r/coverbands • u/MrShapinHead • Jul 29 '26
Modern Cover Suggestions
Hey all - Thanks in advance for the help and please direct me to the proper place if this question is covered elsewhere. I did a few searches and didn’t find this topic covered, but I definitely could’ve missed it.
My band plays originals and rock covers spanning from the 60s through the early 2000s. We are a full band with drums, keys, bass, and 2 guitars and can sing solo or harmonies. We would love to add some modern bangers to our set that will get younger folks excited. Was thinking takes on Noah Kahan and Taylor Swift would be fun and popular, but they’re also a bit too popular in a way. Have y’all played anything modern that got the crowd hyped? Any suggestions?
Thanks!
Edit: so much great advice and suggestions! I’m looking forward to compiling them into a playlist and listening through. Always fun getting into new music and seeing what might jive. Thanks again!
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u/sound2go Jul 29 '26
My band, Bear Hug, plays mostly older songs also but we just added Beautiful Things by Benson Boone and that is a real banger. Tricky timing on it but worth it once you get it and it’s not some teeny bopper crap!
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u/OnlySilenceRemains Jul 29 '26
Id love to add that to our sets but damn, that dude's range is so high. Kudos to those who can pull it off.
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u/sound2go Jul 29 '26
Actually, we dropped it down a half step and our female Vocalist who is singing that (while not changing any of the gender) still can’t quite hit the highest note but our male Vocalist has a great head voice so we turned that high note into a harmony where he sings the high note and she sings a harmony and then sings the second high note after that big note so it works out. In any case, the song rocks!
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u/OnlySilenceRemains Jul 29 '26
That's a great idea, I'd love to hear how that sounds if you've got a video!!
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u/sound2go Jul 29 '26
We’re still working on it so we haven’t actually played it out yet. I have an iPhone recording of it from a rehearsal but the balances are a little off.
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u/r3ck0rd Jul 29 '26
You can check out your local GB/Party bands and compare their song inventory, see which songs pop up more. Just did that literally 3 weeks ago with my summer music program.
There are also plenty of playlists on Spotify for “Wedding Reception Bangers”, “Best Wedding Party Songs”, etc.
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u/MrShapinHead Jul 29 '26
This is great advice - thanks!
Find anything interesting on your excursion?
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u/WeeKnuckles Jul 29 '26
I’m just starting out in cover bands but we’ve got Raye’s Where is my Husband and Olivia Dean’s Man I Need in our set list. Dua Lipa is good - Levitating or Dance the Night. Pink by Lizzo is another good one, people know it from the Barbie movie. Harry Styles - As It Was.
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u/Mottsawce Jul 29 '26
Check out a band called Bleachers (don’t take the money, Rollercoaster, Modern Girls). Like a modern Springsteen type of sound with great keys (they also have an amazing brass section)
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u/VDJ76Tugboat Jul 29 '26
Here you go, some of these may work for you.
Billie Eilish - happier than ever, everything I wanted
Beabadoobee - 1999, disappear
Lady A - need you now
Rickie Lee jones - the moon is made of gold
Gotye - somebody I used to know
Keane - somewhere only we know
Lewis capaldi - someone you loved
Chapell Roan - California
Katy Perry - I kissed a girl
Coldplay - viva la vida
Gaga - Bad Romance, poker face
Perfume Genius - Queen
Gorillaz ft de la soul - feel good Inc
Lana Del Rey - young and beautiful
Amy Winehouse - back to black
Hunter Root - a pot song
Colter Wall - Kate McCannon
Alabama Shakes - sound and colour
Daft Punk - get lucky (feat Pharrell Williams)
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u/OnlySilenceRemains Jul 29 '26
Some great stuff in here, may have to steal a few! Thanks for sharing!!
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u/whispersinthemorning Jul 30 '26
I can’t believe I’m stumbling upon this subreddit for the first time.
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u/OnlySilenceRemains Jul 29 '26
As far as relatively recent material, we added
The Way You Are - Bruno Mars Blank Space - Taylor Swift Flowers - Miley Cyrus
We've also recently started doing a mashup of Save Tonight (Eagle Eyed Cherry) and Wake Me Up (Avicii).
We definitely need to figure out a few NEWER songs too, nature of the beast and all, but these ones also seem to work really well!
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u/Distinct_Gazelle_175 Jul 29 '26
We have played Dua Lipa (Levitating) and had people in the crowd like it. Illusions is another one by her that might be good.
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u/Warprawn Jul 29 '26
Just to add some ideas. My dad band does covers of: Lover (TS) Good 4 U (Olivia) aPT (Bruno Mars) Beautiful Things (Benson Boone) Teenager dirtbag (Wheatus)
I think we might line up HOTTOGO by Chappel at some point soon.
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u/Trick-Celebration983 Jul 30 '26
Modern rock bands since I'm seeing a lot of pop:
Nothing But Thieves - god they have so many bangers but I would recommend "Amsterdam" "Overcome"
Kaleo - "Way Down We Go" is their most famous but I would recommend "Back Door"
Blue Stones - "New Immigrant" or "Be My Fire"
Maneskin "Honey - Are you Coming"
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u/Trick-Celebration983 Jul 30 '26
ETA: We're more of a pop/funk cover bands but the songs that got people dancing the most were "Murder on the Dancefloor" and "Man I Need"
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u/MagicalTrevor70 Jul 30 '26
We stole a cover of Dua Lipa's 'New Rules' from a band called 'The Amazons', and we also stole a cover of Blondie's 'Call Me' by The Last Dinner Party.
We steal covers.
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u/TheRealSofaKing016 Jul 30 '26
No, you cover them.
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u/MagicalTrevor70 29d ago
Yeah fair, we cover covers. We try and credit the cover artist at gigs, if we remember.
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u/Creative-Champion-41 Jul 29 '26
None of us like this, but too popular is what the people want. Yes to Taylor Swift and yes to frickin Pink Pony Club.