Since 2010, AV Club has been inviting artists to cover songs from a list chosen by our readers. Once a song has been chosen, it’s crossed off the list for that season, leading to fewer and fewer options as the season goes on. We’re in the process of restoring our archives on The AV Club YouTube channel and will add links as they’re republished. After seven years, we’re bringing AV Undercover back, so stay tuned for Season 9.
You should click over and see the premier video they have for Season Ten, because it’s…something else. Trust me on this.
Some of their past videos that I am a big fan of, starting with this one, a go-to for me when I need a little pumping up:
How I would have loved to be in the room when that was made. That was from season two. This is from the most recent season, in 2017, and it made me a fan of the band that performed it:
Go look for Lake Street Dive on YouTube, they have some terrific covers and good originals, too. They have a couple of Tiny Desk Concerts, one done from home during the pandemic and the other five years before that, at the titular tiny desk.
“Stop Dragging My Heart Around” is a good song to cover – hell, it’s a good karaoke song, which I say with experience, as the Tom Petty part was within my vocal range back before I became more of a bass. Middle Aged Dad Jam Band, joined by Jackie Tohn, does my current favorite version, but they weren’t on the AV Club roster. Sharon Van Etten, along with Shearwater, was:
It’s hard to do that without imitating Stevie Nicks, but you have to try and you have to make it your own without getting too far away from what Stevie did. Jackie Tohn and Sharon Van Etten both hit that sweet spot. That was from Season 3; Van Etten also covered “She Drives Me Crazy” by the Fine Young Cannibals in the same season as the TMBG cover of “Tubthumping”. That shows how deep the legacy of this series is.
Finally, here’s Ted Leo and the Pharmacists doing an excellent non-synthesizer “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” by Tears for Fears:
Honestly, it’s how much fun everyone is having while also delivering top-notch performances that makes this series great and a joy to have back. Dig in and find some new music and artists, and have some of your own fun.