All I Want For Christmas Is You - Sad Emo VersionAlex Melton2023-12-15 | Here we are, with the 3rd and final track from this year's Christmas EP - Currently streaming now everywhere!! A Pop Punk Christmas: open.spotify.com/album/3L76IKyzmazjij1GQ492Bg?si=bTOb0ZggTMGS-4uWhV9Rdw Vinyl/Merch: purenoiserecs.lnk.to/AlexMeltonMerch Stream: purenoiserecs.lnk.to/AlexMeltonMusic http://www.instagram.com/alexmeltonIf Blink-182 Wrote I Dont Want To Miss A Thing by AerosmithAlex Melton2025-08-25 | I started this project with intentions of making a super fast and upbeat version of this Aerosmith classic. As I worked on it longer, I started to hear a lot of the tropes of mid-00's pop punk find their way into the nooks and crannies of this song's arrangement, and it started to feel very Blink in certain spots. So here we are in 2025, with a bit of an evolution on the band parody - no longer as literal, and perhaps a more unique and creative experience than what I may have done in the past. I'm happy with it, it's really fun to listen to, and I hope you enjoy it too.Use Somebody by Kings Of Leon, but the drums are half timeAlex Melton2025-08-08 | Link to the video with NO TALKING: youtu.be/tXW2jBmAaA8
I think I've covered a Kings Of Leon song in nearly every cover band I've been a part of, which isn't that many but it's kinda weird that it happened more than twice. They've been ubiquitous ever since I graduated high school, so it's difficult to imagine them before "Only By The Night". All I know; this record is full of bangers and this song is a certified classic.
I had a bit of a tug of war with the pre-production on this project, but I'm glad I pulled through and found something really fun. I ended up increasing the tempo by about 5% after recording the drums, so I had to speed up the drum footage very slightly to make everything sync. We do what we gotta do to make it work, eh?
Follow me on instagram to track the progress of how the live show is coming together, and you'll find eventual show dates there I'm sure. the handle is just alexmelton.
If you've been around here before, then you know Taylor Swift is a big influence for me - my very first video on the channel was a pop punk Taylor Swift cover. Several years later, my Love Story cover kinda went viral and allowed me to start thinking about doing production and music full time. So now we're back, with arguably one of her biggest songs ever. Let's give it the 'ol emo treatment and see what happens.
0:00 - Music 4:41 - Discovering Taylor Swift (Red) 6:48 - Shake It Off Song Discussion 8:44 - How I Approached The CoverCelebrating 500K Subs With A Concert In The MountainsAlex Melton2025-06-12 | Thanks for 500k!!! Holy moly that's a lot of people. Please enjoy this little weekend getaway filmed at The Atrium House in the North Carolina mountains. Footage of Asheville and surrounding areas are all my own. I had a blast putting this together and I think it could be kinda considered a "visual EP" or something like that.
The first two songs are available to stream now, songs 3 and 4 are unreleased from my upcoming album, and the last song is an old one, from my EP "In The Sun" which is also available to steam. I'll probably be dropping these acoustic versions as extra content when the album is out. Someday.
0:00 - Feel It All 2:56 - Infinity 6:59 - Spinning Me Out 10:10 - Monday Morning 13:28 - In The SunAlex Melton Covers Stick Season by Noah KahanAlex Melton2025-06-02 | Thanks for joining me today as we discover, discuss, and appreciate Noah Kahan. He finds his voice and his audience with his biggest single to date: Stick Season. Let's talk about when preparation meets opportunity. Let's talk about the earnest and unique vocal style that resonates with all of us. Let's play some rock music. Find me on instagram and Spotify. Love ya!
0:00 - Intro 0:28 - Discovering Noah Kahan 3:59 - Production Discussion 8:44 - 500k SUBS! 9:19 - Stick Season CoverAlex Melton Covers Viva La Vida By ColdplayAlex Melton2025-05-14 | Love em or hate em, I always seem to find a lot of inspiration in this band and the songs they write. I had a wonderful time putting this together and I hope you follow me for more medium-form content like this in the future.
Here's a link to just the "music video" part, for a more pure playback experience: youtu.be/7KOBAz3kNbc
Michelle Branch's 'Everywhere' has a GIGANTIC hook that was super fun to interpret, but I was pleasantly surprised by all of the magic tucked into the rest of the song as well. I wanted to take a closer look at how these types of special songs are made, and the creative vision that brings everything together.
Thanks for watching, and find me on instagram if you hang out there (@ alexmelton)
0:00 - Intro 0:22 - Introducing Michelle Branch 1:17 - Collaboration In The Music Industry 2:50 - Introducing 'Everywhere' 3:37 - Things I Love 4:51 - Things To Keep 5:27 - Things To Change 6:41 - THE SONG 10:17 - OutroI Covered My Own Song - Did I Make It Better?Alex Melton2025-04-14 | Check out the original music video here! youtube.com/watch?v=Z2CcMOWcS1M New single drops on May 6!If Eminems Lose Yourself Was A Major Key Pop Punk Anthem (Too Many Riffs)Alex Melton2025-03-31 | Stream this cover right now, here's the Spotify link! open.spotify.com/album/6Rt5yGXEvUGVOFQumwkfms?si=bhLFbH1mSRuPiXKHUXZZIQLife Is A Highway Was Always A Pop Punk Song (and heres proof)Alex Melton2025-02-20 | This chorus stumped me for a few weeks. I kept trying to harmonically shift it in some way, before I learned my lesson and just embraced the riffage instead. ...Until the last chorus, where I couldn't help trying out some alternate chords through the outro. I think it's a nice blend of the original, plus lots of extra BPM and flashiness. Hope you enjoy! Find me on instagram if you want, I'm semi active there.I Turned 3 Of My Favorite Blink -182 Songs Into One Big Emo Anthem (GO/DOWN/VIOLENCE)Alex Melton2025-02-10 | I don't know how or why this popped into my head, but it was my job to record it and put it here on this website for you to enjoy. I'll love the Untitled album forever, and these are three of my favorite underrated gems from that great piece of work by Mark, Tom, and Travis. And of course, RIP Jerry. Spotify: open.spotify.com/artist/2Y3LFSXIRTjJZyjIA22qJA?si=efxBLMB-SMivSgcvkehfag insta: alexmeltonAlex Melton - Feel It All (Official Music Video)Alex Melton2025-01-28 | STREAM HERE: purenoiserecs.lnk.to/AlexMeltonMusic
"I wrote 'Feel It All' as a reminder to myself - stay present, appreciate your surroundings, don't close yourself off to everything in a futile attempt to keep out all the bad stuff. Life is beautiful, life is ugly, and we only get one chance to experience it." - Alex
Lyrics:
Well If you never try You never have to lose Let fate decide The inevitable truth lower the stakes No skin in the game Nothing wagered, nothing lost
Yeah, you gotta feel it all To feel something
yeah when you’re down and out And everything becomes a chore When The world gets way too loud So I’d rather not hear anymore Appreciate worse and better days find the beauty in the loss
Yeah, you gotta feel it all To feel anything at all Yeah, you gotta feel it all To feel somethingIf Sheryl Crows If It Makes You Happy Was An Emo AnthemAlex Melton2025-01-15 | Spotify: open.spotify.com/track/37hMJiRIJi2jPHnlk4orpZ?si=e2230ace244d430c Full Hypotheticals 5 album: open.spotify.com/album/48iUkCEUiREYd7PJz8avwA?si=as-Xrai2SGSE_4Kyl8lGxQ I recently watched 'Crossroads' with my wife, and I absolutely loved the placement of this song in that movie. I guess for a film produced by MTV they better have a few decent needle drops in there. So that's pretty much the reason I wanted to cover this song. Thanks, Britney Spears, for bringing that moment to us.One Hour Of Instrumental Pop Punk, Emo, and Alternative Rock | Alex Meltons Pop Punk Power HourAlex Melton2025-01-07 | Hello, friends! I come today bearing gifts in the form of song. Here's a full hour (plus a few minutes) of instrumental versions of some of my favorite recent cover songs. I guess this means they're now original songs? I'll have to read up on that. Well anyway, enjoy this video while you're working/studying/running/cleaning/showering/partying/sleeping. Try 1.5x speed for a different vibe. Find me on instagram if you want!
0:00 - Intro 1:10 - 10 1:50 - 9 2:39 - 8 3:28 - 7 4:23 - 6 5:17 - 5 6:28 - 4 7:09 - 3 8:14 - 2 9:51 - 1 12:26 - Closing ThoughtsWhen The Carolers Are Really Into My Chemical RomanceAlex Melton2024-12-18 | I've always loved this chorus so much - it has several incredible elements, from the chords to the half time to the vocal performance, just uncompromisingly EPIC. They went for it, and it paid off. So here's my vocal rendition of one of the biggest choruses in Alternative Rock. Happy Holidays!
Find me on Instagram or TikTok for more carols, Tom Delonge even shared a Blink one a few weeks ago!I Finally Have A Real Drum Kit - Lets Set It Up (Unboxing & Vlog)Alex Melton2024-12-16 | New Things! Shiny, Expensive Things.
2025 is the year of Real Drums for Alex Melton. I hope to use them in future videos, maybe even get to a point where I can do remote tracking for others. The possibilities are endless, spirits are high, and the procrastination on Caroling Part II is very real.
First things first - let's get this drum kit set up.
0:00 - Testing My New Drum Set (Song) 0:40 - Intro 2:13 - Goodbye Roland (Song) 3:11 - Prepping The Shells 3:46 - Alex's Drum History 7:42 - Unboxing Time 13:45 - It's A Montage (Song) 14:37 - Preamp Talk 15:35 - Drum Mic Walkthrough 16:13 - Closing Thoughts 17:55 - One More Drum ExampleWhen The Carolers Are Really Into Fall Out BoyAlex Melton2024-12-02 | Hey guys, here are three of my favorite FOB songs, in convenient bite sized caroling form! I wanted to take a second and recommend my Christmas EP on Spotify, for some full band holiday cheer: open.spotify.com/album/3L76IKyzmazjij1GQ492Bg?si=SQ30UwYJSGq12YRkocUQmQ
I hope to do a part 2 before the holidays are over, so please recommend a band you'd like to see Carolized!
If you didn't already know, I also put out some original music this year. Called "Take It Easy" and "Infinity", both songs have music videos here on the channel, and are also streaming now. It would mean a lot if you gave them a chance, I'm really proud of how they came out. They were produced and mixed by Alan Day of Four Year Strong and he was really rad to work with.
I'm thankful that I'm occasionally able to stretch my part writing muscles from my Bachelor's program over TEN YEARS ago lol. Even though I'm breaking plenty of rules (PARALLEL FIFTHS EVERYWHERE), but when you're emulating pop music all the rules go out the window anyway. Glad you guys enjoy these, because I sure do enjoy making them.If Dancing In The Dark Was An Emo Anthem (Bruce Springsteen)Alex Melton2024-11-22 | I'm going to take this opportunity to admit something - despite being born in '89, I've never bothered to really, actually, sincerely explore the music of the 80's.
Until Recently.
It all started, strangely enough, during the Halloween season. My wife and I were watching scary movies a lot, and we finally gave American Psycho a chance. My main observation, which is probably low on the list of things to take away from that movie, was that Huey Lewis does indeed absolutely slap.
And it kinda snowballed from there, but one of the songs that stuck out to me was this one by Bruce Springsteen. I'd only heard 'Born' up until then, and I was struck by how vulnerable the lyrics came across in 'Dancing'. For a man I associated with the bravado and brashness of his aforementioned biggest hit, I was pleasantly surprised to find that I very much connected with it.
I was originally going to do a more straight up version, not changing too much. But as I tracked ideas, the sound just kept evolving until it reached what you hear currently - almost getting rid of that main melodic motif entirely, and creating different counter-melodies and rhythmic emphasis that helps seat it in that emo-ish range.
I knew it was gonna be a challenge to impart that unique mix of vocal power and lyrical vulnerability, but I feel like it ended up in a great place. Hope you guys enjoy, and thanks for your time!I Believe In A Thing Called Love - Alt Rock/Emo CoverAlex Melton2024-11-14 | This song has always stood out to me. It's such a brilliant concept and it's got such a GIANT personality, and for a while it was a very daunting prospect to take this one apart and rebuild in my style. All the solos, the attitude, the absolute fun that radiates from the speakers.
Of course, after getting the ball rolling, I was able to find a way forward with a treatment and arrangement. I tried to change the chord progression of the chorus a few times, but nothing ever felt AS good. The best I could muster was some rhythmic shifting and some of those fun chord voicings I've fallen in love with recently.
I think it's a testament to the tightness of the original arrangement, and I'm learning that I don't have to throw out EVERYTHING about a song in order for me to find fulfillment and artistic satisfaction in the version that I end up releasing.
I'm always mindful about the idea that I want my work to be a companion piece to the original art, as opposed to competing in the same lane for the same listen. It's gotta be different enough to justify having been made.
That's probably the thing I'm most proud of about this year - learning to let the quality of the project dictate the production timeline instead of the other way around. And you guys have been gracious enough to continue watching even through the sporadic uploads. So, thanks. I've got a lot of music on Streaming services if you want more stuff on the go. open.spotify.com/artist/2Y3LFSXIRTjJZyjIA22qJA?si=i45GvAmOSBmUoDoRe9AdgwIf Third Eye Blind Wrote Whats My Age Again?Alex Melton2024-11-07 | Hey guys! The long awaited squeakuel to my "If Blink 182 Wrote Semi Charmed Life" has finally arrived! When I made that video several years ago, a lot of people suggested that I do the reverse - take a Blink song and make it sound like Third Eye Blind.
Honestly, the content creator side of me thought that was a brilliant idea, but the artist side of me was scared that I wouldn't be able to capture the spirit of 3EB in the same convincing way as I captured Blink's sound. I didn't want the next video to be compared unfavorably to the last.
All these years later, I'm starting to learn that it doesn't matter if it's literally perfectly executed. If the idea is fun and the art is captured in good faith, then I think that's valid enough for me. I'm really happy with the vibe of this song, regardless if it sounds EXACTLY like 3EB or any other 90's alternative band, or none of those things, or if it just sounds like Alex Melton. It's cool to me, and I'm glad I made it.
I know this is long winded and a bit heady for the light hearted video, but I tend to hide all my complex emotions and I wanted to at least have a little journal entry here to mark this occasion. Cheers to getting out of my own way!Alex Melton - Take It Easy (Official Video)Alex Melton2024-10-22 | Stream here! purenoiserecs.lnk.to/AlexMeltonMusic
I love the idea of a daily routine. Slow and organized progress towards a goal, no struggles about deadlines or worries about productivity. It’s become so romanticized for me, this unattainable ideal of what I think progress needs to look like.
My experience with forward progress is not very conducive to a daily routine; it comes in unregulated, short, and often difficult to manage BURSTS of intense productivity, followed by much longer periods of wondering how to bottle those moments, how to regulate the spark of inspiration a little. Trying to trick it into appearing, trying to conjure it through willpower.
This song deals with my internal struggle between ambition and indulgence. The duality of how I perceive my “productivity” versus my “laziness” - and learning how to frame things without such a zero sum mentality. I’m trying to be in the moment, wherever that moment needs me to be.AUTUMNAL - Live From My Dining Nook 2024Alex Melton2024-10-01 | Stream Autumnal and also stream my other new original song "Infinity" if you haven't yet! Happy Autumn yall.If Closing Time Was An Emo AnthemAlex Melton2024-09-23 | Stream here: open.spotify.com/album/4k4DycPrVsPWX2YYiIJZMP?si=AsXaW4ZST7CdEyrDhzOYKw
Thanks for listening! My wife has an amazing voice, as y'all familiar with the channel already know. She doesn't like to be on camera, and I immensely respect her decision and very much understand - however, it would be a shame to deprive you all of her singing voice, so I snuck in some layers of her lovely vocal in the chorus to counteract the absolute yelling I had to do in order to hit some of those notes.
I've already got this one on streaming after learning my lesson from Linger - and by the way, that one's up now too. I'd appreciate a stream and a follow over there on the streaming services. Thanks again!Alex Melton - INFINITY (Official Music Video)Alex Melton2024-08-29 | Stream my new song INFINITY right here: purenoiserecs.lnk.to/AlexMeltonMusic Follow me on instagram if you wanna keep up with me!
“Infinity” is about finding a balance between comfort and adventure. I wrote this song about my wife when I was hundreds of miles away recording this album, and it gave me a lot of much needed perspective about what I was there to achieve. I feel so lucky to have a partner that encourages me to do the things I’m passionate about, even when that means we’ll have to miss each other for a while. We both encourage each other to dream big.If Linger Was An Emo AnthemAlex Melton2024-08-19 | What a fantastic song, such a cool recording in a lot of different ways. I decided to try and make the instrumental more closely resemble the hopeless sense of sadness in the lyrics. I think it came out wonderfully, and I hope to put this on streaming in a few weeks after my FIRST OFFICIAL ORIGINAL SINGLE COMES OUT ON AUG 29! Thanks for listening.Boot Scootin Boogie Goes Pop PunkAlex Melton2024-07-30 | Brooks and Dunn really cooked with this one. Hope y'all enjoy my version of the song! Stream it now right here: open.spotify.com/track/35iTHnFGU4VA300F4sXjff?si=d734eb8ace5749d2If Blink 182 Wrote Pinch Me (Barenaked Ladies)Alex Melton2024-07-22 | A few years ago, I covered a BNL song as Blink 182 and it was very very fun. Turns out, there are a lot of very fun BNL songs. This is one of my favorites. Hope y'all enjoy! Follow me on instagram if you want: http://www.instagram.com/alexmelton Spotify: open.spotify.com/artist/2Y3LFSXIRTjJZyjIA22qJA?si=ZEVypCS9TiiV6MZhaKzxngRecreating My Favorite Drum Moments from Yellowcards Lights And SoundsAlex Melton2024-07-10 | Today, I wanna do a deep dive on a formative album for me when I was in High School - Lights And Sounds by Yellowcard. Let's talk about drum fills, production choices, and arrangement highlights! Also I've got some new stuff on Spotify and I've got an original album with some singles being prepped as I type this. Very exciting!Chappell Roan - Red Wine Supernova (Rock Cover ft. My Wife!)Alex Melton2024-06-22 | MASSIVE SHOUT OUT to my beautiful and wonderful and lovely wife, who put me on to this amazing artist. So it was only natural that we brought Madi back to the channel, in audio form. Hope you enjoy, cause we sure did have a blast putting this together. Vinyl/Merch: purenoiserecs.lnk.to/AlexMeltonMerch Stream: purenoiserecs.lnk.to/AlexMeltonMusic http://www.instagram.com/alexmeltonToby Keith - Shouldve Been A Cowboy (Twangy Midwest Emo Indie Rock Mashup)Alex Melton2024-06-13 | STREAM HERE: open.spotify.com/album/7yPrEi5a80C4hWLrWrf65A?si=7-78G4XJT-exksUWxHb09A Hey gang! We're back with another Y'allternative banger, smashing together the Late Great Toby Keith with some fun twinkly bits and general 90's alternative vibes with big open chords and lively drums. I love this era of country music, and I love bringing new vibes to these older classics. Thanks for listening.If Coldplays Fix You Was An Emo AnthemAlex Melton2024-04-05 | Stream here: open.spotify.com/track/7cXsWBxSZuqtDc8yHivVvq?si=c5b701b8cf4a4b71
I had a lot of fun keeping the core elements of this song intact this week, just expanding the instrumentation and just going with the flow of what the song felt like it needed. Sometimes, simple is best - and nobody proves that better than Chris Martin and Co. Powerful, singable, and honest. Great job, fellas.
Thinking about all the talent that must have been in the tracking room that day, with all the nice gear and engineers and resources; it makes me wonder what it would have been like if the band weren't so faithful to the original, maybe if they had a more playful approach with fun fills and layers.
I don't proclaim to be a professional by any means, but I thought it'd be a fun experiment to explore this wonderful song through the lens of that Nashville session band vibe. I hope you enjoy!
Vinyl/Merch: purenoiserecs.lnk.to/AlexMeltonMerch Stream: purenoiserecs.lnk.to/AlexMeltonMusic http://www.instagram.com/alexmeltonIf Third Eye Blind was an a capella bandAlex Melton2024-01-07 | Due to popular demand, we're back in the new year with some more a capella stuff - this time tackling 3 of my favorite Third Eye Blind Songs. Semi Charmed Life and Never Let You Go definitely speak for themselves, but I wanted to spotlight a slightly lesser known song for the last slot in this video:
Faster - The opening track from "Out Of The Vein", one of my favorite track 1's ever. The stuttering guitars get me hype every time, and then the percussion comes in slowly with the bass and it all culminates in the giant first half-chorus. Great arrangement, cool band, love live 3EB.