Pop/rock bangers with swelling horns

November 21, 2024 8:44 AM

Looking for your favorite modern pop/rock hits with swelling horns, kind of like this song. If you have YouTube links, even better!
posted by splitpeasoup to Media & Arts (34 answers total)

Response by poster: Or horns at all, for that matter.
posted by splitpeasoup at 8:45 AM on November 21

It's not exactly new, but "Major" by The Asteroids Galaxy Tour still slaps.
posted by xedrik at 8:50 AM on November 21

There's always Chicago (I link this version of "25 or 6 to 4", as not only are the horns hot, but it also features an incredible guitar solo from the underrated Terry Kath - you asked for a banger).
posted by whatevernot at 9:00 AM on November 21 [4 favorites]

Lighthouse (Canadian content).
Blood Sweat and Tears.
posted by whatevernot at 9:04 AM on November 21 [1 favorite]

Mexican Institute of Sound - Mirando A Las Muchachas


Two Tons of Steel - Vegas
Sports Team - The Drop

Ska and ska adjacent: - if you like ska, this list could be very long
Bowling for Soup - 2113
Save Ferris - Come on Eileen (cover)
posted by The_Vegetables at 9:05 AM on November 21

Tower of Power.
posted by whatevernot at 9:07 AM on November 21

Sledgehammer
posted by falsedmitri at 9:24 AM on November 21 [1 favorite]

Many songs by Calexico (an indie folk/rock combo with Mexican influences) feature prominent horns. They have a semi-regular horn section.

Here's one.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 9:40 AM on November 21 [2 favorites]

CALEXICO FTW!!!

"Crystal Frontier" is the Ur example. Also, if you get a chance, see them live.

"Can't Hardly Wait" by the Replacements has a kick-ass horn part

"Ghost of Stephen Foster" by the Squirrel Nut Zippers


I am scrolling through my serontonin playlist to single out horn-heavy bops and will post more as I find them.
posted by Kitteh at 9:54 AM on November 21 [2 favorites]

The incomparable Neko Case borrowed Calexico's horn section for her track "Ragtime" (which is actually about trying to find music to lift you out of winter depression, so... timely.)

Here she is with her band and the horn players from Calexico playing the song live on Conan.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 10:01 AM on November 21 [2 favorites]

New Kim Deal: "Nobody Loves You More"
posted by peachfiber at 10:23 AM on November 21 [4 favorites]

Dessa: Skeleton Key (Youngblood Brass Band Remix)
posted by EvaDestruction at 11:28 AM on November 21

I don't think either of these qualify as hits but they're great songs:
Thee Oh Sees - Poor Queen
Belle and Sebastian - Sleep the Clock Around
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 11:31 AM on November 21 [1 favorite]

Streetlight Manifesto
posted by poppunkcat at 11:46 AM on November 21

This is basically my favourite genre! You can add horns to any song and I will like it 1000% more.

My absolute all-time favourite song of this type is Camera Obscura Honey in the Sun

So much of Belle & Sebastian is like this, in addition to Sleep the Clock Around, I particularly love Women's Realm, which also adds in swelling violins to really build it up. So good.
posted by urbanlenny at 11:59 AM on November 21 [1 favorite]

Doing It All For My Baby
by Huey Lewis and The News
featuring Tower of Power Horns
posted by jerome powell buys his sweatbands in bulk only at 1:13 PM on November 21

Matchbox Twenty - If You're Gone
posted by karizma at 3:26 PM on November 21 [1 favorite]

Real Real Gone, Van Morrison
posted by bricoleur at 4:11 PM on November 21

One of the highlights of this year was learning about Meute, a dance music marching band from Hamburg, Germany. There are lots of great videos with the crowd getting involved as well as several long form concert videos often filmed on top of buildings around Hamburg, so also good from an architectural perspective?
posted by pipstar at 4:18 PM on November 21 [1 favorite]

I love horns and strings in my rock/pop/whatever as well! I should have a playlist of this stuff but I don’t, which needs to be remedied asap. Off the top of my head Brasstronaut is good for this kind of stuff.

Probably not what you’re looking for but I hope that you come to love it as much as I do, People Never Change by Peter Cat Recording Company
posted by ashbury at 4:34 PM on November 21

Evil Twin by Krrum. Banger.
posted by ashbury at 4:44 PM on November 21

MOAR Belle and Sebastian: Dog on Wheels (horn kicks in at 1:24)
MOAR Cake: Short Skirt / Long Jacket, Never There, Teenage Pregnancy
Elvis Costello and the Roots: Cinco Minutos Con Vos
Beta Band: Dry the Rain
Spoon: The Underdog
Last Train Home: Dogs on the East Side
Billy Bragg: Levi Stubbs' Tears
Beatles: Penny Lane, For No One
Maybe a little further away from what you wanted, but with French horn and more joy than one song can legally contain: Holger Czukay's Cool in the Pool
posted by maudlin at 5:01 PM on November 21 [2 favorites]

This Too Shall Pass
posted by miratime at 6:23 PM on November 21

The reference to Elvis Costello brought to to mind one of his best early albums — Punch the Clock. Horns dominate a good portion of the album —

Let Them All Talk
The Greatest Thing
TKO (Boxing Day)
The Invisible Man
The World and His Wife

Plus there’s that heartbreaking Chet Baker trumpet solo in the middle of Shipbuilding.
posted by sesquipedalia at 6:40 PM on November 21 [1 favorite]

These might be too low-key or insufficiently horn-centric for you, but to me the horns in all of them are very strong and significant even if they're not dominant.

The National: Fake Empire (horns really kick in around 2.36).
Sufjan Stevens: Chicago
Capital Cities: Safe and Sound
MisterWives: Our Own House
posted by Athanassiel at 8:44 PM on November 21 [1 favorite]

Los Hermanos - samba a dois (horns start 1 min in and at 2:45ish have this almost stevie wonderful burst of hornsness)

Beyoncé’s Countdown

Tabu Lay - Monsieur Malonga (forgive me that this is a bit more classic than new, but the horns aee so great)

Criolo - Linha de Frente
posted by umbú at 5:56 AM on November 22

Insufferably indie pop rock, rather than any sort of hit, and not especially modern but holy moly Mr Tough by Yo La Tengo is a candy coated banger, with terrific horns.
posted by dirtdirt at 8:38 AM on November 22 [2 favorites]

Reel Big Fish - Sell Out
posted by horsegnut at 12:01 PM on November 22

Cake has an awesome version of I Will Survive *chef kiss*
posted by SinAesthetic at 1:50 PM on November 22 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Thank you all for the recommendations! I am working my way through these - and loving them!
posted by splitpeasoup at 4:26 PM on November 22 [1 favorite]

Forgot the Go-Team: The Wrath of Marcie and Of Monsters and Men: Little Talks.
posted by Athanassiel at 3:25 AM on November 23 [1 favorite]

Adam Ant, Desperate But Not Serious -
I adore that bass line, too.
posted by edithkeeler at 1:47 PM on November 23

Was listening to my favourite Belle & Sebastian songs and Dirty Dream Number Two came up. It's a good one!
posted by urbanlenny at 11:54 AM on December 2

DJ Shadow - Rocket Fuel
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 2:01 PM on December 9