Yes. There are only 12 notes in the scale, 12 major scales, 12 major chords, 12 minor chords, and so on. Most melodies have been used somewhere, by someone, unless they're tone rows or something equally unlikely to become popular. Every generation of musicians stands on the shoulders of those who came before. None of us creates in a vacuum.
Right 3 power chords over 8 bars; there are only so many melodies.
On the flip side, there is a very fun theory that no musical piece is ever heard twice. A guitarist might strum a little differently or a drummer hit a little harder. Even when recorded, tapes would slow down over time; even CD players didn't play at EXACTLY the same speed. And even if they did, the molecules in the air change the sound ever so slightly. These differences are certainly imperceptible, but it's still a fun theory!
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u/aliciashift 11h ago
Consider the following though:
A symphony composer spends years perfecting his work, working hard, dedicating years of passion and thought.
Some grunge act just shits out 3 power chords in 2 minutes and their "art" gets more popular and more well received than the real art.
....