The battle for the attention of young music fans is more competitive today than at any other point in music history. Artists of all genres at every level of success have to constantly push themselves to think outside the box when it comes to marketing, which is often the deciding factor when it comes to whether or not an artist or band has any shot at long-term success. For Vegas Lights, a young post-hardcore group from Detroit, the answer to how they will make themselves stand out was simple: Cover One Direction.

Today, UTG is thrilled to present the world premiere of Vegas Lights’ heavy take on One Direction’s infectious new single, “Drag Me Down.” The song has been completely reworked to fit the band’s aggressive and electronic sound, with harmonies being replaced by screams and the addition of chugging guitars to ensure moshing will occur wherever their version is played. It’s exciting and unique, yet still built on the pop sensibilities that made the song work in the first place. You can stream the cover below.

When asked why they chose to cover “Drag Me Down,” Vegas Lights commented:

We worked with Joe Stafiej (the former drummer of Rumour) to put this cover together. In an age where pop goes punk covers are a dime a dozen, we wanted to showcase our abilities as a band, but also stay true to the poppy vibe that One Direction has as a chart-topping artist. “Drag Me Down’ is one of those infectious songs that you can’t get out of your head, and we hope that new fans of Vegas Lights will feel the same about our interpretation of it.

Currently, we are putting the finishing touches on our debut EP, and are looking forward to releasing our first single in September.

Click here to learn more about Vegas Lights. After the stream, comment below and let us know your thoughts on Vegas Lights’ unique approach to One Direction’s latest hit.

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James Shotwell

James Shotwell is the founder of Under The Gun Review. He loves writing about music and movies almost as much as he loves his two fat cats. He's also the co-founder of Antique Records and the Marketing Coordinator for Haulix. You should probably follow him on Twitter.

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