Ever since
the Ramones cut a revved-up version of the
Chris Montez oldie "Let's Dance" on their groundbreaking first LP,
the Germs played a purposefully twisted version of
the Archies' "Sugar Sugar" in 1977, and
the Dickies covered
the Moody Blues' "Nights in White Satin" on their sophomore album in 1979, there's been a long history of punk bands putting their own spin on hooky hit tunes. In 2002, Fearless Records released Punk Goes Pop, with a fistful of punk, alternative, and metal bands finding new sounds in radio-friendly pop hits, and 12 years later, the series is still going strong with Punk Goes Pop, Vol. 6. This installment includes
August Burns Red delivering a ferocious interpretation of
Miley Cyrus' "Wrecking Ball,"
Ice-T joining
Upon a Burning Body for a rap-rock attack on
DJ Snake &
Lil Jon's "Turn Down for What," a guitar-driven remake of
Lorde's "Royals" from
Youth in Revolt,
Palisades finding a dark electronic undercurrent in
Pharrell Williams' "Happy,"
We Came as Romans filtering
Taylor Swift's "I Knew You Were Trouble" through their own metalcore approach, and eight other hits dressed up in fresh and fearless rock-oriented arrangements. ~ Mark Deming