339

Tell me it’s not just me.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[-] knowone@slrpnk.net 6 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

Yes but as I say he made it far simpler and less interesting. So it's not like he's gone on and done some great musicianship with it. It's as close to just doing the same thing whilst still doing something that's it's own thing as can be. People are acting like she's taken his instrumentation and ruined it or something when it isn't his, for the most part. And to make it clear I don't think either of those, what Gotye or Doechii did, is a bad thing inherently. I personally like both songs. I don't get why people are so up in arms at her about it

[-] abbotsbury@lemmy.world 14 points 3 days ago

So it’s not like he’s gone on and done some great musicianship with it

This is kinda irrelevant? I mean that's sampling in general, of course there is no "musicianship" in it, they're playing someone else's music.

People are acting like she’s taken his instrumentation and ruined it or something when it isn’t his, for the most part

Not really, people are saying she's taken his sample, which she did, and made a derivative product which is self-evident from all the people who can't tell the two songs apart until she starts singing, which doesn't apply to the original as it's truly a sample and not the same as the rest of the song.

I personally like both songs. I don’t get why people are so up in arms at her about it

Because hers is unoriginal. Taking a song from the 60s, sampling it, and making something new is one thing. Taking a song built from a sample, and basically just remixing it with your own lyrics, is not as creative or original. That's the issue people take with it.

If you truly only take a sample from a song and build your own thing around it, people are a lot less up in arms about stealing music. See also Vanilla Ice and Under Pressure, where someone did not build enough of their own thing from a sample.

She simply fails the originality test.

[-] can@sh.itjust.works 3 points 3 days ago

Are you a hip-hop fan?

[-] knowone@slrpnk.net 3 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

Ok so your points boil down to "she wasn't creative with the instrumentation as he was". Even though while yes that is true, he hardly was so to any real degree. She did her own lyrics entirely (which are, in my opinion, a lot more creative than Gotye's) and gave the song a different feel with her delivery. And still, is the fact that Gotye was a bit creative with the instrumentation and she wasn't really a reason to give her so much hate? Let's be real too, most people hating on her don't know Gotye also sampled, they think it's entirely his. It's such a wild thing to get so mad about

Edit: wait I've just realised you said she "stole" it too. She didn't and both Gotye and the guy with the original 60s song are getting a lot of money for it because of it. Also Gotye is getting so many more plays on his song because of Anxiety being released and loads of people being reminded he exists in general

[-] abbotsbury@lemmy.world 11 points 3 days ago

She did her own lyrics entirely (which are, in my opinion, a lot more creative than Gotye’s) and gave the song a different feel with her delivery

Well, that's not enough, apparently, for many people. Gotye took 2 seconds of a classical guitar song and made a completely new song from it. The new girl just took that same new song and put her words on it. A change, sure, but still essentially the same song. New lyrics can make a song feel completely different, but that still means the rest of the song is the same song.

is the fact that Gotye was a bit creative with the instrumentation and she wasn’t really a reason to give her so much hate?

Criticism is not hate. If she makes a song that is a slightly tweaked version of a well known hit, she is going to be seen as derivative and uninspired.

Let’s be real too, most people hating on her don’t know Gotye also sampled

So she should take more obscure samples then? Isn't that part of the art of sampling, taking something obscure and breathing something fresh into it? If people cannot even tell if your song is the original or not, then you didn't change enough.

It’s such a wild thing to get so mad about

Who's mad? You like the song, others don't, both are valid.

[-] knowone@slrpnk.net 2 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

I mean it's pretty much just the sample, a xylophone playing "Baa Baa Black Sheep" and some very simple percussion and flute. It's a new song yes, but it relies heavily on others' work and what is his addition has barely anything to it. What makes it good is his and Kimbra's vocals. With this whole "not changing anything means it's bad" standard you do realise that writes off all covers that are done with the same instrumentation as not worthy of praise right? And yes those cover artists aren't claiming their song is an original, but neither is Doechii out here saying the instrumentation is hers. She didn't steal it, as you said

Why are you saying she has to take more obscure samples? Again this is a pretty arbitrary standard to have. Sampling doesn't have to be what you describe. It means they have more skill of course, doing it that way and it certainly can be more interesting. But Gotye has far from done some skillful with his sampling here. I'm just pointing this out cos of the hypocrisy of calling her out on this front but then only having good words for Gotye. And no one is out here claiming she's done some good instrumentation or that it's original in that aspect, either her or anyone who likes it. The people who do like it like it for the most part because she took the instrumentation and made a new song with a different feel to it and did it well, in their eyes. Like I don't think she's done some amazing work in general or anything, I just think the hate she's getting is undeserved

I'm not claiming you're mad yourself, I've no idea if you even have any feeling around it. Just in case I was coming across that way. And it's totally fine not to like the song, that's valid as you say. But there's a difference between saying you don't like it and thinking it's bad. There's plenty of stuff I don't like personally but that I can appreciate has been done well. I'm talking about having seen so many threads and so much discussion online of people saying how much they don't like her and it's ruined her reputation, or giving that as a reason why so many others do. I don't know if it has actually ruined it, seems she's gotten mad plays on it at least. But certainly so many people were/are pissed about it

[-] DanWolfstone@leminal.space 5 points 3 days ago

what is his addition has barely anything to it.

I heavily disagree? There's a litany of other samples that he's compiled to make an entirely different song, see here, I think the general point people are making here is that her rendition is the musical equivalent of a reaction video. The lyricism is good, sure, but I think she absolutely should've taken more creative liberties with the way she handled the instrumental.

[-] sem@piefed.blahaj.zone 3 points 3 days ago

This whole thread is wrong lol. Sampling is musicianship. Simplifying a pop banger from the 60s down to its essence is creativity.

[-] abbotsbury@lemmy.world 6 points 3 days ago

what is his addition has barely anything to it

That is just demonstrably untrue, Somebody I Used to Know is transformative to the point to not be confused with the original, which cannot be said for Anxiety.

With this whole “not changing anything means it’s bad” standard

Didn't say that.

Why are you saying she has to take more obscure samples?

Because her song is being mistaken for the one she is sampling, leading to people not liking her song and thinking she is unoriginal.

Again this is a pretty arbitrary standard to have. Sampling

Not really, proof is in the pudding. Ice Ice Baby is able to be confused for Under Pressure, so people think it's unoriginal, same here. If it isn't transformative enough, it is derivative.

I’m just pointing this out cos of the hypocrisy of calling her out on this front but then only having good words for Gotye.

It's not hypocrisy, the Gotye song does not sound like the song the sample is from, whereas Anxiety sounds exactly like Somebody I Used to Know.

But there’s a difference between saying you don’t like it and thinking it’s bad.

Right, and I never said it's bad

There’s plenty of stuff I don’t like personally but that I can appreciate has been done well

If the thing you appreciate from a song is not a part that artist added to the mix (for example, if you really like the bass line from Ice Ice Baby), where does the appreciation lay? Because that's the crux that you don't seem to grasp. People like the Gotye song because it's more than the sum of its parts; it made something new. Whereas, as demonstrated by Anxiety being seen as "just Somebody I Used to Know with different lyrics," it is not transformative or unique. As you mentioned, covers can bring something new to the table, or just be the same song with a different vibe. But it's still the same song.

Or maybe the consensus is just that she didn't do it well enough, or it was just too derivative, or any combination of things. To me it certainly feels like the music version of how Hollywood does reboot-sequels that's basically the same movie but remade for modern audiences, I'd rather just watch the original.

this post was submitted on 16 Oct 2025
339 points (100.0% liked)

196

4649 readers
1796 users here now

Community Rules

You must post before you leave

Be nice. Assume others have good intent (within reason).

Block or ignore posts, comments, and users that irritate you in some way rather than engaging. Report if they are actually breaking community rules.

Use content warnings and/or mark as NSFW when appropriate. Most posts with content warnings likely need to be marked NSFW.

Most 196 posts are memes, shitposts, cute images, or even just recent things that happened, etc. There is no real theme, but try to avoid posts that are very inflammatory, offensive, very low quality, or very "off topic".

Bigotry is not allowed, this includes (but is not limited to): Homophobia, Transphobia, Racism, Sexism, Abelism, Classism, or discrimination based on things like Ethnicity, Nationality, Language, or Religion.

Avoid shilling for corporations, posting advertisements, or promoting exploitation of workers.

Proselytization, support, or defense of authoritarianism is not welcome. This includes but is not limited to: imperialism, nationalism, genocide denial, ethnic or racial supremacy, fascism, Nazism, Marxism-Leninism, Maoism, etc.

Avoid AI generated content.

Avoid misinformation.

Avoid incomprehensible posts.

No threats or personal attacks.

No spam.

Moderator Guidelines

Moderator Guidelines

  • Don’t be mean to users. Be gentle or neutral.
  • Most moderator actions which have a modlog message should include your username.
  • When in doubt about whether or not a user is problematic, send them a DM.
  • Don’t waste time debating/arguing with problematic users.
  • Assume the best, but don’t tolerate sealioning/just asking questions/concern trolling.
  • Ask another mod to take over cases you struggle with, if you get tired, or when things get personal.
  • Ask the other mods for advice when things get complicated.
  • Share everything you do in the mod matrix, both so several mods aren't unknowingly handling the same issues, but also so you can receive feedback on what you intend to do.
  • Don't rush mod actions. If a case doesn't need to be handled right away, consider taking a short break before getting to it. This is to say, cool down and make room for feedback.
  • Don’t perform too much moderation in the comments, except if you want a verdict to be public or to ask people to dial a convo down/stop. Single comment warnings are okay.
  • Send users concise DMs about verdicts about them, such as bans etc, except in cases where it is clear we don’t want them at all, such as obvious transphobes. No need to notify someone they haven’t been banned of course.
  • Explain to a user why their behavior is problematic and how it is distressing others rather than engage with whatever they are saying. Ask them to avoid this in the future and send them packing if they do not comply.
  • First warn users, then temp ban them, then finally perma ban them when they break the rules or act inappropriately. Skip steps if necessary.
  • Use neutral statements like “this statement can be considered transphobic” rather than “you are being transphobic”.
  • No large decisions or actions without community input (polls or meta posts f.ex.).
  • Large internal decisions (such as ousting a mod) might require a vote, needing more than 50% of the votes to pass. Also consider asking the community for feedback.
  • Remember you are a voluntary moderator. You don’t get paid. Take a break when you need one. Perhaps ask another moderator to step in if necessary.

founded 9 months ago
MODERATORS