Famous musicians don’t often diverge from their established genre by dishing out songs that sound totally different from what fans are used to. Why would they? If one sound works, why change it? That being said, a few big-name artists and bands through the years have opted to switch things up a bit, if only for a moment. And those very songs ended up being quite amazing releases. Let’s look at a few examples, shall we?
“Good Company” by Queen
Few songs by Queen were “tame.” Everything they produced had a grand, operatic element to it. That’s part of what made the legendary rock band so good; they knew how to entertain the masses. “Bohemian Rhapsody” is still possessing the minds (and drunken mouths) of karaoke fans around the world. And yet, in 1975, Queen opted to tone things down with the Dixieland jazz tune, “Good Company”.
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You might be surprised by everything going on in this song from A Night At The Opera, most prominently that banjo ukulele that Brian May plays. This song sounds so completely out of Queen’s wheelhouse. And yet, it still sounds exactly like Queen. Sans Freddie Mercury, of course. May took on the vocals for this track instead.
“Virginia Moon” by Foo Fighters
When one thinks of the alternative rock band Foo Fighters, one rarely thinks of bossa nova tracks. One certainly doesn’t think of crooner Norah Jones. And yet, the band decided to do something totally different with the song “Virginia Moon” on the 2005 record In Your Honor. Jones sings with Dave Grohl on this track, and guitar tech Joe Beebe plays lead guitar. Beebe, unsurprisingly, was the only person in Grohl’s crew who had any jazz experience.
“Army Of Me” by Björk
When I think of songs that boast a sound that is very different from the artist’s established genre, I almost always think of “Army Of Me” by Björk. Known for her avant-garde, electronic, experimental works, Björk decided to flip the script and put out an industrial rock song. And she did so gloriously. It’s darker than much of her music pre-1995, but it’s just one of several amazing tunes that made up the eclectic album Post.
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