Music News

Pete Townshend Responds to One Direction Fans About Plagiarism Rumors

101383-pete_townshend_617_409Attention angry teeny-bopper girls: Pete Townshend is not angry at One Direction. Fans of the British boy band have been responding with a storm of angry tweets (hashtag #donttouchbestsongever) after rumors arose that the Who would be pursuing legal action over the band’s “Best Song Ever,” which closely resembles “Baba O’Riley.” However, One Direction fans can stop the angry tweets, because Townshend has squelched the rumors.

“No! I like the single. I like One Direction,” Townshend said in a statement yesterday. “The chords I used and the chords they used are the same three chords we’ve all been using in basic pop music since Buddy Holly, Eddie Cochran and Chuck Berry made it clear that fancy chords don’t mean great music—not always. I’m still writing songs that sound like ‘Baba O’Riley’—or I’m trying to!”

Townshend seems to have a good sense of humor about the whole ordeal, and even appears flattered by the similarities between the two bands’ songs. “I’m happy to think they may have been influenced a little bit by the Who. I’m just relieved they’re not all wearing boiler suits and Doc Martens or Union Jack jackets.” 

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