🎸 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 7 Songbook
The following twelve songs are included in the Pop Rock Favorites: Volume 7 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.
- Animal (Neon Trees)
- Ex’s & Oh’s (Elle King)
- Ho Hey (The Lumineers)
- How You Remind Me (Nickelback)
- Jenny Was a Friend of Mine (The Killers)
- Jumper (Third Eye Blind)
- Move Along (All-American Rejects)
- On Top of the World (Imagine Dragons)
- Sk8er Boi (Avril Lavigne)
- Stand (R.E.M.)
- Sugar, We’re Goin’ Down (Fall Out Boy)
- Wherever You Will Go (The Calling)
🎹 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 7 songbook.
1. “Jumper” by Third Eye Blind (1998)
“Jumper” by Third Eye Blind is an alternative rock and acoustic power pop song released in 1998 as the fifth and final single from their debut album. The song’s lyrics touch upon the theme of suicide and advocate for increased compassion and understanding among people. Stephan Jenkins, the band’s frontman, wrote the song to address the perils of bullying, particularly inspired by the suicide of a bullied gay teenager. Jenkins emphasized the importance of having empathy for one another and the need to put the past away.
The song’s recording and mixing involved creating a distinct sound, with a focus on drum thuds and a midrange thickness. “Jumper” received positive reviews, with some critics praising its composition and catchy acoustic elements. In the United States, it peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, spending a total of 20 weeks on the chart. The song’s music video, directed by Yariv Gaber, is set in a crowded club and follows a young man as he interacts with various people. It features appearances by American model Anna Nicole Smith and conveys a message of empowerment and connection.
🔎 Sheet music sneak peek:
2. “Stand” by R.E.M. (1989)
“Stand” is a song by the American alternative rock band R.E.M., released as the second single from their album “Green” in 1989. The song achieved commercial success, peaking at number six on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States and topping both the Mainstream Rock Tracks and Modern Rock Tracks charts. It also reached number 48 on the UK Singles Chart and number 16 in Canada. “Stand” is characterized by its playful and upbeat 1960s-style bubblegum pop sound, drawing inspiration from groups like The Banana Splits, The Archies, and The Monkees.
Singer Michael Stipe has described the song as being about making decisions and actively living one’s life rather than simply letting it happen. The song’s lyrics are intentionally lighthearted and inane, meant to capture the spirit of the bubblegum pop genre. Guitarist Peter Buck referred to “Stand” as one of the band’s “stupidest” songs but emphasized that this was not necessarily a negative quality. Despite its simplicity, the song received positive reviews for its catchy melody and unique charm.
“Stand” has remained a notable track in R.E.M.’s discography, and it was included in various compilation albums, including “In Time: The Best of R.E.M. 1988–2003” and “Part Lies, Part Heart, Part Truth, Part Garbage.” It also served as the theme song for the 1990–1992 Fox sitcom “Get a Life,” starring Chris Elliott, and was parodied by “Weird Al” Yankovic as “Spam” on the album “UHF – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack and Other Stuff.”
🔎 Sheet music sneak peek:
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3. “Move Along” by The All-American Rejects (2006)
“Move Along” is a song by the American rock band the All-American Rejects, released as the second single from their second studio album of the same name in 2006. The song was written by Nick Wheeler and Tyson Ritter and carries an anti-suicide message, encouraging self-belief and perseverance in the face of problems.
The song received positive reviews from music critics, with some praising its catchy pop-rock sound and uplifting message. “Move Along” performed well on the charts, debuting in the top 50 of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and eventually reaching the 15th spot. It also reached the top 5 on Billboard’s Hot Digital Songs and Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks charts. The song became the band’s most played track on alternative rock radio stations and had sold over two million digital downloads in the United States by March 2009.
The music video for “Move Along,” directed by Marc Webb, features lead singer and bass guitarist Tyson Ritter going through a series of personal problems, with quick-cut editing to convey a sense of urgency and turmoil in his life. The video’s style was inspired by a fan-created tribute video posted on YouTube before the official video’s production.
🔎 Sheet music sneak peek:
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4. “Sugar, We’re Goin’ Down” by Fall Out Boy (2005)
“Sugar, We’re Goin Down” is a song by the American rock band Fall Out Boy, released as the lead single from their second album, “From Under the Cork Tree,” in 2005. The song, written by Patrick Stump and Pete Wentz, became a major hit and marked Fall Out Boy’s breakthrough into the mainstream. It reached No. 8 on the US Billboard Hot 100, making it their first top-10 hit. The song spent 20 weeks in the top 20 and a total of 42 weeks on the chart. It also achieved significant sales success, becoming the band’s first two-million seller in July 2009 and eventually selling over 4.6 million copies in the US.
The song’s music video, directed by Matt Lenski, tells the story of a boy with deer antlers on his head who forms a friendship with a girl. Despite her father’s objections, they continue to see each other, and the video takes some surreal and symbolic twists. The video also features scenes of the band performing the song. Over the years, “Sugar, We’re Goin Down” has been recognized as one of Fall Out Boy’s signature songs and a defining track of the emo genre. It has received critical acclaim, charted well internationally, and remains a fan favorite and an influential song within the pop-punk and emo music scenes.
🔎 Sheet music sneak peek:
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5. “Ex’s & Oh’s” by Elle King (2014)
“Ex’s & Oh’s” is a song by American singer and songwriter Elle King, released as her debut single and the lead single from her 2015 debut studio album, “Love Stuff.” The song, co-written by Elle King and producer Dave Bassett, blends various musical elements, including pop rock, blues rock, alternative rock, and Southern rock, with a swing beat. It received critical acclaim upon its release for its catchy and upbeat sound, as well as King’s creative lyrics.
The song achieved significant success in the rock genre, reaching number 1 on the Billboard Hot Rock Songs chart and becoming the second solo female song to do so since 1996. It also crossed over to adult pop radio and became an international hit, reaching the top ten in multiple countries, including Australia, Austria, and New Zealand. “Ex’s & Oh’s” marked Elle King’s first top-10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 10.
The song’s lyrics describe the narrator’s past relationships with needy men and her tendency to quickly lose interest in those relationships. Elle King’s delivery and the song’s lively instrumentation contributed to its acclaim. It has since been certified platinum or higher in seven countries, including 4× Platinum in the United States. The music video for “Ex’s & Oh’s” features a unique role reversal, with scantily clad male characters and scenes containing sexual innuendos, challenging the traditional objectification of women in music videos. The song received Grammy nominations for Best Rock Performance and Best Rock Song.
🔎 Sheet music sneak peek:
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6. “Ho Hey” by The Lumineers (2012)
“Ho Hey” is a song by the American folk rock band the Lumineers, released as the lead single from their self-titled debut studio album in 2012. The song was originally created as a way to engage disinterested concert-goers in Brooklyn by using shouts to grab their attention.
The song debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 90 and gradually climbed the charts, reaching its peak at number 3 after 28 weeks on the chart. It also enjoyed a 14-week stay in the Hot 100’s top ten and topped several Billboard charts, including Rock Songs, Alternative Songs, and Adult Pop Songs. It has sold over four million copies in the United States.
Internationally, “Ho Hey” reached the top ten in multiple countries, including the UK, Canada, Ireland, France, Israel, Italy, Slovakia, New Zealand, Australia, and Switzerland.
Critically, the song received positive reviews, with praise for Wesley Schultz’s lead vocals and its genuine and straightforward musical style. Rolling Stone ranked it as the 26th-best song of 2012.
🔎 Sheet music sneak peek:
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