Dance music has a long and often confusing relationship with artists creating tunes built on other artist’s work. Between sampling, remixing, mash-ups and more, the line where an artist needs to credit (and pay) another aritst is blurry at best. Still, it’s hard to justify when a superstar crossover pop act like Daft Punk seemly lifts a tune from a relatively unknown Korean guitarist and turns it into the biggest hit of the summer. But one listen to “Robot Dance” by Zack Kim and itæs hard to deny that someone should have gotten a nod for something.
Of course, some folks will jump on the expected arguments that it’s not stealing if the melody isn’t precise, or that chord progressions are easily repeatable. And yes, “Clash City Rockers” was basically the same guitar riff as The Who’s “Can’t Explain.” But we’re gonna go ahead and say “dick move” by Daft Punk or someone else (Nile Rodgers? Pharrell Williams?) involved in “Get Lucky.”
