Pitchfork

It's a well-known storyline and one that feels increasingly frequent with the speed of media in the internet age: Popular band steals idea from unknown band without giving proper credit. But in the YouTube-originated case of Coldplay vs. Andrew Hoepfner of Brooklyn band Creaky Boards (via NME.com), it's not so simple (is it ever?).

On one hand, Hoepfner claims in his video that Coldplay's "Viva la Vida" steals one of its main melodies from a Creaky Boards song coincidentally titled "The Songs I Didn't Write". Hoepfner says, "We were flattered when we thought we spotted Chris Martin in the crowd" at a Creeky Boards CMJ performance last fall and then goes on to make passive-aggressive comments about wishing the band well, collaborating with them, and how his lyrics would be more appropriate for the iTunes ad in which "Viva la Vida" appears.

On the other hand, a Coldplay spokesperson gave NME.com the information that not only was "Viva la Vida" "written and demoed in March 2007, seven months before Creaky Boards claim Martin was at their gig," but that, according to Martin's diary, he was at London's AIR Studios when the CMJ show took place.

That's right, the evidence pits one guy's YouTube video against the other guy's diary. Can we all just agree that, especially since Hoepfner isn't pursuing any legal action, it's probably just a silly coincidence? [Or a smart publicity stunt on Hoepfner's part. Good job, dude!-- Ed.]

In other news, Coldplay start bringing Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends to live audiences today (June 16) in London.

Coldplay:

06-16 London, England - Brixton Academy
06-17 Barcelona, Spain - Espacio Movistar
06-23 New York, NY - Madison Square Garden
07-14 Los Angeles, CA - The Forum
07-15 Los Angeles, CA - The Forum
07-18 San Jose, CA - HP Pavilion
07-19 Las Vegas, NV - MGM Grand Garden Arena
07-23 Chicago, IL - United Center
07-25 Philadelphia, PA - Wachovia Center
07-27 Pemberton, British Columbia - Pemberton Festival
07-29 Montreal, Quebec - Bell Centre
07-30 Toronto, Ontario - Air Canada Centre
08-02 Hartford, CT - XL Center
08-03 Washington, DC - Verizon Center
08-04 Boston, MA - TD Banknorth Center
08-09 Osaka, Japan - Maishima (Summer Sonic Festival)
08-10 Tokyo, Japan - Marine Stadium (Summer Sonic Festival)
09-01 Strasbourg, France - Zenith
09-02 Mannheim, Germany - SAP Arena
09-04 Lyon, France - Tony Garnier Hall
09-06 Barcelona, Spain - Palau St. Jordi
09-07 Madrid, Spain - Palacio de Deportes
09-09 Paris, France - The Bercy
09-12 Cologne, Germany - Koln Arena
09-14 Hamburg, Germany - Colorline Arena
09-15 Berlin, Germany - O2 World
09-18 Stockholm, Sweden - Globe Theatre
09-19 Oslo, Norway - Spectrum
09-22 Prague, Czech Republic - O2 Arena
09-23 Budapest, Hungary - Arena
09-24 Vienna, Austria - Stadthalle
09-26 Munich, Germany - Olympiahalle
09-28 Zurich, Switzerland - Hallenstadion
09-29 Bologna, Italy - Palamagotti
09-30 Milan, Italy - Datchforum
10-02 Rotterdam, Netherlands - The Ahoy
10-04 Antwerp, Belgium - Sportpalais
10-20 Montreal, Quebec - Bell Centre
10-21 Ottawa, Ontario - Scotiabank Place
10-26 East Rutherford, NJ - Izod Center
11-03 Detroit, MI - The Palace of Auburn Hills
11-07 Orlando, FL - Amway Arena
11-09 Sunrise, FL - Bank Atlantic Center
11-11 Atlanta, GA - Philips Arena
11-13 Kansas City, MO - Sprint Center
11-14 St. Paul, MN - Xcel Energy Center
11-16 Oklahoma City, OK - Ford Center
11-18 Houston, TX - Toyota Center
11-19 Dallas, TX - American Airlines Center
11-21 Denver, CO - Pepsi Center
11-22 Salt Lake City, UT - Energy Solutions Arena
11-26 Phoenix, AZ - Jobing.com Arena
12-01 Birmingham, England - NIA
12-02 Birmingham, England - NIA
12-03 Birmingham, England - NIA
12-05 Glasgow, Scotland - SECC
12-06 Glasgow, Scotland - SECC
12-07 Sheffield, England - Sheffield Arena
12-10 Liverpool, England - Echo Arena
12-11 Manchester, England - MEN Arena
12-12 Manchester, England - MEN Arena
12-14 London, England - O2 Arena
12-15 London, England - O2 Arena
12-16 London, England - O2 Arena
12-18 Belfast, Northern Ireland - Odyssey Arena
12-19 Belfast, Northern Ireland - Odyssey Arena