Pop Rock Favorites: Volume 3 Songbook

🎸 About the Pop Rock Favorites songbook series:

Pop rock is a genre of music that emerged in the late-20th century, combining elements of both pop and rock music styles. It is characterized by catchy melodies, straightforward song structures, and a focus on hooks that are easily accessible to a broad audience. Pop rock songs typically feature a strong emphasis on vocals and harmonies, often accompanied by electric guitars, drums, and other traditional rock instruments. This genre is known for its radio-friendly sound, making it a staple of mainstream music charts and appealing to a wide range of listeners.

These song selections are drawn primarily from the 1990s and 2000s and feature tracks played often on the PopRocks channel on SiriusXM (channel 12) and the arrangements are appropriate for intermediates and up.

🎶 Pop Rock Favorites: Volume 3 Songbook

Pop Rock Favorites: Volume 3

The Pop Rock Favorites Volume 3 collection includes twelve piano solo arrangements for intermediates & up by Jennifer Eklund of pop rock hits from the 1990s and 2000s. Includes favorites like, "Collide," (Howie Day), "One Headlight," (The Wallflowers), "She Hates Me," (Puddle of Mudd), and "Wonderwall" (Oasis).

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The following twelve songs are included in the Pop Rock Favorites: Volume 3 songbook.

These are all available as separate singles, but you get the most value by purchasing the whole collection. All of these arrangements are appropriate for intermediates and up.

1. Bitch (Meredith Brooks)
2. Collide (Howie Day)
3. December (Collective Soul)
4. Everything You Want (Vertical Horizon)
5. Gives You Hell (All-American Rejects)
6. Kiss Me (Sixpence None the Richer)
7. Lightning Crashes (Live)
8. Linger (The Cranberries)
9. One Headlight (The Wallflowers)
10. She Hates Me (Puddle of Mudd)
11. She’s So High (Tal Bachman)
12. Wonderwall (Oasis)

🎹 Watch a performance of the entire volume:

⭐ Featured Favorites

Let’s dive deeper with some more details about a few of my personal favorites from Pop Rock Favorites: Volume 3 songbook.

1. “Collide” by Howie Day (2004)

“Collide” is a song by American singer Howie Day, co-written with Kevin Griffin of Better Than Ezra. The song features backing instrumentation by the London Session Orchestra on the initial album version. It was released in the United States on June 1, 2004, as the second single from Howie Day’s album “Stop All the World Now” (2003). The song reached number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 in June 2005.

The song’s lyrics center around a relationship and touch on the challenges that two people involved in it may encounter. Initially gaining popularity on Billboard’s Adult Top 40 chart, the song’s success was boosted by a special edition reissue of the album, which included an acoustic version of “Collide.”

The music video for the song was filmed in Toronto, Canada, and features Howie Day singing on a commuter train while reminiscing about happy moments with his partner. The video also includes clips of Day playing guitar beneath a bridge.

🔎 Sheet music sneak peek:

Collide (Intermediate Piano)

Collide, as performed by Howie Day, stylishly arranged for intermediate piano by Jennifer Eklund.

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2. “Everything You Want” by Vertical Horizon (1999)

“Everything You Want” is a song by the American alternative rock band Vertical Horizon, serving as the title track and second single from their third studio album. Initially released to alternative radio in October 1999, the single reached the number one position on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart on July 15, 2000, following its commercial release on June 27, 2000. It also topped the Billboard Adult Top 40 chart and was named Billboard’s “Most Played Single” of 2000, making it the band’s most successful song.

The song, according to lead vocalist Matt Scannell, deals with the theme of unrequited love and was inspired by his own experiences. He explained that it was written out of the pain he felt when he couldn’t provide the love and acceptance a person he cared for needed. The song’s emotional depth and relatable lyrics contributed to its chart-topping success.

The music video for “Everything You Want” was directed by Clark Eddy in Los Angeles. The video uses a split-screen effect to show two versions of Scannell in contrasting environments. It features the band performing the song in a brightly lit room with vertical black pinstripes and includes messages that appear on the screen, highlighting various aspects of relationships. The video concludes with the message, “everything you want is not everything you need.” It received recognition from VH1, being chosen as the “Inside Track” of the month in January 2000.

🔎 Sheet music sneak peek:

Everything You Want (Intermediate Piano)

Everything You Want, as performed by Vertical Horizon, stylishly arranged for intermediate piano by Jennifer Eklund.

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3. “Kiss Me” by Sixpence None the Richer (1998)

“Kiss Me” is a popular song by American pop rock band Sixpence None the Richer, featured on their self-titled third album from 1997. Released as a single in August 1998 in the United States and internationally the following year, the song achieved significant success. It reached the number two position on the Billboard Hot 100 and became the sixth best-selling single in the United States in 1999. The song also topped the charts in Australia and Canada and reached the fourth spot on the UK Singles Chart, gaining top-10 positions in 16 countries globally.

The song’s composition originated during a stay in a Netherlands motel when band member Matt Slocum composed it. Lead vocalist Leigh Nash mentioned that the band initially hesitated to include the song on their album due to its more pop-oriented sound compared to their previous work. However, it gained widespread attention after being featured as the main theme song in the teen romantic comedy film “She’s All That” in January 1999, which contributed to its chart success.

The music video for “Kiss Me” was filmed in Paris and pays homage to the French filmmaker François Truffaut and his film “Jules et Jim.” Additionally, two alternate versions of the video were created, featuring the band sitting on a park bench, performing, and watching scenes from either “She’s All That” or “Dawson’s Creek” on a portable television or outdoor screen. Freddie Prinze Jr. and Rachael Leigh Cook appeared in the “She’s All That” version of the video, and the “Dawson’s Creek” version became VH1’s top video for the entire month of May 1999.

🔎 Sheet music sneak peek:

Kiss Me (Intermediate Piano)

Kiss Me, as performed by Sixpence None the Richer, arranged for intermediate piano by Jennifer Eklund.

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4. “Linger” by The Cranberries (1993)

“Linger” is a song by the Irish alternative rock band the Cranberries, featured on their debut studio album, “Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can’t We?” (1993). Composed by band members Dolores O’Riordan and Noel Hogan and produced by Stephen Street, it was released as the second and final single from the album on February 15, 1993, with a re-release on January 31, 1994.

The song, known for its acoustic arrangement featuring a string section, became the Cranberries’ breakthrough hit. It reached number 3 in Ireland, number 8 in the United States, and number 14 in the United Kingdom. “Linger” also spent 24 weeks on the US Billboard Hot 100. In addition, Australian Triple J listeners voted it as number 3 on the Triple J Hottest 100, 1993 chart.

Dolores O’Riordan wrote the song’s lyrics, drawing from an experience with a 17-year-old soldier she once loved, turning it into a song of regret. The band originally didn’t expect “Linger” to achieve such commercial success, but it became one of their most famous songs.

Critical reception for “Linger” was positive, with praise for O’Riordan’s emotional vocals and the song’s instrumentation. The music video, directed by Melodie McDaniel, drew inspiration from Jean-Luc Godard’s film “Alphaville” and received heavy rotation on MTV in 1993.

🔎 Sheet music sneak peek:

Linger (Intermediate Piano)

Linger, as performed by The Cranberries, arranged for intermediate piano by Jennifer Eklund.

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5. “One Headlight” by The Wallflowers (1997)

“One Headlight” is a song by the American rock band the Wallflowers, written by lead singer Jakob Dylan and produced by T-Bone Burnett. Released in January 1997 as the second single from the band’s album “Bringing Down the Horse” (1996), the song achieved significant success and recognition.

Notably, “One Headlight” became the first single to reach No. 1 on all three of Billboard’s rock airplay charts: the Modern Rock Tracks chart, the Mainstream Rock Songs chart, and the Adult Alternative Songs chart. It also held the No. 1 spot in Canada for five weeks. In 2000, it was ranked at No. 58 on Rolling Stone and MTV’s list of the “100 Greatest Pop Songs of All Time.”

Jakob Dylan wrote the song during the recording of “Bringing Down the Horse,” and he has described it as being about “the death of ideas.” The music video for the song was filmed in New York City and features the band performing.

While “One Headlight” did not chart on the US Billboard Hot 100 due to chart rules at the time, it was a significant radio hit, spending five weeks at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay chart and a total of 70 weeks on the chart. It also achieved chart success in Canada, Australia, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Additionally, the song won two Grammy Awards at the 40th Annual Grammy Awards: Best Rock Song and Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group. It was also performed live at the 1997 MTV Video Music Awards with Bruce Springsteen, where the music video received multiple nominations, including Viewer’s Choice.

🔎 Sheet music sneak peek:

One Headlight (Intermediate Piano)

One Headlight, as performed by The Wallflowers, arranged for intermediate piano by Jennifer Eklund.

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6. “She’s So High” by Tal Bachman (1999)

Another awesome one-hit-wonder:

“She’s So High” is a power pop song written and performed by Canadian singer-songwriter Tal Bachman. It was released as a single in February 1999 from his self-titled debut album. The song achieved significant success, reaching the top of the US Billboard Adult Top 40 chart, peaking at number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100, and reaching number three in Canada. It also became a top-10 hit in Australia and New Zealand and peaked at number 30 in the United Kingdom.

Tal Bachman wrote the song based on an experience from high school when he tried to persuade the most attractive girl in school to date his stepbrother. The song was produced by Bob Rock and recorded in Maui, featuring Bachman playing both his father’s ‘62 Stratocaster and a 12-string electric guitar.

In terms of chart performance, “She’s So High” spent 28 weeks in the top 100 of the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the Adult Top 40 chart. In Canada, it reached number three on the RPM Top Singles chart and was the eighth best-selling single of 1999 in the country. The song also found success in Australia and New Zealand, where it peaked at number eight and number nine, respectively.

The music video for “She’s So High” features Yvonne Sciò and includes scenes of her dressed in angel’s wings and World War II-era headgear, performing various stunts and interacting with a young girl. The video is interspersed with shots of Tal Bachman and his band performing the song.

🔎 Sheet music sneak peek:

She's So High (Intermediate Piano)

She's So High, as performed by Tal Bachman, arranged for intermediate piano by Jennifer Eklund.

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🤔 Looking for more Pop Rock sheet music? We’ve got you covered!

I Won't Back Down (Easy Piano)

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Happier (Easy Piano)

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Love Will Keep Us Alive (Intermediate Piano)

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Don't Stop Believin' (Intermediate Piano)

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Can't Knock the Hustle (Intermediate Piano)

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Losing My Religion (Intermediate Piano)

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👋 Do you have a favorite Pop Rock tune from this volume? I’d love to hear about it!