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Def Leppard to Sue One Direction


If you’re lucky, you won’t have heard One Direction’s latest tune, Midnight Memories. That said, you probably will have by the time you get to the end of this article, because you’ll no doubt want to check for yourself. That’s why I have to live with the fact I’ve heard it three times now.

For those of you with better taste in music than the One Direction fanbase (I’m assuming that’s all of you), here’s a different tune. 

Def Leppard’s Pour Some Sugar On Me. 

You’ve almost certainly heard it before; and why wouldn’t you, it’s a classic tune. It is pretty great. Have a listen just to refresh your memory, and hey, while you’re there, pay particular attention to the chorus.



More specific still? Listen to the chord sequence in the chorus. Now listen to the One Direction chorus (I know, I’m sorry, but it is only the chorus you have to listen to). Notice anything familiar in there?



Def Leppard certainly did which is why they are looking to sue. So far it’s only at the stage of consulting with their legal team to determine if they have much of a case. But after listening to both choruses, I’m pretty certain it’s fair to say that this will be going further.

This isn’t the first time One Direction have come up for “borrowing” parts of classic rock tunes to put into their own “music”. Their ironically titled “Best Song Ever” contains part of The Who’s “Baba O’Reilly”, although Peter Townsend did grant them his approval.

A lot of music does borrow from other pieces, but rarely as blatantly as Midnight Memories appears to. But don’t take my word for it, have a listen, form your own opinion. Do you think they’ve got a case?

Ari Carrington