenyuu is quite interesting too
Actually, The Carnival is Over Reminds me of Russians...
I am so glad I got to hear this awesome song! I didn't even know it existed! It's fantastic!
Best thing about these Yoko Kanno ripped off this song and here it is topics is I get to hear stuff I never heard that really actually sounds different from the Yoko Kanno stuff by several notes or is in the same key and might use a similar progression of chords
most of the songs kanno writes will never get released in the charts most of the songs here were not main songs and frankly not very good ,
your all comparing how the big budget American industry works to how the small Japanese anime industry works people think because they see anime in there country that its an international gig where most companies couldn't give a crap about outside of japan and are making entertainment for there home fans
people are forgetting that kanno isn't a chart musician , she works for the anime industy most of those songs are just ment to be background tracks, kanno is paid to make songs that fit a type of mood and so the company doesn't have to go bankrupt paying out royalties, you will find kanno doesn't make money off the albums since they are owned by sunrise , ig gainax and any other music company they work with
This happened a few times to me where I wrote a song and my friend goes oh, dude, that totally sounds like "insert existing song here." And then I go and listen to said song, and I have to scrap what I wrote. I think it's just a sub-conscious thing where you heard it somewhere but you can't exactly recall the song. Also the whole copying thing is inherent to Japanese cultures. It's what they do. They take a design a make it better. TVs, cameras, music, cars, everything.
@johnl87 It isn't Japanese culture, it's inherent to art in general. "The key to good creativity is hiding your sources." - Albert Einstein. Smoke on the Water took it's opening phrase from an older jazz song, to give you an example.
Also, a lot of the stuff in these videos is pure bull, most comparisons are shoddy at best.
@johnl87 That's not the same thing. Kanno knows what she is doing, its nothing subconscious. I can't say I'm too familiar with the anime she has done work for, but this extent of sampling is nothing new in the industry, and I can tell everyone now that it is nothing illegal or immoral. You are all very naive if you sat there listening to her albums and believed her music to come straight from her noggin alone. One person cannot possibly produce such a range of World Music. Wake up, children.
lol this video has been pretty true to the title unlike the first two videos but the Diggin' comparison to The Stones is a stretch . . . I'm a huge Stones fan I would have heard that the first time if it was similiar enough to be plagarism.
It's okay to borrow / steal music like crazy because someone is working a lot? Do you think Yoko Kanno works for free? Do you think Yoko Kanno is owned by these studios?
I loved her music in Cowboy Bebop, SAC, etc, through that she's provided me with lots of entertainment and has my respect for that, still. I'm not going to say it's okay to steal music though, I've never heard of lots of these musicians, had their music been used instead of Kanno's they'd get needed royalties.
Though this video series doesn't point out whether or not the original artists are creditted, if they are, Kanno's totally in the clear, legally and ethically.
I don't really like being called an idiot, when I'm very far from it.
The fact that YK produced 20 times more music than TR is not in her favor. You're confusing quantity with quality. Considering you don't know much about him, you wouldn't know that he's composed across many genres, not to mention written OSTs for games and (technically) movies, (didn't get used).
Further, I work in a recording studio. I know how everything works. I watch my boss take songs, copy the chords, change the key,
Of course the quantitiy is "in her favour", as that's exactly her job.
On the one hand, she's a composer and componist on her own and produces 100% original songs, on the other, she's a hard-working soundtrack-artist that gets hired by dozens of companies/other artists a year.
The mistake that's made in every one of those videos is that you confuse one side with the other.
This has nothing to do with credibility.
Yoko Kanno is still one of the greatest composers of our time.
I'm not a native English speaker, we can talk on German or Chinese, if you want.
People will decide what they get told.
This video tells them, "Kanno is teh shit as she steals songs".
They have no idea about the work of Kanno and the team at all, though, so they can't "decide".
Instead of digging deeper into her work, which is in her genre undoubtably one of the greatest and most diverse of our time, they will turn their backs on her.
first, i wasn't attacking your language, i merely stated that i don't know what a 'componist' is, which coincidentally turned out to mean nothing. second, i still love the music produced by her and her team, but credit should be given where it's due. third, we aren't talking about her original pieces, we are only talking about the subject matter from the video, which is her OST music. last, there is ZERO limit on creativity, only time, and money. you have been very insulting here, i'm done.
You call me insulting for defending a "composer" (German noun for composer is "Komponist", I confused it) that YOU called uncreative, unreliable and plagiarizing?
Sorry, but calling Kanno that is just ignorant.
"but credit should be given where it's due".
She (the companies she works for) pay royalties to the songs' owners.
Yoko Kanno is a trademark, the companies want her name on the CD, not some other artist, that's what they pay for.
nowhere did i say that she was uncreative, unreliable, or even plagiarizing.
where is the proof that she pays royalties, or even asks permission to use it? i'm asking you, cause i want to see it.
my wording was wrong. time and money are not limits on creativity, they are factors that hinder it. creativity is completely limitless, and true artists work as hard as they possibly can to keep creating. YK may be a true artist for her own music, but for the OST's.. no. that's all anyone is saying.
lastly, re-read the ways in which you insulted me. you were not only defending her, but attacking me. i even said that i still love her music, despite this new information. there is a great wealth of her music that is still original for the most part. again, though, please enlighten us to how she credits the heavily borrowed pieces.
Then I'm sorry for insulting you. The way you talked just seemed that way.
Also: Most of the songs of her soundtracks still are her own work. But if someone tells you "Make 30 songs for these scenes, you have one year!" how'd you deal with it?
Why do you think Hollywood-movie soundtracks are composed of old songs from different artists?
Yoko Kanno at least transfers those songs to fit better to the movies/games AND STILL adds a lot of her absolutely self-composed songs. And it sounds great.
recreate the song with slightly different rhythms and samples, and then begin to tweak the melodies enough so that it is enough removed from the original piece; that it doesn't constitute plagiarism.
TR only writes using completely original ideas, and it never sounds the same for any two albums.
also, i forgot to mention that Yoko Kanno WAS my favorite composer. I knew that many songs were very inspired, but I did not think that this many would be unoriginal in idea and composition. credibility is extremely important for anyone who truly understands the process. I've been writing music for almost 8 years now, and have become a purist of artistic credibility. I use all my own designed samples, write everything, produce everything, and will play as much as I can muster. Sorta like TR.
Just shows that you have no idea about Kanno, then.
If you knew anything about music/composing/etc at all, like you claim, you would at least know that there are limits for creativity.
If you knew anything about Kanno, you'd listen to HER ORIGINAL music and appreciate it.
She gets paid for those soundtracks and has limited time for it. Of course she covers good songs, you can't just come up with 20 GREAT original songs in a year when you aditionally do your own work as a musician.
"If you knew anything about music/composing/etc at all, like you claim, you would at least know that there are limits for creativity." I sorry but that is bullshit and insluting to human's comasity for creativity. Sorry if your favourite composer is lazy but that doesn't mean you can pull weak arguements out of your arse.
You have not a single argument but are complaining about mine, you just stumbled upon something you found to be interesting and now you think you know something. Spoiler: You don't and have no idea what you are talking about.
Come back if you have something to say, otherwise go outside and speak to some homeless, maybe they care more about your senseless blabbering. I won't give answers to such nonsense anymore.
I'm arguing over your half arsed atempts at defending plagurism by claiming that no one is creative or that there is limits to imagination. The history of music is not of people endlessly parroting each over, there's a difference between taking influences and ripping people off.
I have to admit though the songs done by Yoko are strikingly similar to the original but in terms of complexity. Yoko wins by a fairly good amount. Overall, it would be nice if she credited the sources or at least mention them.
Wow, this is really disappointing. If it were a handful of songs I would be inclined to chalk it up to creative coincidence, but this is just too poignant to ignore. A shame because I genuinely liked her songs, but I suppose they weren't hers to begin with.
ok I can understand a lot of these comparisons, but kokia and RUSSIANS?? Even nullifying the difference in vocals, they don't sound similar, at. all. The only thing vaguely similar is the melody and that even differs quite a bit. WTF?
We should remember that all of her music in these comparisons is theme/background music for themed anime. Most of this anime (specially Cowboy Bebop) constantly and purposefully uses references to famous characters, movies, songs, bands, etc. as homage. You can't judge the music if you haven't seen what it is used for.
- Other than Cyberbird, (which you put first for obvious reason), most of these are her crappiest work. More Background noise and mood setters than actual songs. Off your list are Inner Universe, Rise, Green Bird, Run Rabbit Junk, the Escaflowne opening - the list goes on and on of actual songs with beautiful, brilliant, original melodies. My opinion of her isn't diminished until I start seeing a lot of those songs pop up in other musicians discographies.
The only work I've ever heard of Kanno's is from Wolf's Rain. I study music... and I love her style. Unless someone can give me proof that she "stole" those pieces also, I stand by my opinion that she's an amazing composer.
You missed an important one (and the most beautiful one to me) from the GITS SAC soundtrack: "Where Does The Ocean Go?".Sounds exactly like Björk's "Hyperballad"...
There's that Hans Zimmer song: "Closing of The Year". Sounds awfully like 'Ark' or 'Departure' from Brain Powerd. Well, the first few bars of the basic melody anyway. Here's a link: watch?v=IYSJn9MsYXs
Sampling is def not new.. Look at hip hop and now rnb...
What she did is go beyond just ripping a vinyl.. she actually re-composed the entire track.. I think everyone should take a look at DAVID SIDES.. His songs are all cover, many fans, he reproduces the sounds we all love and he does it flawlessly.. Just like Kanno..
But she isn't crediting all the artists she is taking from, and its here-in that the problem lies. Covers are a different sort, because the original song is generally mentioned. But what she is doing on some pretty obvious occasions is basically plagiarism.
Like writing a paper for a class and only minorly paraphrasing an uncited source. Any English Teacher will catch your laziness and cheating and give your paper an F.
This isnt school, it's real life.. Look at any business model, someone out there is copying it.. Same goes with music.
This is a never ending debate... The fact of the matter is this... When an underground musician does the same thing, no one cares.. Why is it, when a successful artist does the same thing, its a big deal?..
The answer is public interest, and without her music, this conversation wouldn't exist..So feel fortunate that what's done is done..
Actually, "underground" musicians who do the same, often aren't gonna go further, because people aren't willing to hear a Sting/Stevie Wonder/Pink Floyd-like when they already know the original, unless it's done honestly.
YK knows how to credit people when she wants to, but for a lot of songs, she just didn't.
And most rap artists honestly mention their samples. They don't go in interviews saying "Yeah, I made all the composing, right"
It might be the angry fan speaking here, but now I get why YK's works has fallen in quality lately, and why composers like Kenji Kawai and Joe Hisaishi are so much renowned compared with her.
Well I just think it's just absolutely remarkable that someone like yourself spends so much time wrapped up in someone else's life... I hope to have fans like you one day. My oh my, I could just imagine... There'd be a blog, a video upload and even a completely useless angst like the one you're having now!
Well I'm too busy being with my own life, trying to make my own music for a living. It's already hard enough to be original and/or interesting, so I certainly wouldn't like my music to be stolen.
And we don't know each other, but "I just think it's just absolutely remarkable" that someone like yourself pretends he knows everything about me.
I dont think you should judge her music to that much of an extent and ima tell you y. Music is an evolution of sound and it improves as time progress. If you really want to chatsise Kanno's abilities, then I suggest you listen to most of the rap and r&b music used today. Majority of artists uses the same beat from old songs and if there is a new beat out then everyone will use it like a favorite shirt. (If you get what i am saying)
There are definitely some pretty obvious copies there, but I'm tempted to say that its more 'inspired by' than stolen. And actually plenty of the songs you featured aren't all that alike.
You missed another song worth mentioning. Check out Yoko Kanno's "Lithium Flower" from Ghost in the Shell SAC and compare it to Imogen Heap's "Whatever". These songs can be found on youtube as well. This is all too depressing coming from a Yoko Kanno fan.
hes missing the point of where these songs are coming from. Cowboy bebop is intentionally using these songs because Cowboy Bebop is based off of classic rock, folk, and mainly JAZZ. All the episodes are named after rock songs or jazz songs. These are her remixes of classics.
As many people have already commented, there may be international copyright laws in place that state that Yoko does not need to mention reference of inspiration for some of these songs.
Of all the songs in these 3 videos, "Ride on Technology", "Cloud 9", and "Mushroom Hunting" are the most similar. Mushroom Hunting in particular is nothing less than a direct homage. There is the chance that she very could have made up some of her songs without prior knowledge.
However, for some of these songs, that is not the case. She is an internationally reknown artist, and created most of the Cowboy Bebop soundtrack here in the United States alone. She researched almost every music genre imaginable to come up with that series' soundtrack. She wouldn't be the person she is today if she was being bogged down by plagarism. She would have been sued a long time ago and out of a job.
I believe that she did barrow from some of these songs, but she would have been out of a job a long time ago if she hadn't taken the proper measures to avoid copyright infringement. She's still my favorite music composer on Earth, and these comparisons have not made me lose any respect for her. The same can be said for all the sampling Daft Punk has done, which is also using increadibly obscure and unknown songs for inspiration.
I think the problem is that the music she copies from probably aren't released in Japan at all, and the music Kanno made using copied music aren't released in the countries of the originals either. Therefore she's probably not obligated by Japanese law to give the originals credits.
The fact is, many of us may not have ever heard of the "original" songs in the first place. The fact is that Kanno produces this music to an audience that may not have even heard (or had access to) the artists that inspired her work. "Original" or "unoriginal", the stuff sounds great. I don't think that's a crime.
Here's the thing: It doesn't matter if she introduced us to musicians we have never heard of. You are supposed to credit the artists. If you were the one who had his work taken, you wouldn't like that. Don't try to justify not crediting artists. You always credit artists.
And what of film directors who imitate each others styles? Artists whose illustration styles clearly imitate others? Saints Row versus Grand Theft Auto? No hate, just food for thought :)
and insofar as I can tell some of her most important and defining works are mostly original. I haven't found anything like inner universe or heaven's not enough yet.
This is not stealing. So what if they sound similar. Have you listend to music before? Those songs have altered chord prgoggressions and they are not even the same if you listen. There is no way she listened to all that music and copied it. For what its worth she said she does not listen to anything for musical ideas
torukia doesn't sound anything alike to the angelit mannu track. also, the kokia track if you listen to the complete song is vastly different from the sting one. however, some of the other tracks are indeed heavily borrowed. but if you look at some of the american film scores today....all the hans zimmer, williams, horner wannabes....it's kinda sad too. at least kanno makes them more varied.
You don't have much idea about music...The history of music IS about plagiarism..Actually, all in music was invented, you can't compose music without repeat some ideas. All the music you're listen to actually, have the same structure that the Classical Music but with another envelope. And Yoko Kanno compose music for a huge amount of animes, she must repeat something by force.
You don't have a damn clue what plagiarism is do you. Inspiration and plagiarism is not the same thing idiot. Sure let's take an example if the first music starts with Beethoven. Then Chopin came. Sure their music are the same because its the same theme. Classical but you don't hear the same tune repeating over and over again do you. People get inspired and make something original and fresh not making it sound totally similar.
Also I can name hundreds of composers who make muuuch more music than Yoko but are able to come up with something better than her. You saying that Yoko Kanno must repeat something by force because she "compose" music for a huge amount of anime is just stupid.
Did anyone notice he gave two examples from the same song? Just thought I'd point that out.
And in any case, Kanno is a composer and arranger, meaning she can take liberties with other music. She usually does so because she is homaging or working with the original musicians. Please, research Kanno before you judge her.
She can take liberties with other people's music, but you're supposed to give credit to the original artists. Kanno did not do that for some (if not all) of her songs. One song "Cyberbird" was clearly inspired by Hooberphonic's "Battersea." The PROBLEM is that she didn't give credit to the original artists. Thanks.
let's not talk about the genre issue do you know how many variations jazz songs have or blues for that matter? yes she samples some songs too much and put's no credits so sometimes people get crazy thinking she is just stealing when we should understand it's kind of a very modified cover
If you don't give credit and/or you do not heavily hint that you are doing a homage, you are STEALING. People aren't thinking crazy. You just aren't thinking. If you make a cover, you're SUPPOSED to give credit to the original artists.
first kanno has a team working for her and around 2500 songs written some have a base line or beat similar to some songs because well that is not plagiarism, some others are direct homages hello she was never sued for a reason people, actually some of your so called bandswhowerestealenfrom have good relations with kanno and even mixed some of her songs and then there's the melody chords that happen here and there some chopin has lizts chords narural don't you think since he was his teacher and
None of these songs are stolen; they're just similar like the title says. I think part of what makes Yoko Kanno so cool is her ability to perfectly emulate so many various styles. One of my favorite songs of hers is a piano piece from Darker Than Black that you would swear was written by Debussy. There is also a four note theme from Ferde Grofé's Grand Canyon Suite that is used throughout the Cowboy Bebop soundtrack.
bobchuseby 1 month ago
You guys just assume that Yoko Kanno is sitting in her little place of composition plotting what songs she can steal next... smh... As if she thinks she is pulling some trick on you that gives her laughs... The people that agree with this video making her a bad composer, are just haters. You don't know to much.
ExBrutalion 2 months ago
As I said; there hardly has been ANY original work from ANY artist since the mid 90s. Their styles and arrangements have all been influenced and re-used from previous artists and musical genres. These videos are made by a musically and historically challenged person and therefore meaningless.
ReturnofMichiko 2 months ago
Um, it says in the production notes on each soundtrack what song sampled what. They receive permission from the artist to use that sample, and only after they do, are they allowed to continue. If they're not in the production notes, then the artist has been payed compensation. Keep in mind that most labels that release Kanno's music also have joint US/UK partnerships, so that "stealing" as some of you accuse, just simply isn't profitable, probable, and sometimes possible. Yoko Kanno = awesome.
suraxis 3 months ago
Some of these are homages, but there are too many homages. No one in the west would be able to get away with this, regardless of their original contributions, if only because of how lazy it is.
Senophitem 4 months ago
the most shameful case of plagiarism:
Bjork-Hiperballad and Yoko Kano-where does this ocean go?
MaskedNaco 4 months ago
Fuck, I've never felt that betrayed in my life. Poor anime staff working with such an hypocrite.
Esthezyl 4 months ago
Simpsons did it first.
AlyxInvalid 5 months ago
The only thing these videos did was give me more music to listen to.
Thanks though~
Cookieluv246 5 months ago in playlist More videos from yuta84001 4
i found a bunch of songs on cowboy bebop that are VERY similar to older jazz songs. and the most blatant "similarity" was ghost in the shell's run rabbit junk vs agent provocateur's red tape. personally i don't care. she takes existing works and makes them her own
darkfishy87 5 months ago
a lot of work went into these vids, nice job
LowestofheDead 6 months ago
ey! is very likely that others also have been plagiarized from others ... is normal.
charlycrett 6 months ago
LOL without this video I would of never known all these great artistes existed lmao. And yes I am literally falling off my chair.
SagaraSouske 6 months ago
Check out the similarities of Kanno's "Piano Bar" and Art Tatum's "Stormy Weather".
bufufrog 7 months ago
Original? No, like many artists. Good? I think so.
Good ear though.
WeenieRoastLol 7 months ago
@opsimathics Look at you, trying to look cool. In America, we have a thing called Democracy. In America, things like Democracy are ignored by a someone else with more influence. Regardless of what you think, nobody cares just as much as you don't care about what those people think.
Dageki 7 months ago
look at all the weaboos frantically trying to defend Kanno.
opsimathics 7 months ago
Wow, there is so much cognitive dissonance and confirmation bias going on here. It's blatantly obvious that a lot of this is more than just homage and is borderline, if not outright theft. One example that this video didn't include is John Coltrane's "Dear Lord" compared with Kanno's "Space Lion". You'd have to be deaf not to hear the similarity of the opening riff. She covers it up very nicely with background ambiance and reverb. I'm still a Kanno fan but let's not lie to ourselves here, guys.
bufufrog 8 months ago
It's clear that for Cowboy Bebop she deliberately borrowed styles from popular rock over the ages, and imitated specific songs on a number of tracks. That was the whole idea. What makes her spectacular is that she's flexible and versatile enough to compose Japanese tracks in so many different genres of music. If you analyze her orchestral music, you can see elements borrowed from Stravinsky, Ravel, Copland - but no one would fault her for that. Williams, Horner, Zimmer, etc do it regularly.
reddening 10 months ago 5
Chord progressions and rhythms are not copyrighted you idiot.
siyanna 10 months ago 5
こんなに見つけられる方がすごい....まぁ、やる方もすごいけど好きですよ～
sweetsunday1101 11 months ago
If artists had a serious problem with her stealing their music/tunes (and they'd be sure to find out eventually) then she wouldn't be able to market the song. It's nothing but flattering to have a riff of yours turned into a Yoko Kanno masterpiece, in my opinion.
Mirialiah 11 months ago
Se me hace una reverenda estupidez comparar canciones de Yoko Kanno... ni que todas las canciones no fueran inspiradas en algo... por favor!!! somos un chingo de mentes tu crees que no coincidan una que otra... por Dios Kanno a compuesto infinidad de rolas el dia que tu saques una cancion espero que la compartas para ver si eres original
64dilandau64 11 months ago
Wow, Yoko kanno is a little to loved. It's media, it's possible her entire career is a sham. Google Stephan Glass.
Ofcourse, she could be, and hopefully is, a fantastically talented musician. But you never know.
leseanpayne 1 year ago
Yoko Kanno's re-arrangements are often quite superb, but I can't push away the feeling of being cheated since I discovered things some time ago. Those tunes are obviously either borrowed or copied - and I totally don't mind if artists do this, because art often borrows or copies. What I don't like is lack of honesty. Nowhere in official profiles or articles I've seen I witnessed Kanno talking about borrowing tunes or being inspired by such and such artists.
cramanite 1 year ago 3
maybe she hears hers favorite songs, and remixes them like in hip hop, if anything she samples amazing compositions otherwise no one would ever hear of these pieces.
stillmatic16 1 year ago
┐('～'；)┌
Fenounet 1 year ago
the bebop examples are completely irrelevant considering the whole soundtrack is intended to pay tribute to american music.
Reklawniks 1 year ago 3
And the truth is her knowledge in listening and knowing all kinds of music puts her alone. Her ears are a gift and talent unto themself. I've heard the samples and sounds she takes from she knows what she's doing and been known. If you didn't care for her you wouldn't be talking about her there are far too many popular artists who take. She has respec and dignity. You can't touch her.
bpophantom 1 year ago 2
If you had been listening to all of her work you'd notice that her music sounds similar to her music of the past. Listen to "reincarnations" and her most recent like "aquarion". She has her style. If her ego had gotten in the way like alot of other artists (dont matter where they come from) she wouldve fell off along time ago and wouldn't have been able to bring freshness and quality to the music she so often puts out.
bpophantom 1 year ago
People who thought her music is entirely "original" and now all of a sudden dislike her because you found out its not how can you be that stupid? If she has a variety of sounds to her work what makes you think she's just gonna come up with it on her own? And the racism spewing from you people is crazy how in the hell can you praise rolling stones, Elvis etc. and hate Yoko Kanno. That's crazy.
bpophantom 1 year ago 2
I was scared for a second! So the songs she allegedly stole weren't even ones I liked anyway. I can live with that. But hey, as an artist, I've been taught to steal. The more you steal and absorb, the more original the style once combined. I think her original shit is mind blowing
kaijiru 1 year ago
She's a composer for movies and television shows. Every single composer for movies & TV takes very obvious samples from other music into their work. There's a reason why she writes for the industry and not independently.
moosetoss 1 year ago
P3 Is she the "Talent" every one thinks, no but she is the "Business"
SpuglyFuglet 1 year ago
P1 Its this simple she's a jobbing composer doing work for loads of TV and films shows, now if she was really good she would be world know and be up there with John Williams, Max Steiner, Jerry Goldsmith but she's not that good fact! So to make ends meat she steals not borrows from others all grates do as the saying go's and the shocker is most of the grate composers did as well, but today you tend to put "Inspired by" on the work as a nod to the Original and to cover your ass.
SpuglyFuglet 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
P2 But her Clients are nearly all asian and Japanese, I have lived there and I can tell you 50% of the of the whole culture is nicked so music is just one more part of that, most of all in Advertisement and TV shows. Hell in China the copy whole TV formats and to hell with copyright. So he raids here Record collection when ever a new job comes in for her and she has a whole team working at for filling her musical Brief. So yes she robs stuff from other as a starting point,
SpuglyFuglet 1 year ago
Comment removed
SpuglyFuglet 1 year ago
P2 But her Clients are nearly all asian and Japanese, I have lived there and I can tell you 50% of the of the whole culture is nicked so music is just one more part of that, most of all in Advertisement and TV shows. Hell in China the copy whole TV formats and to hell with copyright. So he raids here Record collection when ever a new job comes in for her and she has a whole team working at for filling her musical Brief. So yes she robs stuff from other as a starting point,
SpuglyFuglet 1 year ago
Comment removed
SpuglyFuglet 1 year ago
A lot of these song sound more like the same style, not the same song..... A lot do not have the same beat tempo or even sound remotely the same.... I think your just making connections that don't exist... its like say Bach plagiarized Beethoven because they both played piano.
GRAWman 1 year ago
Wow... it's CALLED being influenced by other composers/artists. You don't think people actually compose something absolutely BRAND NEW, and call it awesome. How do you think the contemporary era of music started, without the Rite of Spring by Stravinsky? (in which he "stole" Russian folk music to create a brand new genre of neo/post-romanticism). In jazz, any GOOD jazz player knows he/she must imitate the styles/and literally play the transcriptions of other known famous jazz players to be good.
ShockedByElectricity 1 year ago
in the case of the sting song "Russians", he credits the Lieutenant Kijé Suite by classical Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev in the liner notes (i have the sting CD) for borrowing a chunk of that song -- albeit a small part -- it seems to be re-borrowed somewhat in Kanno's piece. in the case of this song, they all have similar themes but are all different enough to be unworthy of comparison.
boourns86 1 year ago
I tried to analyze a number of her compositions and then wrote something that used the rules that seem to be present in the songs.
LIsten and tell me if this sounds a bit like something Ms. YK would write, without sounding like any one song
clip ID = ElGVq-N39RQ
GoodGearGuy 1 year ago
man, i dunno. i think this stuff happens a LOT. it's pretty much unavoidable nowadays that your music is going to sound like SOMETHING else that's already been done. miles used to say that you can't play anything on a horn that satchmo hasn't played. besides, how is this really different from sampling? it's not. it's culture building on culture.
hiddendragonjpn 1 year ago
The track from Brain Powerd sound more like something Yuki Kajiura would compose rather than copy of Sting's song. I think both of those ladies borrowed style from each other a number of times.
JAhU00 1 year ago
Jesus f***. The "Want It All Back" and "Diggin" ripoffs are so blatant. I hope there were credits on the album. I loved those songs too. Come on, Yoko.
superbrik123 1 year ago
name of first song please?
Mokurentate 1 year ago
I don't believe she stole any of these pieces, she may have heavily relied on the Beatles for that one Cowboy Bebop track but other than that I doubt any of these are copies, they're too great.
Ellisonism 1 year ago
does everyone just forget that she's a arranger too~
i am a bit heartbreak when i saw this video, but most of the composition that she did are hers...
good job Macross' OST aren't in there...
Leungy12252 1 year ago
Yoko Kanno has composed of so much more music than the ones being compared in the videos, even if these were not original, her other music still blows my mind, and proves her skills.
hellowjp 1 year ago
A lot of the "tribal" sounding music in Chikyuu Shoujo Arjuna came from pre-existing songs, but I'll be damned if they don't sound better through Kanno's instruments!
blarghness 1 year ago
As Mamoru Oshii once said in an interview "...there exists no such thing that can claim originality."
QwoPhasaArius 1 year ago 15
@QwoPhasaArius I wouldn't say better words ! U're right. I do sample to, this is not stealing, it's about adding our touch and make discover younger people those beautiful songs. But I have to admit that my samples are more transformed than hers
behybe 1 year ago
Yoko Kanno was a whore!Shocking!
0519075130 1 year ago
I just want to speak up. Having been someone who has been into movie music for years and has seen TONS of similar tracks appear over dozens of artists, I think this is not an uncommon practice. Looking down on this would be like looking down on painters for using a similar style or writers for using a similar character archetype.
That said, I don't think every example is exactly a direct copy. Some look more like a 'homage'. Or even a case of inspiration.
KennethHoward 1 year ago 3
whoop de doo.
agirl18 1 year ago
some of her fans are really crazy. It's okay cus her version is better? she have stolen fuckin many songs from others, they are victims. how can you say that? then if your friend steal your clothes and she looks more great with your clothes on than you, then is it okay and it becomes her clothes? wow
starryfreak 1 year ago
Pretty much all of these songs sounded better after Yoko Kanno rearranged them, especially Cyberbird and Torukia.
batosai370 2 years ago 2
cOMO dIJO pICASSO Los grandes crean pero los mas grandes Roban
adrian020782 2 years ago 6
In fact, I love her even more now. She has quite the awesome musical background there, doesn't she? =O
irvingkokoro 2 years ago 5
Haha so much drama for a bunch of minor bgm songs... so tell me, where did she steal "Blue" from?, or "Aoi Hitomi"?, where did she steal "Ballad of fallen angels", "Rain", "I do", "Pulse", "Yubiwa", "Tomodachi", "Kaze ga fuku hi", "Tank!" from?.
Yoko's greatest job is totally original and breathtaking. She's one HELL of a talented composer and arranger, and a bunch of minor songs can't talk me out of that =)
irvingkokoro 2 years ago 12
It doesn't just happen in anime. Someone put up a comparison between the videogame TF4's intro and a Malmsteen's "Soldier without Faith". Undeniable lift there.
observer487 2 years ago
I still love her tracks, but I'm glad to see I wasn't the only one who noticed certain "similarities".
observer487 2 years ago
These are mostly just examples of work in the same genre. Taking advantage of anime fans' lack of musical sophistication? Particularly galling was OH MY GOD A COUNTRIFIED ROCK SONG SOUNDS LIKE THE ROLLING STONES!
I am reminded of G.H. Hardy. When first reading the work of Ramanujan, he knew that such work could only be that of a fraud or a genius. But to defraud with such wide ranging and difficult work presupposes genius. This is a contradiction. Thus we have only one option.
GolumTR 2 years ago
Stretching it a bit...
For example. I am fond of both I will not forget you and... that other sound (no time to read the Katakana) but... well...
I don't really totally see the similarities besides both having a chick singing with a guitar and a rhythm. You could take any two songs really and say, this sounds like this, such as a song by Charlotte Martin that sounds like one by Tori Amos.. But, yes, most of these songs ARE similar, but some are stretching it buy a lot.
chromesthesia 2 years ago
Stings Russians and Yoko's KOVIA both asked for the rights from the popular original classical composer of this melody.. His Name was Sergei Prokofiev
ifixmixers 2 years ago
omg new that song sounded like the one from the stones...
prede89 2 years ago
None of y'all can say words sweet enough to justify her stealing. Just live with it. It's called "bidness."
TheSupaFlex 2 years ago
Now, I don't want to sound like I'm saying "NO NO YOKO KANNO'S THE BEST COMPOSER EVER SHE CAN DO NO WRONG," but you have to admit, these plagiarized songs take up less than 5% of her musical catalog. I understand that she stole parts of songs, but to call her a fake and otherwise insult her undermines the hundreds of songs under her belt that are completely original. I'm annoyed by a lot of comments here treating her like every one of her songs was plagiarized.
Locodiablogato 2 years ago 29
5%? lol more like 95%
prede89 2 years ago
You obviously have no idea how much music she's composed.
Locodiablogato 2 years ago
@Locodiablogato a fuck load of her songs have sampling from other people's music, more than there is here, but she really does make them her own, just listen to 'wake up in new york' by craig armstrong and listen to 'heaven's not enough' by yoko. These were the songs that made me first question yoko kanno's originality so of course I googled it all and came up with a whole heap of others. But I almost always prefer yoko's version, so I hope she continues to 'steal', if only for my benefit.
BENebuchadnezzar 1 year ago
@Locodiablogato This happens to composers all the time. You can go back to Bach, Mozart, etc. They all had this same problem. What is remarkable about Yoko Kanno is her ability to compose music in the classical, rock, and jazz style. Most classical composers have trouble with the free style of jazz and most jazz composers have trouble with the discipline of classical. .
marymroe 1 year ago
@Locodiablogato
there can be no leniency IMO.
I mean, take the world of Fine Arts for example. Have the balls to steal from a single piece of art and get caught and your career is over, no matter how great a pedigree you may have.
I don't think an outstanding catalog of work should make any form of plagiarism acceptable or forgivable, it's just unfair to give preference to someone just because their other work is good.
If they are so good, it's even worse that they are stealing then!
ChileanIggy 1 year ago
Part 1 and 2 is better. Some of the comparisons here sound totally different.
Nice job finding songs similar to the ones Kanno Yoko wrote btw. Thats a lot of music you must have listened to.
hayashikin 2 years ago 3
I agree, I've five starred every video for the chance to listen to all this cool music!
We may disagree Yuta, but no one can accuse you of having small ears!
GolumTR 2 years ago
Yoko Kanno doesn't actually "steal" musical motifs as much as she pays homage to trends in musical styles: taking the listener muscally to the place they are in visual terms by anchoring the brain intio the musical styles from a particular period in history. It sounds good and hooks the listerner into the image on the screen. fholla01
fholla01 2 years ago
Well this is a nice work, "Want it all back" and "Imperial Drag" is to think about it, lots of the comments are speached by the voice of fanatism and they just attack the video, but the way you posted the video itself is the same thing, just attacking, the cooment by ravenyuu is quite interesting too
YokoTheBest 2 years ago
Kokia and Russians by Sting? Ouch don't think so.
Pretty good work on the others.
Here's one more: The Egg and You = Thelonious Monk's Bemsha Swing ;P
dharmafourone 2 years ago
Actually, The Carnival is Over Reminds me of Russians...
I am so glad I got to hear this awesome song! I didn't even know it existed! It's fantastic!
Best thing about these Yoko Kanno ripped off this song and here it is topics is I get to hear stuff I never heard that really actually sounds different from the Yoko Kanno stuff by several notes or is in the same key and might use a similar progression of chords
chromesthesia 2 years ago
It's a soundtrack, loads of soundtracks have covers/different versions of a bunch of different songs.
Jeeze guys...
eerieyellowlights 2 years ago
most of the songs kanno writes will never get released in the charts most of the songs here were not main songs and frankly not very good ,
your all comparing how the big budget American industry works to how the small Japanese anime industry works people think because they see anime in there country that its an international gig where most companies couldn't give a crap about outside of japan and are making entertainment for there home fans
ravenyuu 2 years ago
people are forgetting that kanno isn't a chart musician , she works for the anime industy most of those songs are just ment to be background tracks, kanno is paid to make songs that fit a type of mood and so the company doesn't have to go bankrupt paying out royalties, you will find kanno doesn't make money off the albums since they are owned by sunrise , ig gainax and any other music company they work with
ravenyuu 2 years ago
This was really neat.
If you are still checking out comments.
Can you type all the songs that were used. By typing on the Descriptions?
unico 2 years ago
This happened a few times to me where I wrote a song and my friend goes oh, dude, that totally sounds like "insert existing song here." And then I go and listen to said song, and I have to scrap what I wrote. I think it's just a sub-conscious thing where you heard it somewhere but you can't exactly recall the song. Also the whole copying thing is inherent to Japanese cultures. It's what they do. They take a design a make it better. TVs, cameras, music, cars, everything.
johnl87 3 years ago 18
@johnl87 It isn't Japanese culture, it's inherent to art in general. "The key to good creativity is hiding your sources." - Albert Einstein. Smoke on the Water took it's opening phrase from an older jazz song, to give you an example.
Also, a lot of the stuff in these videos is pure bull, most comparisons are shoddy at best.
rayofash 1 year ago 5
@johnl87 oh yeah, like what? crummy GM or Fords? hell no.
wasabiwild 1 year ago
@johnl87 That's not the same thing. Kanno knows what she is doing, its nothing subconscious. I can't say I'm too familiar with the anime she has done work for, but this extent of sampling is nothing new in the industry, and I can tell everyone now that it is nothing illegal or immoral. You are all very naive if you sat there listening to her albums and believed her music to come straight from her noggin alone. One person cannot possibly produce such a range of World Music. Wake up, children.
QwoPhasaArius 1 year ago
@johnl87 "make it better". ok buddy, in america we call this thing stealing.
opsimathics 10 months ago
lol this video has been pretty true to the title unlike the first two videos but the Diggin' comparison to The Stones is a stretch . . . I'm a huge Stones fan I would have heard that the first time if it was similiar enough to be plagarism.
findingusernamesucks 3 years ago
It's okay to borrow / steal music like crazy because someone is working a lot? Do you think Yoko Kanno works for free? Do you think Yoko Kanno is owned by these studios?
I loved her music in Cowboy Bebop, SAC, etc, through that she's provided me with lots of entertainment and has my respect for that, still. I'm not going to say it's okay to steal music though, I've never heard of lots of these musicians, had their music been used instead of Kanno's they'd get needed royalties.
Stromko 3 years ago 3
Though this video series doesn't point out whether or not the original artists are creditted, if they are, Kanno's totally in the clear, legally and ethically.
Stromko 3 years ago
partⅢ?
enough is enough..
kirkwood1991 3 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
If you talk about "stealing" concerning these songs... please, try to learn a bit about music first.
Oh... and show me an artist who didn't "steal".
lynth 3 years ago
trent reznor.
maniacafrodisiac 3 years ago
Kanno produced 20 times more songs than Trent Reznor.
And I don't know how inventive his music is.
Compare it to Kanno.
Kanno produces songs out of every genre, Reznor produces exactly one kind of music and he doesn't get paid to assemble soundtracks.
Every single song Kanno composed for her personal work is 100% authentic, too. Nothing stolen.
The "stolen" songs are soundtrack-tracks, it's her job, she hasn't got infinite time for it, you can't get creative by the push of a button.
Idiots.
lynth 3 years ago
I don't really like being called an idiot, when I'm very far from it.
The fact that YK produced 20 times more music than TR is not in her favor. You're confusing quantity with quality. Considering you don't know much about him, you wouldn't know that he's composed across many genres, not to mention written OSTs for games and (technically) movies, (didn't get used).
Further, I work in a recording studio. I know how everything works. I watch my boss take songs, copy the chords, change the key,
maniacafrodisiac 3 years ago
Of course the quantitiy is "in her favour", as that's exactly her job.
On the one hand, she's a composer and componist on her own and produces 100% original songs, on the other, she's a hard-working soundtrack-artist that gets hired by dozens of companies/other artists a year.
The mistake that's made in every one of those videos is that you confuse one side with the other.
This has nothing to do with credibility.
Yoko Kanno is still one of the greatest composers of our time.
lynth 3 years ago 2
well, i don't know what a 'componist' is, but instead of arguing forever, lets just leave the debate at that and see what people decide. cheers.
maniacafrodisiac 3 years ago
Attacking my language much?
I'm not a native English speaker, we can talk on German or Chinese, if you want.
People will decide what they get told.
This video tells them, "Kanno is teh shit as she steals songs".
They have no idea about the work of Kanno and the team at all, though, so they can't "decide".
Instead of digging deeper into her work, which is in her genre undoubtably one of the greatest and most diverse of our time, they will turn their backs on her.
It's just stupid.
lynth 3 years ago
first, i wasn't attacking your language, i merely stated that i don't know what a 'componist' is, which coincidentally turned out to mean nothing. second, i still love the music produced by her and her team, but credit should be given where it's due. third, we aren't talking about her original pieces, we are only talking about the subject matter from the video, which is her OST music. last, there is ZERO limit on creativity, only time, and money. you have been very insulting here, i'm done.
maniacafrodisiac 3 years ago
You call me insulting for defending a "composer" (German noun for composer is "Komponist", I confused it) that YOU called uncreative, unreliable and plagiarizing?
Sorry, but calling Kanno that is just ignorant.
"but credit should be given where it's due".
She (the companies she works for) pay royalties to the songs' owners.
Yoko Kanno is a trademark, the companies want her name on the CD, not some other artist, that's what they pay for.
"only time, and money"
Exactly. Those are the limits.
lynth 3 years ago
nowhere did i say that she was uncreative, unreliable, or even plagiarizing.
where is the proof that she pays royalties, or even asks permission to use it? i'm asking you, cause i want to see it.
my wording was wrong. time and money are not limits on creativity, they are factors that hinder it. creativity is completely limitless, and true artists work as hard as they possibly can to keep creating. YK may be a true artist for her own music, but for the OST's.. no. that's all anyone is saying.
maniacafrodisiac 3 years ago
SHE doesn't have to pay royalties to anyone, as she's only the one using the songs in the name of the companies she's working for.
If she wouldn't pay royalties, she would have had her ass severely sued by now.
Isn't it credit enough to use the songs because they are great?
You think about "Yoko Kanno" as a single person when it comes to soundtracks, it's a whole team with Kannos name as a flag and tenor...
lynth 3 years ago
lastly, re-read the ways in which you insulted me. you were not only defending her, but attacking me. i even said that i still love her music, despite this new information. there is a great wealth of her music that is still original for the most part. again, though, please enlighten us to how she credits the heavily borrowed pieces.
maniacafrodisiac 3 years ago
Then I'm sorry for insulting you. The way you talked just seemed that way.
Also: Most of the songs of her soundtracks still are her own work. But if someone tells you "Make 30 songs for these scenes, you have one year!" how'd you deal with it?
Why do you think Hollywood-movie soundtracks are composed of old songs from different artists?
Yoko Kanno at least transfers those songs to fit better to the movies/games AND STILL adds a lot of her absolutely self-composed songs. And it sounds great.
lynth 3 years ago
recreate the song with slightly different rhythms and samples, and then begin to tweak the melodies enough so that it is enough removed from the original piece; that it doesn't constitute plagiarism.
TR only writes using completely original ideas, and it never sounds the same for any two albums.
maniacafrodisiac 3 years ago
also, i forgot to mention that Yoko Kanno WAS my favorite composer. I knew that many songs were very inspired, but I did not think that this many would be unoriginal in idea and composition. credibility is extremely important for anyone who truly understands the process. I've been writing music for almost 8 years now, and have become a purist of artistic credibility. I use all my own designed samples, write everything, produce everything, and will play as much as I can muster. Sorta like TR.
maniacafrodisiac 3 years ago
Just shows that you have no idea about Kanno, then.
If you knew anything about music/composing/etc at all, like you claim, you would at least know that there are limits for creativity.
If you knew anything about Kanno, you'd listen to HER ORIGINAL music and appreciate it.
She gets paid for those soundtracks and has limited time for it. Of course she covers good songs, you can't just come up with 20 GREAT original songs in a year when you aditionally do your own work as a musician.
lynth 3 years ago
"If you knew anything about music/composing/etc at all, like you claim, you would at least know that there are limits for creativity." I sorry but that is bullshit and insluting to human's comasity for creativity. Sorry if your favourite composer is lazy but that doesn't mean you can pull weak arguements out of your arse.
almanacofsleep 3 years ago
I'm sorry for you not understanding and completely misinterpreting what I said.
But obviously you have no idea to how interprete things at all.
And look, who's insulting. You are.
You didn't even read what I said and pick out a sentence, sorry but don't bother...
lynth 3 years ago
your right I am insluting you because you said a idiotic thing.
almanacofsleep 3 years ago
It's more or less the other way round.
Your shitty speech is just proof.
You have not a single argument but are complaining about mine, you just stumbled upon something you found to be interesting and now you think you know something. Spoiler: You don't and have no idea what you are talking about.
Come back if you have something to say, otherwise go outside and speak to some homeless, maybe they care more about your senseless blabbering. I won't give answers to such nonsense anymore.
lynth 3 years ago
I'm arguing over your half arsed atempts at defending plagurism by claiming that no one is creative or that there is limits to imagination. The history of music is not of people endlessly parroting each over, there's a difference between taking influences and ripping people off.
almanacofsleep 3 years ago
I have to admit though the songs done by Yoko are strikingly similar to the original but in terms of complexity. Yoko wins by a fairly good amount. Overall, it would be nice if she credited the sources or at least mention them.
SagaraSouske 3 years ago
Wow, this is really disappointing. If it were a handful of songs I would be inclined to chalk it up to creative coincidence, but this is just too poignant to ignore. A shame because I genuinely liked her songs, but I suppose they weren't hers to begin with.
BlueScreenLife 3 years ago 5
ok I can understand a lot of these comparisons, but kokia and RUSSIANS?? Even nullifying the difference in vocals, they don't sound similar, at. all. The only thing vaguely similar is the melody and that even differs quite a bit. WTF?
roxslide 3 years ago
We should remember that all of her music in these comparisons is theme/background music for themed anime. Most of this anime (specially Cowboy Bebop) constantly and purposefully uses references to famous characters, movies, songs, bands, etc. as homage. You can't judge the music if you haven't seen what it is used for.
albertotensai 3 years ago
you missed one. 'Where Does This Ocean Go?' is highly similar to Björk's Hyperballad. this doesn't bother me though. i still love her music
Dakedoom 3 years ago 3
- Other than Cyberbird, (which you put first for obvious reason), most of these are her crappiest work. More Background noise and mood setters than actual songs. Off your list are Inner Universe, Rise, Green Bird, Run Rabbit Junk, the Escaflowne opening - the list goes on and on of actual songs with beautiful, brilliant, original melodies. My opinion of her isn't diminished until I start seeing a lot of those songs pop up in other musicians discographies.
Cogsworth13 3 years ago
If no credit's given, that's crappy. I've seen many composers (including some great US composers) do the same thing, some even denying it when asked.
In Kanno's defense, there are some things to note:
- It's a stretch to call all of these blatant copying. Many are just riffs employing a few notes.
Cogsworth13 3 years ago 2
The only work I've ever heard of Kanno's is from Wolf's Rain. I study music... and I love her style. Unless someone can give me proof that she "stole" those pieces also, I stand by my opinion that she's an amazing composer.
Solitaryhowl 3 years ago 6
You missed an important one (and the most beautiful one to me) from the GITS SAC soundtrack: "Where Does The Ocean Go?".Sounds exactly like Björk's "Hyperballad"...
eulyce333 3 years ago 3
There's that Hans Zimmer song: "Closing of The Year". Sounds awfully like 'Ark' or 'Departure' from Brain Powerd. Well, the first few bars of the basic melody anyway. Here's a link: watch?v=IYSJn9MsYXs
wond3r 3 years ago
Sampling is def not new.. Look at hip hop and now rnb...
What she did is go beyond just ripping a vinyl.. she actually re-composed the entire track.. I think everyone should take a look at DAVID SIDES.. His songs are all cover, many fans, he reproduces the sounds we all love and he does it flawlessly.. Just like Kanno..
4Love4Music 3 years ago
But she isn't crediting all the artists she is taking from, and its here-in that the problem lies. Covers are a different sort, because the original song is generally mentioned. But what she is doing on some pretty obvious occasions is basically plagiarism.
Like writing a paper for a class and only minorly paraphrasing an uncited source. Any English Teacher will catch your laziness and cheating and give your paper an F.
magus3498 3 years ago
This isnt school, it's real life.. Look at any business model, someone out there is copying it.. Same goes with music.
This is a never ending debate... The fact of the matter is this... When an underground musician does the same thing, no one cares.. Why is it, when a successful artist does the same thing, its a big deal?..
The answer is public interest, and without her music, this conversation wouldn't exist..So feel fortunate that what's done is done..
4Love4Music 3 years ago 2
Actually, "underground" musicians who do the same, often aren't gonna go further, because people aren't willing to hear a Sting/Stevie Wonder/Pink Floyd-like when they already know the original, unless it's done honestly.
YK knows how to credit people when she wants to, but for a lot of songs, she just didn't.
And most rap artists honestly mention their samples. They don't go in interviews saying "Yeah, I made all the composing, right"
HarryGene 3 years ago
It might be the angry fan speaking here, but now I get why YK's works has fallen in quality lately, and why composers like Kenji Kawai and Joe Hisaishi are so much renowned compared with her.
HarryGene 3 years ago
Well I just think it's just absolutely remarkable that someone like yourself spends so much time wrapped up in someone else's life... I hope to have fans like you one day. My oh my, I could just imagine... There'd be a blog, a video upload and even a completely useless angst like the one you're having now!
4Love4Music 3 years ago
Well I'm too busy being with my own life, trying to make my own music for a living. It's already hard enough to be original and/or interesting, so I certainly wouldn't like my music to be stolen.
And we don't know each other, but "I just think it's just absolutely remarkable" that someone like yourself pretends he knows everything about me.
HarryGene 3 years ago
I dont think you should judge her music to that much of an extent and ima tell you y. Music is an evolution of sound and it improves as time progress. If you really want to chatsise Kanno's abilities, then I suggest you listen to most of the rap and r&b music used today. Majority of artists uses the same beat from old songs and if there is a new beat out then everyone will use it like a favorite shirt. (If you get what i am saying)
KintaroOnizuka 3 years ago
There are definitely some pretty obvious copies there, but I'm tempted to say that its more 'inspired by' than stolen. And actually plenty of the songs you featured aren't all that alike.
Amaretti101 3 years ago 3
wow she made these songs better
takeda155 3 years ago
Excellent work but only scratching the surfice. How about "Words that we couldn't say" and Sting's "La Belle Don Sans Regret"?
proman84 3 years ago
Or, Papa plastic taking the bass rift from Come Together. Or NO reply copying skunk anansie
yankeeboy1865 3 years ago
You missed another song worth mentioning. Check out Yoko Kanno's "Lithium Flower" from Ghost in the Shell SAC and compare it to Imogen Heap's "Whatever". These songs can be found on youtube as well. This is all too depressing coming from a Yoko Kanno fan.
ravenous369 3 years ago
I'm noticing that most of these are from either from SAC or Bebop
Wheres the comparisons for stuff like Turn-A Gundam, Escaflowne, Macross Plus and the like?
Eh?
Seems to me that your mostly grasping at straws
Knocking her for being inspired by a damn stones song, honestly...
EVA01X 3 years ago 3
hes missing the point of where these songs are coming from. Cowboy bebop is intentionally using these songs because Cowboy Bebop is based off of classic rock, folk, and mainly JAZZ. All the episodes are named after rock songs or jazz songs. These are her remixes of classics.
radiofed 3 years ago
As many people have already commented, there may be international copyright laws in place that state that Yoko does not need to mention reference of inspiration for some of these songs.
Of all the songs in these 3 videos, "Ride on Technology", "Cloud 9", and "Mushroom Hunting" are the most similar. Mushroom Hunting in particular is nothing less than a direct homage. There is the chance that she very could have made up some of her songs without prior knowledge.
DRCEQ 3 years ago
However, for some of these songs, that is not the case. She is an internationally reknown artist, and created most of the Cowboy Bebop soundtrack here in the United States alone. She researched almost every music genre imaginable to come up with that series' soundtrack. She wouldn't be the person she is today if she was being bogged down by plagarism. She would have been sued a long time ago and out of a job.
DRCEQ 3 years ago
I believe that she did barrow from some of these songs, but she would have been out of a job a long time ago if she hadn't taken the proper measures to avoid copyright infringement. She's still my favorite music composer on Earth, and these comparisons have not made me lose any respect for her. The same can be said for all the sampling Daft Punk has done, which is also using increadibly obscure and unknown songs for inspiration.
DRCEQ 3 years ago
I would really like to know where you got this info. I friggin' love Kanno.
HuggumsMcgehee 3 years ago
I think the problem is that the music she copies from probably aren't released in Japan at all, and the music Kanno made using copied music aren't released in the countries of the originals either. Therefore she's probably not obligated by Japanese law to give the originals credits.
hansonchueh 3 years ago 2
The fact is, many of us may not have ever heard of the "original" songs in the first place. The fact is that Kanno produces this music to an audience that may not have even heard (or had access to) the artists that inspired her work. "Original" or "unoriginal", the stuff sounds great. I don't think that's a crime.
wongjp 3 years ago
Here's the thing: It doesn't matter if she introduced us to musicians we have never heard of. You are supposed to credit the artists. If you were the one who had his work taken, you wouldn't like that. Don't try to justify not crediting artists. You always credit artists.
boom33 3 years ago
And what of film directors who imitate each others styles? Artists whose illustration styles clearly imitate others? Saints Row versus Grand Theft Auto? No hate, just food for thought :)
wongjp 3 years ago
and insofar as I can tell some of her most important and defining works are mostly original. I haven't found anything like inner universe or heaven's not enough yet.
Notcoldsoup 3 years ago 4
This is not stealing. So what if they sound similar. Have you listend to music before? Those songs have altered chord prgoggressions and they are not even the same if you listen. There is no way she listened to all that music and copied it. For what its worth she said she does not listen to anything for musical ideas
FLCL2010 3 years ago 3
I agree. some of the so called copied material are themes/melodies that I could come up with from time to time.
Notcoldsoup 3 years ago
torukia doesn't sound anything alike to the angelit mannu track. also, the kokia track if you listen to the complete song is vastly different from the sting one. however, some of the other tracks are indeed heavily borrowed. but if you look at some of the american film scores today....all the hans zimmer, williams, horner wannabes....it's kinda sad too. at least kanno makes them more varied.
Notcoldsoup 3 years ago 4
You don't have much idea about music...The history of music IS about plagiarism..Actually, all in music was invented, you can't compose music without repeat some ideas. All the music you're listen to actually, have the same structure that the Classical Music but with another envelope. And Yoko Kanno compose music for a huge amount of animes, she must repeat something by force.
fuxefuxe 3 years ago 3
You don't have a damn clue what plagiarism is do you. Inspiration and plagiarism is not the same thing idiot. Sure let's take an example if the first music starts with Beethoven. Then Chopin came. Sure their music are the same because its the same theme. Classical but you don't hear the same tune repeating over and over again do you. People get inspired and make something original and fresh not making it sound totally similar.
desuftw 3 years ago
Also I can name hundreds of composers who make muuuch more music than Yoko but are able to come up with something better than her. You saying that Yoko Kanno must repeat something by force because she "compose" music for a huge amount of anime is just stupid.
desuftw 3 years ago
I don't have time for this crap! I'm gonna go put on my Ipod and enjoy some awesome music!
jakiner 3 years ago 3
Did anyone notice he gave two examples from the same song? Just thought I'd point that out.
And in any case, Kanno is a composer and arranger, meaning she can take liberties with other music. She usually does so because she is homaging or working with the original musicians. Please, research Kanno before you judge her.
vixlater 4 years ago
She can take liberties with other people's music, but you're supposed to give credit to the original artists. Kanno did not do that for some (if not all) of her songs. One song "Cyberbird" was clearly inspired by Hooberphonic's "Battersea." The PROBLEM is that she didn't give credit to the original artists. Thanks.
boom33 3 years ago
You say so and yet are unable to properly write "Hooverphonic". Lame.
albertotensai 3 years ago
let's not talk about the genre issue do you know how many variations jazz songs have or blues for that matter? yes she samples some songs too much and put's no credits so sometimes people get crazy thinking she is just stealing when we should understand it's kind of a very modified cover
w1NDl0ck3R 4 years ago
If you don't give credit and/or you do not heavily hint that you are doing a homage, you are STEALING. People aren't thinking crazy. You just aren't thinking. If you make a cover, you're SUPPOSED to give credit to the original artists.
boom33 3 years ago 3
first kanno has a team working for her and around 2500 songs written some have a base line or beat similar to some songs because well that is not plagiarism, some others are direct homages hello she was never sued for a reason people, actually some of your so called bandswhowerestealenfrom have good relations with kanno and even mixed some of her songs and then there's the melody chords that happen here and there some chopin has lizts chords narural don't you think since he was his teacher and
w1NDl0ck3R 4 years ago
Actually I don't see similarities in many songs.
Maybe in the rhythm, but the harmonies and melodies are different.
So whatever people say I don't care because the versions of Yoko Kanno sounds much better xD
HaganeNoMusician 4 years ago
these findings have no standing.
Wolfspiritzero 4 years ago
First
is totaly diferent!!!!! all notes are diferent... you only heart the ritm not the notes
THE PEOLPE DONT UNDERSTAND!!!!
IN THE SEATBELTS A LOT OF MUSITIANS ARE OF USA!
YOU CAN SEE WERSTERN TIPICAL SONGS ON THE COWBOY BEBOP CD, THATS BECAUSE THE SEATBELTS WERE LOOKING THAT KIND OF MUSIC, BUT CAN USE IT FOR LEGALS
Psico5 4 years ago