Alternative Rock and Indie Covers of 80s Songs
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A selection of familiar 80s pop songs covered by alternative rock bands and indie musicians.
Song remakes are all over the airwaves these days and musicians of all kinds, indie rock artists and alternative musicians, among others, are jumping on the cover song bandwagon. After all, hasn't American Idol proven that rehashed, re-imagined, and rearranged versions of an original tune can sell like hotcakes? It's quite true that there's nothing as reassuring as seeing a familiar song title in a sea of unknown tracks, and great song covers are indeed a great way of showcasing a musician's ingenuity in making an old tune sound fresh and contemporary.
Because there's a multitude of 80s cover songs to choose from, we are just going to focus on covers of 80s songs by indie bands and alternative rockers. Why? I grew up in the eighties so 1980s music is close to my heart. Some of the remakes you'll hear below are sped-up or slowed-down versions of the original but there are a few that will take you completely by surprise (make sure to check out Girls Just Want To Have Fun).
Alternative rock and indie covers of 80s songs
A playlist of 80s pop song remakes by alternative rock musicians.
Let's start with a cover of Michael Jackson's "Beat It" by indie rock duo Pomplamoose
California indie duo Pomplamoose
Pomplamoose Videosongs
Listen to their album online.
Pomplamoose' cover of Beat It is as a free download on their myspace page. You can also listen to their other songs via this nifty mp3 player. You may also purchase and download the track if you wish by clicking on the song in the player.
Madonna's "Into the Groove", covered by Ciccone Youth
The side project band Ciccone Youth
The Whitey Album by Ciccone Youth
Listen to their entire album online.
Ciccone Youth is an experimental band that was formed in 1986 and is composed of Sonic Youth members Steve Shelley, Kim Gordon, Lee Ranaldo, and Thurston Moore, with Minutemen/fIREHOSE member Mike Watt. Their cover version of Into the Groove is in The Whitey Album. You may download and purchase the mp3 right here, along with the other tracks.
OMD's "If You Leave", covered by Nada Surf
American alternative band Nada Surf remakes Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark
If You Leave by Nada Surf
Nada Surf recorded a cover of the 1985 hit song If You Leave, originally by OMD, exclusively for the soundtrack of the O.C. You may listen to, purchase and download the mp3 right off this handy little widget on the left.
The Cure's "In Between Days", covered by Ben Folds
American singer-songwriter Ben Folds
Supersunnyspeedgraphic, the LP by Ben Folds
Play the entire album here.
Ben Folds' cover of The Cure's In Between Days appears in his 2006 album Supersunnyspeedgraphic, the LP. You may listen, purchase and download the mp3 and other tracks from the album right here.
Cyndi Lauper's "Girls Just Want To Have Fun", covered by Greg Laswell
Listen to indie singer-songwriter Greg Laswell
Girls Just Want To Have Fun by Greg Laswell
Greg Laswell's cover of Cyndi Lauper's 1980s pop song Girls Just Want to Have Fun appears in the soundtrack for the movie "My Sister's Keeper". Listen to, purchase and download the track right here.
Indie Rock and Alternative 80s Cover Songs are on iTunes
Build an 80s cover song indie rock playlist.
Indie and alternative remakes of popular songs from the 80s on iTunes
Download these tracks straight to your iPods.
Here is a playlist of 80s song covers by indie and alternative artists. Press the play button to listen to the song. Clicking on the tracks will take you to the iTunes store where you can purchase and download the mp3s.
| Track | Artist | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sweet Child o' Mine | Taken By Trees | Sweet Child o' Mine / Above You - Single | |
| In Between Days | Ben Folds | Supersunnyspeedgraphic - The LP | |
| I Melt With You | Nouvelle Vague | Nouvelle Vague | |
| Careless Whisper (Live) | Gossip | Live In Liverpool | |
| Boys Don't Cry | The Submarines | Just Like Heaven - A Tribute to the Cure | |
| Against All Odds | The Postal Service | Against All Odds - Single | |
| If You Leave | Nada Surf | Music from the O.C. Mix, Vol. 2 | |
| Don't Dream It's Over | Sixpence None the Richer | Divine Discontent | |
| Into the Groove(y) | Ciccone Youth | The Whitey Album | |
| Dancing With Myself | The Donnas | Dancing With Myself (From the Motion Picture Mean Girls) - Single | |
| Luka | Lemonheads | Lick | |
| Build Me Up Buttercup | The Goops | Mallrats (Soundtrack from the Motion Picture) | |
| Close to Me | The Get Up Kids | Eudora | |
| Come On Eileen | Save Ferris | It Means Everything | |
| Cruel to Be Kind | Letters to Cleo | When Did We Do That? | |
| I Just Can't Get Enough | Nouvelle Vague | Nouvelle Vague | |
| The Ghost In You (1994/Live At Elysée Montmartre, Paris) | Counting Crows | August & Everything After (Deluxe Edition) | |
| Funky Town | Pseudo Echo | Radio Hits of the '80s | |
| The Boys of Summer | The Ataris | So Long, Astoria |
More videos of alternative bands covering 80s hits
Watch them all here.
Listen to these delightful cover versions of some of our favorite 80s songs. The Lemonheads
These people are blogging about indie rock song covers.
Let's see what they're listening to.
- Dr. Dog is a Real Band
- Perhaps most famous for their cover of Architecture in Helsinki's ?Heart it Races,? Dr. Dog's 2010 LP ?Shame, Shame? brought forth brilliant tracks like ?Shadow People? and ?Mirror, Mirror,? as well as the title track, emulating older pop ...
- Music Calendar: Feb. 9-12
- Shakedown Street ? 2500 Hillsborough St. ? Jahman Brahman, Barefoot Wade (Jam/Groove) ? 9 pm Cover: Free. Slim's Bar ? 227 South Wilmington St. ? Abigail Williams, Wake of Redemption, more (Indie/Rock). Cover: $5. Southland Ballroom ? 614 North West ...
- Beal: Country, indie rock, pop artists celebrate new CDs
- By Jim Beal Jr. It's a CD-release weekend in SATX with real-deal country, indie pop/rock, punk and more. Get busy. Just when it appears the pop side of country or the homogenized rock 'n' roll side of country are poised to squeeze the life, ...
- Neoseeker : News : Double Fine laments $40K console software patches, sees ...
- Unfortunately, Schafer admits those very stars are now out of alignment for other indie publishing avenues on console platforms, like Xbox Live Arcade and PSN. In the long run, their inherently closed natures will make them too costly even for studios ...
Albums that feature 80s song covers interpreted by alternative musicians
Even more rock versions of your favorite eighties pop songs.
Just Like Heaven: A Tribute to The Cure
This album tribute to The Cure features cover versions of their hits from the 80s, performed by a selection of today's hottest indie rock artists.
Just Like Heaven: A Tribute to the Cure
Amazon Price: $8.70 (as of 02/14/2012)
2009 tribute to Robert Smith and Co. Just Like Heaven features 16 new cover versions of Cure songs by The Wedding Present, The Brunettes, Devics, Dean & Britta (Luna), The Submarines, The Rosebuds, Grand Duchy (Violet Clark & Black Francis), Joy Zipper, Elk City , and many others. Produced by Joe Spadaro and Gwen Hysler and original album art and design by Rhode Island Illustrator Melinda Rainsberger . Highly recommended for Cure fans or any of the bands covering the Cure on this excellent tribute compilation.
High School Reunion: a tribute to those great 80's films!
More covers of great 80s songs performed by a host of indie and alternative musicians.
High School Reunion - a tribute to those great 80's films!
Amazon Price: $99.98 (as of 02/14/2012)
One of the finest tribute records ever amassed! Let this serve as a blueprint for all future tribute sets" John D. Luerssen (All Music Guide) High School Reunion is an outstanding 20-song compilation featuring indie-rockers Frank Black (PIXIES), Matthew Sweet, John P. Strohm (Blake Babies/Lemonheads), Kristin Hersh (Throwing Muses, 50 Foot Wave), Lori McKenna, The Caulfield Sisters, The Dresden Dolls and so many more covering tracks from some of those hilarious 80's teen films. Pretty in Pink, Valley Girl, Some Kind of Wonderful, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Say Anything... they're all being tributed on this excellent CD. Highly recommended for any music fan!
Who else are talking about indie song covers?
Let's find out shall we.
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- BenAlexander2
- I think "indie covers of pop songs" is probably my favorite genre of music.
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- DianeRapp
- RT @writergrrlz Elena Andrews Run Like Hell is available. Bloggers/reviewers DM 4 free review copy http://t.co/HknXPQaa #ya #indie #thriller
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- thesepinklips
- RT @D_O_P_E: @Thee_LoLaMonroe Covers @D_O_P_E Magazine for Spring http://t.co/aFxSkf2Z ✈ Print Issue hits Street Boutiques & Indie Newsstands in March!
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- itsMsTee
- RT @D_O_P_E: @Thee_LoLaMonroe Covers @D_O_P_E Magazine for Spring http://t.co/aFxSkf2Z ✈ Print Issue hits Street Boutiques & Indie Newsstands in March!
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- SomeUNeeKid
- RT @D_O_P_E: @Thee_LoLaMonroe Covers @D_O_P_E Magazine for Spring http://t.co/aFxSkf2Z ✈ Print Issue hits Street Boutiques & Indie Newsstands in March!
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Know of any other good indie rock cover of an 80s song?
Let me know here!
If you know of any other familiar 80s tunes covered by indie musicians, feel free to suggest them below! Thoughts on the music and this lens are most welcome too.
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opheliakeith
Jan 27, 2012 @ 11:39 pm | delete
- I'm an 80's girl and you've got some of my top songs here :)
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jimmyworldstar
Dec 11, 2011 @ 11:52 am | delete
- Great lens. I enjoyed the Cyndi Lauper cover and the one Ben Folds did. I listen to more of the 80s music more than I listen to the people who cover them unfortunately so I have no recommendations.
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squidshe
Nov 8, 2011 @ 6:39 pm | delete
- Great choice of songs!
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katemiya
Oct 29, 2011 @ 10:53 pm | delete
- I love, love cover songs and one of my favorite indie covers is The Acorn's cover of Cyndi Lauper's "Goonies R Good Enough".
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aleximusprime
Oct 22, 2011 @ 9:55 am | delete
- Great lens! Loved the video choices that you've featured!
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