Bruno Mars’ “Locked Out of Heaven” — Police Rip-off?

The second I heard Bruno Mars perform “Locked Out of Heaven” on Saturday Night Live I thought it sounded strikingly similar to a Police song. So I googled it, and predictably, I’m not the only one who noticed. In fact, Bruno Mars himself addressed the controversy, saying, “I grew up listening to the Police, I grew up performing in bars, singing Police songs. … I remember performing a song like ‘Roxanne,’ and you play those first couple of chords, and you hit that first note, and you watch the whole bar ignite. And as an artist, as a songwriter, it’s like ‘Man, I want to write a song that makes people’s eyes explode the first chord!'” I suppose the best way to write a song like The Police is to copy it? As an aside, Bruno Mars is an astoundingly good performer. Watch below.

Update: Sting just performed this song with Bruno Mars at the 2013 Grammys. If Sting isn’t pissed, then neither is The Dishmaster.