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Joe Bennett PhD @JoeBennettMusic

Forensic musicology, songs, copyright, guitars and teaching. Prof, Berklee College of Music. Pop musicologist BBC5 Live. Views are my own.

Joined February 2009
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It's here for 2026. Please forward to every Eurovision fan you know! #songwriting #popmusicology joebennett.net/2026/05/16/eu…

Eurovision 2026 - musicology blog

Joe Bennett analyses the songs, and tries to predict a winner before voting begins. Read the blog while you watch the final, or catch up later.

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Eurovision 2025 live musicology/songwriting blog is up now - follow along with the voting! joebennett.net/2025/05/17/eu… #Eurovision2025

Eurovision 2025 - live musicology blog

The next day: actual results vs my predictions. Not my best work, but not my worst either. I predicted Austria at #2 (winner); Sweden to win (4th); and France near the top (7th). The Fins were...

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Joe Bennett PhD retweeted
Faking Michael 𝙋𝙤𝙙𝙘𝙖𝙨𝙩
@FakingMJpodcast
31 Dec 2024
Listen to Faking Michael, Episode 11 – Forensics 👇 🔗 open.spotify.com/episode/2Ro…
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I spoke to @nytimes this week about the *other* Christmas up-tempo banger. #popmusicology nytimes.com/2024/12/23/arts/…

How ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’ (and Its Writer) Went Down in History (Gift Article)

Johnny Marks wrote the beloved holiday song, as well as “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.” But he felt pigeonholed by the success of “Rudolph.”

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I'll be on BBC Radio 4 @R4WorldTonight this evening, talking with @BBCJamieCoo about @Adele's (non) plagiarism of a Brazilian artist's melody. Live from 10pm UK time. (Spoiler - it's a coincidence!)
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In 2007 the Rubinoos sued Avril Lavigne, alleging that “Girlfriend” copied from “I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend” (1979). As featured on The Gordon Smart show, BBC Radio 5 Live, Nov 11, 2024. Mashup: Joe Bennett / Rafi Waters joebennett.net/5live #forensicmusicology #songwriting
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This week @gordonsmart and I are exploring literature. Here's a full walkthrough of tonight's show. joebennett.net/2024/11/18/li… #popmusicology @bbc5live

Literature!

This week on 5 Live, Gordon and I talked about about literature-inspired songs. Joni Mitchell, Kendrick Lamar, Iron Maiden and lots more!

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Johann Pachelbel (1653-1706) – Canon in D (as played by) Maroon 5, Aerosmith, Green Day, The Farm, Vitamin C, Original Caste, Ralph McTell, Pop-Tops, Bee Gees. The @gordonsmart show, BBC 5 Live, October 2024 #popmusicology joebennett.net/5live youtube.com/shorts/wYNNo-H3d…

BBC Radio 5 Live

Dr Bennett appears weekly on BBC 5 Live for "Midnight Musicology", talking about song analysis and music production.

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A very enjoyable show with @gordonsmart this week. My only regret is that I didn't get to Jeff Beck's extraordinary live performance in time. Also Green Day, Maroon 5 and Ralph McTell jamming Pachelbel's Canon in D. joebennett.net/2024/10/21/th… #popmusicology #stratocaster

The Stratocaster

This week we talked about the Fender Stratocaster, maybe the most famous guitar of all time. Hendrix, Raitt, Gilmour, Hank Marvin, John Mayer

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Did we get them all? @taylorswift13 #songwriting #popmusicology. More chord loops on tonight's @gordonsmart show with @SteffanPowell. #CGAmF #onefivesixfour. joebennett.net/5live
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It's saxophone week! @gordonsmart #popmusicology joebennett.net/2024/10/07/it…

It's saxophone week!

This evening Gordon and I will be analyzing saxophone hits from the 1940s to the 2020s. And who knew Ricky Nelson inspired Deep Purple?

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In tonight's show - 4 Non Blondes v Bobby McFerrin. Just a I-ii-IV-I chord loop. Nothing to see here. joebennett.net/5live #popmusicology #mashup @gordonsmart @bbc5live
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Melodic coincidences are way more common than many plaintiffs think #forensicmusicology joebennett.net/5live @gordonsmart
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Getting set up to enjoy more great music with @gordonsmart this evening on @bbc5live. Where else can you hear Pantera and Etta James on the same playlist? #popmusicology joebennett.net/2024/09/16/mi…

12/8 Time Signatures

In this week's "Midnight Musicology with Dr Beat", Joe and Gordon will be listening to songs in 12/8 time. Where else can you hear Etta James and Pantera on the same playlist?

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Our @MercuryPrize show is tonight! joebennett.net/2024/09/09/me…

Mercury Prize winners and the art of album craft

Tonight, guest host Connie McLaughlin and I will be talking about (and listening to) the Mercury Prize, which famously (sometimes controversially!) focuses on the album as a whole, apparently...

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With @gordonsmart, talking about 'no intro' songs: Beach Boys, Elvis Costello, Beatles, Hall & Oates, Green Day, and Arlo Parks. Only @oasis refused my Fair Use YouTube argument - tho to be fair it was in a section on #copyright! Listen @ 34:15 youtu.be/bvcoXkLeGE8?si=3aV8…

No intro! Beach Boys, Elvis Costello, Beatles, Hall & Oates, Green...

September 2nd 2024 – Dr Joe Bennett in conversation with Gordon Sma...

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Celebrating @mercuryprize winners with Connie McLaughlin (sitting in for @gordonsmart) on tomorrow's @bbc5live show. Also One Direction vs The Who. joebennett.net/5live @Englishteac_her @PJHarveyUK @Portisheadinfo @Elbow @alt_J @michaelkiwanuka @ScreamOfficial

BBC Radio 5 Live

Dr Bennett appears weekly on BBC 5 Live for "Midnight Musicology", talking about song analysis and music production.

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Songs with no intro – Beach Boys, @ElvisCostello @thebeatles @GreenDay @arloparks @bensonboone. Plus @oasis – *all* the soundalike allegations. joebennett.net/2024/09/02/so… @gordonsmart @bbc5live

Songs with no intros – and Oasis

Songs with no intro – Beach Boys, Elvis Costello, Be3atles, Arlo Parks, Benson Boone. Plus Oasis – all the soundalike allegations! joebennett.net/5live

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Regular listeners to the @gordonsmart show on Mondays will know the “Soundslike” section, where we talk about songs that resemble other songs. Well, @oasis is in the news #justsayin #popmusicology @bbc5live.
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Talking with @gordonsmart about metaphors in #songwriting. Leiber & Stoller, Prince, Common, Michael Bublé, Kate Rusby, Sabrina Carpenter. And… did Depeche Mode copy a Taylor Swift bassline?! (answer – no. I always like to stymie my own clickbait). youtu.be/iCDxTUueMds

Metaphors: Leiber & Stoller, Prince, Common, Michael Bublé, Kate...

August 12th 2024 – Dr Joe Bennett in conversation with Gordon Smart...

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