By ripoff I mean a band that sounds way to much like a pre-existing band to be coincidence.

My vote goes to Muse. My friend had the cd playing in the car the other day and I couldn't believe how much they sound like early Radiohead.

I've never heard a band sound so much like another band before. Completely absurd.

I find this to be the case with most of the bands on the radio today. With Radiohead I mean. Coldplay leaps to mind. I like them, but I think that's even because they try so much to sound like Radiohead, which is by far my favorite band.

I've heard Muse and agree with you there too.

To radio stations: How about giving the originals some airplay and leave the posers in obscurity, instead of vice versa??

How about the "new" Guns -n- Roses ripping off the REAL Guns -n- Roses?

I get really tired of every British band being called a Radiohead clone. Muse is much harder than Radiohead was. Coldplay really doesn't sound anything like Radiohead in my opinion.

Not to jump on the UK thing, but the first time I heard Keane's "Somewhere Only We Know", I thought it was new Coldplay.

Granted, I'monly comparing singles, because I've never listened to eithers full discs.

Muse is a totally different monster than Radiohead. It is a distinct guitar/bass sound and totally different singing. Matt Bellamy yells where Thom Yorke would restrain, and they use more layers and distortion than Radiohead would even dare to.

I love Radiohead and all, but as far as ever having the energy that Muse does...no way. Muse will rip your ears out while Radiohead will serenade you.
They are like the new Nirvana of live shows, a trio that gets to the point and brings a hell of a lot of feedback and stage presence.

Now a Radiohead ripoff band for me would be Palo Alto. Touted as the next Radiohead, or what Radiohead should of been..I think they suck either way.
Of course fans would say otherwise.

Same here, i've never understood that. I love both bands, but they're two different sounds.

Agree with ya.

Marillion = Genesis (Peter Gabriel era)

Agree about Coldplay, I don't think they sound anything like Radiohead.

Have to disagree slightly about Muse. Yeah, they're a little harder than Radiohead, but that's really the only distinction. The singer sounds just like Thom Yorke other than yelling a little more (or again being a little harder).

I'm not saying they sound exactly the same, but I've still never heard a band that sounded as much like an established band before.

Nirvana - talent = Bush

The Bravery with much worse songs = The Killers

The first time I listened to Coldplay, I thought the singer sound more like Bono, not Thom Yorke. Just my opinion.

I had on East Side Story by Squeeze this afternoon. My 6 year old daughter said to me, "Daddy, is this the Beatles?" I said no. She said, "Why are they trying to sound like the Beatles?" Out of the mouths of babes....

I told her lots of bands try to sound like the Beatles.

Maybe Muse sounds like Radiohead at first listen/glance, but after a few runs through their CDs, the similarities start to spread thin. Bellamy does have a similar voice to Yorke, but that's about it.

So true. Also agree with Creed.

First one that lept to mind though was Godsmack. The whole Alice in Chains thing. Of course when I listen to them now I don't think they sound anything alike, but when they came out, man I thought they sounded similar.

Same goes for the one hit wonder, Dust for Life. Alice in Chains wanna-bes.

Earshot = Tool lite

I'll third that comment about Bush...i don't miss them.

As for Godsmack....i think of them less as a "Alice in Chains" wannabe group and more of a AiC cover band that tried to become more.

Which is the same way i feel about "The Darkness"....except replace "Alice in Chains" with "Queen".

Two words: Lenny Kravitz.

Seven Mary Three: That voice alone is reason enough to lose faith.

true, but Squeeze had some serious talent and wrote some amazing songs. They are exempt from most criticism (in my opinion)

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I didn't mean to criticize. (I was listening to them, right?) Just passing on the humorous anecdote. Squeeze was ALWAYS compared to the Beatles even with the Difford/Tillbrook pairing (a la Lennon/McCartney). Bands can't help it. The Beatles are the root of all.

Brain Stew - good call on Franz Ferdinand. I heard accolades about them, checked them out, and had a serious deja vu.