It’s almost impossible not to bob your head and sing along to Harvey Danger’s 1998 hit “Flagpole Sitta,” with that unmistakable drum intro, the steady, quarter-note downstrums of electric guitar, and those double-meaning lyrics we all know by heart. This is the song that refuses to die, appearing in movies, TV shows, on the radio, and your favorite karaoke bar. Even in the streaming age, it sits at almost 130,000,000 plays on Spotify.
So when the All-American Rejects recently decided to cover the ‘90s power-pop anthem after re-emerging into the spotlight last year during its first solo headline tour in 10 years, it serves as a nostalgic, comeback celebration for the band.
More from Spin:
Not Sick But Not Well: The All-American Rejects Cover Harvey Danger’s ‘Flagpole Sitta’
SPIN Records Launches With Robbie Rivera Remix Of Robot Sunrise’s ‘London Public WiFi’
All-American Rejects Confirm Tour With Fellow 2000s Emo Favorites
To add to the celebration, the new single is the first major release for SPIN Records.
Now the band has another surprise.
Witness the revelry, the joy, the antics of the All-American Rejects in a new music video via SPIN Records and Greater Than Distribution, as the band invites everyone to sing along to its cover of “Flagpole Sitta.”
The video is a candid portrayal of the All-American Rejects’ new-found excitement for playing music together again after a lengthy hiatus. It features behind-the-scenes studio footage from the song’s recording, along with clips from 2024 festival appearances at Slam Dunk, I Wanna Be Brazil, and others. Does this mean that the four-piece cornerstone of 2000s alternative rock is having fun again?
“We really wanted to capture the feeling of what touring the last year has done for us as a band, so Andy just started shooting everything,” says lead vocalist Tyson Ritter. “From months of incredible crowds, to stolen moments after shows, this video is a love letter to ourselves. Andy punctuated that letter with so many kinetic moments, every exclamation married with a nuanced intimacy showing the four of us closer than we’ve ever been. To see ourselves having fun again has really opened us up to a future for this band.”
Formed in Stillwater, Oklahoma in 1999, the All-American Rejects quickly rose to prominence in the early 2000s with its infectious blend of pop-punk and emo rock. The band’s self-titled debut album, released in 2002, featured the hit single “Swing, Swing,” which propelled them into the mainstream. In 2005, The released its second album Move Along, which achieved three chart-topping singles – “Dirty Little Secret,” “Move Along,” and “It Ends Tonight.” The All-American Rejects continued its success with the 2008 album When the World Comes Down, featuring the smash hit “Gives You Hell” – the band’s most successful single to date, reaching number four on the Billboard Hot 100.
What’s next for the All-American Rejects?
In a new interview with Zach Sang, the band alluded to the possibility of an album, saying, “that would be the next step, if it’s worth taking.” Ritter then went on to say, “Expectations are the killer of art.”
Until then, watch the new video and celebrate the return of the All-American Rejects. And don’t forget to sing along.
To see our running list of the top 100 greatest rock stars of all time, click here.
