Sep 302025
 
Best Cover Songs
Benson Boone — When We Were Young (Adele cover)

Benson Boone gets clowned on, but dude can sing (and, yes, backflip). “When We Were Young” is not exactly an easy song to nail. But, at a tour stop in Columbus, he did just that—one of many covers he’s been doing on the road.

BRAINSTORM — The Boys Of Summer (Don Henley cover)

Every summer comes, inevitably, more “Boys of Summer” covers. This metal-ish version comes from German power-metal vets BRAINSTORM (all caps so you know they’re serious). Singer Andy B. Franck says: “Even though ‘The Boys Of Summer’ deals with rather nostalgic themes of ‘summer love’ and the memory of a past relationship, for me – at the time a 13-year-old – it was, beyond the metal anthems of the 80s, a great song that I associated with summer, girls and the corresponding feeling for many, many years…Even today, this song still evokes great memories for me, and since it’s also a song about questioning the past, this track fits perfectly into our times.” Continue reading »

Sep 242025
 
Downcast

“Just Want You to Know” was first released by the Backstreet Boys in 2005, and is the second single off the album Never Gone. Known for its straight-up rock sound, this track features vocal ad-libs and features an official music video that recreates the ’80s to a T. The melody is simple, earwormish, backed up by a steady underlying eighth-note rhythm and sturdy, catchy beat.

Downcast of Bristol, England, took this nostalgic song and ran with it. They’ve made it sonically tailored for all those ’90s and early 2000s kids out there. Now, “Just Want You to Know” is a love song that has been imbued with a touch of angst. While the basic shell of the song is the same, these artists have now added harmonies, vocal distortion, and a deeper, richer, and more prominent bassline. Continue reading »