In today's era, new music is bound to retain traces of older, popular tunes. Whether artists do this subconsciously, or draw direct influences, it is evident that there is some recycling going on in the music world. One Direction tends to be quite obvious when it comes to recycling elements from older songs. Here are five One Direction songs along with their inspired (or shall I say plagiarized?) sources. Click on the images to listen to the songs yourself.

1. "What Makes You Beautiful" sounds like….

"Summer Nights" from Grease

*Boop. Badoop. BaDoop! Badoobyyy daboop.* It's the classic bass line from "Summer Nights" in Grease. One Direction uses the same exact line in their song.

2. "Best Song Ever" sounds like...

"Baba O'Riley" by The Who

Both songs have a similar electronic intro followed by three chords played in the same progression on the piano. *bum Bum BUM!* You know the one.

3. "Live While We're Young" sounds like...

"Should I Stay or Should I Go" by The Clash

In the beginning of their song, One Direction recycles the same guitar riff/ muted strings pattern that is used in the beginning of The Clash's song. *Danana nananana na (plick plick plick).*

4. "Night Changes" sounds like...

"Only You" by Yazoo

The chorus vocal melody and chord progression is similar in both songs. Listen to the part with the lyrics: "All I needed was the love you gave/All I needed for another day/And all I ever knew, only you" in Yazoo's song, around (0:28). Then listen to: "And I've been thinking about you lately/Does it ever drive you crazy?/Just how fast the night changes"from One Direction's song, at (0:45).

5. "Steal My Girl" sounds like...

"Faithfully" by Journey

The piano in the beginning of "Steal My Girl" reminds me a lot of the classic, piano ballad sound in the beginning of Journey's "Faithfully". It's the kind of sound that in Journey's case, makes you want to weep, but in One Direction's case, get's you all fired up.

So, there's the evidence. I'm not saying that One Direction is entirely at fault for this. There are many other artists who draw inspiration from past hits as well. Copying other music isn't necessarily a bad thing either; there is only so much music the world can produce that is one-hundred percent original. Still, I believe that today's generation should at least be aware of the original music that has inspired today's artists. We mustn't forget about what "used" to be great. Chances are, it's still great today.