Plagarism?

Is there any musician left who doesn’t think Coldplay’s Viva La Vida sounds like one of their old tracks? First Joe Stariani, then Enanitos Verdes, now Yusuf Islam is jumping on the bandwagon. Comparing them it would seem the contention is about a 10 note riff that are all different but structurally the same. They all use the same time signature and diatonic chord progression which is in itself a common descending melodic figure. If you were going to apply the same judgment then most jazz standards would be guilty; Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley should have sued through the roof! This riff, like others, have become recognisable phrases in the contemporary pop vernacular. Similarities? Yes! Plagiarism? No! Anyway, here are the songs, judge for yourself.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=De3lvudmOAw