Covers have always been an integral part of the Foo Fighters lore. From Dave Grohl’s early demo doodling to extended live medleys to the late Taylor Hawkins’ fan-favorite side project Chevy Metal, the Foo’s love to pay homage to their influences — and have a damn good time while doing it too.
Put simply, Foo Fighters just love music, and they can’t help but indulge in the sugary goodness of a cover. It’s as if there’s a cosmic pull willing them to perform the music they love but didn’t write. Like their multiple documentaries on the music-making process and their B-movie slasher flick, the band looks to revel in the magic and pure fun of music.
Of course, a pillar of this rock-as-gospel mentality was the band’s celebrated long-time drummer Taylor Hawkins. While his aforementioned Chevy Metal project allowed him to embody his favorite artists without the obligation to perform original tunes, Foo Fighters provided Hawkins with the opportunity to share his unflinching spirit with sold out stadiums. His near-nightly covers became a staple of each live show, harboring memorable moments of pure joy.
As the Foo Fighters have aged, and somehow managed to only become more established as a touring act, that fact has proven itself to be increasingly true. They’ve been dubbed the modern ambassadors of rock music, and they seem to be taking that role to heart. Their love for covers, then, serves to both introduce young listeners to the canon of rock and remind older fans that, despite what JPEGMAFIA has to say, rock and roll lives on.
All this is to say, Foo Fighters could probably move forward strictly as a cover band and continue to sell out stadiums. Not dissuade Grohl and co. from writing their late-career masterpiece, nor to rob fans of the sublime experience of singing, “You gotta promise not to stop when I say when,” with 20,000 other people, but the band’s sheer love of rock and roll shines through their covers so brightly that their live show would almost undoubtedly retain its legendary status. I dunno, maybe just one cover tour? As a treat?
Until the group returns my email pitches, we’ve ranked the best (readily accessible) Foo covers.