#NowPlaying: Your Favorite Covers

Happy Birthday, America! It’s the month of our independence here in the USA, so we’ve prepared another playlist for you to crank while you grill up some BBQ and light off some fireworks. While the country is celebrating its birthday, we thought we would celebrate our favorite cover songs in your new playlist titled, “Your Favorite Covers.” You don’t want to miss this playlist, it’s absolutely incredible. Don’t forget to follow us on Spotify so you know exactly when our next playlist rolls out.

The Cover Phenomenon

Cover songs have been a cultural phenomenon for years. In fact, according to the article “Covering Cover Songs” on POPMATTERS, “The cover phenomena started in the 1950s. It was an attempt by the record companies to reach out to more people by a way of reproducing original songs such that those are more appealing to a particular demography.” 67 years later, and this still rings true. One of my favorite music genres (metal/screamo) has a record label (Fearless Records) that features an ongoing series titled “Punk Goes.” It features bands from their label who cover current popular pop songs. This series is SO successful that it had 14 albums produced, with a new one set to be released this month. The cover song phenomenon is real. And it’s here to stay.

Why Covers are as Important as The Original

Many people argue (including myself) that some covers are just so much better than the original. Why? There are a few factors in my opinion. The first is that the song could be reborn with a new meaning. For example, if originally the song was a pop song, but covered as acoustic, it brings an entirely new perspective and feel to the song when played differently. The second factor is the good ol’ hat tip. The artist covering the original song might love the song they’re covering and not only is it an awesome tribute from the artist but it appeals to you that two of your favorite artists now have meaning with the same song. The final factor is nostalgia. Maybe the original song was burnt out for you, but when covered it was brought back to life and given purpose again.

“Covers are like a tip of the hat from one artist to another. It’s especially really cool to see an artist you love and admire cover another one of your faves. I’m like, “Hey! my friends are friends!” It’s fascinating to hear the foundation of a song I respect and enjoy being used by other talented artists in a completely new world of music. Covers prove how versatile messages can be from one person to the next. There have been some songs I could have sworn were originals until I hear the actual original and it’s a completely new journey.” – Noelle Murphy, Placed and Published Media at Red Branch Media (@NoelleBellLynne)

Why We Picked Covers this Month

This month is all about celebrating our country’s birthday. You might think that cover songs have nothing to do with Independence Day, but in fact, it’s so closely related. Cover songs pay tribute to the original songs, sharing in their importance and impact. As we celebrate our country’s birthday with fireworks, we pay tribute to those who’ve served, our forefathers and our country’s beginnings, and all of the great things that make this country free and amazing. As we pay tribute to our country, we want to pay tribute to our favorite songs as well!

How To Find Us & Follow Us on Spotify

There are a few ways to find us on Spotify. First, you’ll need a Spotify account. You can do that by going to www.spotify.com and creating a free account. Unless ads drive you nuts, a free account is all you’ll need. After you’ve got your account, go to our page and click follow. By following us, you’ll get email notifications each time we put out a new playlist. We’ll be creating fresh lists for you each month, so you can listen to them as soon as we publish them! Now go download the desktop application for your computer, the app for your phone or stream music online by taking a listen to our playlist here.

Whatever you’re doing this birthday month, turn on your new favorite playlist. Cover songs are such an amazing thing, so don’t miss out! You could discover an old favorite that you didn’t even KNOW was covered. Listen now, below!

Missed our other playlists? Check them out here:

•   Brancher Top 5
•   Red Branch Holiday Playlist
•   Motivation for the New Year
•   Love & Heartbreak
•   Guilty Pleasures
•   Nostalgia Overload
•   Instrumental Focus for Writers & Coders
•   Summer Poolside Playlist

Kyle Christensen

Kyle is the Brand Director at Red Branch Media.

Kyle leads our Graphic Design Department at Red Branch Media. His ability to manage incoming tasks, collaborate with the design team, hit deadlines and keep our file storage system well-organized has helped to shape the design department clients love today. While he’s away from the branch, he spends his time playing drums, video games, cranking the latest emo, pop-punk and screamo songs on Spotify, drinking local Omaha brews, and enjoying life with his wife. Kyle has a BASA with a Concentration in Graphic Design and a Minor in Art History from UNO.