Created by Fearless Records in 2000, the label began releasing a series of Punk Goes… cover albums. This series paired “punk” bands, mostly emo, pop-punk, or post-hardcore bands, with themes such as Metal, Pop, and Classic Rock. In the 1990s, MTV Unplugged justified grunge’s musicianship. The same was done with these albums in the 2000s. These albums helped legitimize most of the bands involved, showcasing their range and abilities. Listening back on some of these covers has me nostalgic for my old Tumblr page, and I’m sure you will be too.
‘punk goes crunk’ (2008)
I’m starting with this one as it was the first one I’d heard of. Upon discovery, I instantly added this entire album to my mp3 player. That’s right, my mp3 player. The Devil Wears Prada’s version of “Still Fly” was all over Tumblr, Myspace, and everywhere upon release. The opening drum pattern had drummers attempting to replicate the beat for years to follow. Other standout covers from the album include “Umbrella” by All Time Low, “Men In Black” by Forever The Sickest Kids, and “I Wanna Love You” by The Maine.
‘punk goes pop volume two’ (2009)
Though Punk Goes Pop was previously released in 2002, this second volume was something special. Punk Goes Pop Volume Two actually charted on the Billboard 200, peaking at No. 15. A Day To Remember penned a standout track, covering The Fray’s “Over My Head (Cable Car)”. Additionally, August Burns Red covered Britney Spears’ “…Baby One More Time” and Bayside covered Sean Kingston’s “Beautiful Girls”.
‘punk goes classic rock’ (2010)
As someone who was raised on classic rock, hearing my new favorite bands cover classic rock staples was amazing. It successfully revived my love for classic rock with this release. I can’t say enough about the remarkable covers on this album. Hit The Lights opens the album with a cover of Boston’s “More Than A Feeling.” The Almost, featuring Underoath’s drummer Aaron Gillespie as a front-man, covered Tom Petty’s “Free Fallin’”. Their take on a Tom Petty classic is impressive and sits up there with the original.
I See Stars brought The Outfield’s “Your Love” into a new generation with their innovative cover, introducing breakdowns to an 80s classic. Never Shout Never boldly took on Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody”, an impressive and difficult feat.
‘punk goes 90’s’ (2006)
This one stands out because many of the artists featured were teenagers in the 1990s. Therefore, these bands got to cover songs that contributed to their musical journeys. Hit The Lights provided a pop-punk cover of “Hey Jealousy”. Scary Kids Scaring Kids contributed a post-hardcore version of “Losing My Religion” by R.E.M. Cartel covered “Wonderwall” by Oasis, and the Plain White T’s tackled “Song 2” by Blur.
It’s hard to believe these albums are turning 20 years old, one after another. We’ll never be able to relive the magic of our old Tumblr pages, but we still have these songs to help reflect.
Photo by Naki/Redferns
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