Rock is a genre of music that has taken many forms. From Punk to Metal to Indie, rock has been tossed around over the years. This particular mixtape is dedicated to fun, hardcore — but not too hardcore — anthems that would be perfect for any outdoor funfest.
“My Best Days” by Polar Bear Club
Hyper-aggressive rock outfit Polar Bear Club created a cohesive and fun album in 2011, titled “Clash Battle Guilt Pride”. This particular song showcases the mosh pit anthem that they’re so good at perfecting. Add in some clever lyrics, relentless drumming and vocals that make your throat hurt just listening to them and you’ve got an amazing rock song.
“Capital M-E” by Taking Back Sunday
With five albums under their belt, Taking Back Sunday has quite the list of hits to choose from. Lead singer Adam Lazzara’s vocals make the creative lyrics in this song all the more interesting to listen to, while the killer guitars of Eddie Reyes and Matthew Fazzi just make you want to string along.
“Do It Now Remember It Later” by Sleeping With Sirens
This fast paced anthem is all about following your dreams and ignoring what the rest of the world thinks — perfect for a young death metal band like Sleeping With Sirens.
“Lies Greed Misery” by Linkin Park
Linkin Park’s sound has changed so much over the years that it’s quite hard to define the sound of their latest album “Living Things”. There’s no denying that “Lies Greed Misery” is one very catchy tune. With the great drum beat, and stellar techno beats, this song will have you hitting replay nonstop.
“The Only Hope for Me Is You” by My Chemical Romance
Only My Chemical Romance can make a post apocalyptic love song work. Off their concept album Danger Days — an album set in a post apocalyptic future ruled by a global media company — this song melds with the rest of the album’s catchy tunes along with telling a coherent story.
“God Bless You” by Black Veil Brides
With their face paint, heavy leather and larger than life songs, Black Veil Brides look set to become the next KISS. “God Bless You” is a song that showcases the band’s heavy style and religious lyrics that send off an old flame. It’s safe to say that they’ve redefined rock and gotten it back to its roots.
“Since U Been Gone (Kelly Clarkson cover)” by A Day to Remember
How do you take a girl power anthem and make it a fun rock song? Simple: get A Day to Remember on the phone. They dabble between scream-o style for those fans and regular style for others, creating a varied yet cohesive song that will have even the most hardcore of rockers ready for more.
“Ladies and Gentlemen” by Saliva
Saliva’s “Ladies and Gentlemen” plays out like an announcement before a grand spectacle, set to a grand guitar and crazy drums before going into overdrive with the chorus, repeatedly shouting the word “Boom”. Is it subtle? No. Is it a fun rock song? Yes.
“Boom” by P.O.D.
“Boom” is a song that never stops dishing out a grand time. The lyrics are near rap style, while the guitar and relentless assault of cymbals makes for a perfect head-banging soundtrack.
“Burning Down the House (Talking Heads cover)” by The Used
Ah, ‘80s music. So many fun, nostalgic memories. Updating those memories is quite a challenge, so rock group The Used decide to turn a great ‘80s song into a death anthem with crazy vocals and guitars slightly reminiscent of the original. But only slightly.
Bradley Burgess can be reached at [email protected].