Went out to the backyard to find out if it was one of those rowdy boys

So. The Jonas Brothers.

As readers of Popjustice may remember, the Jonas Brothers—a trio of brothers who are a bit like a modern-day Hanson—have covered two Busted songs, “Year 3000” (their second single) and “What I Go To School For,” on their new album, It’s About Time. The brothers aren’t particularly famous in the United States, although the video for their debut single “Mandy” did get some airtime. They also seem to have some pretty close ties with Disney, as they’ve appeared on Disney soundtracks and on a version of Disneymania (which is modern pop groups covering classic Disney songs).

Before I get into the meat of this essay/rambling, I want to make a few things clear. I have not heard all of the Jonas Brothers’s album, so this is not a review of them as a whole. Also, I think it is completely ridiculous that they are getting harassed on MySpace for their covers; pretending to be friends with someone and then leaving nasty messages for them, even if the boys themselves probably never see them, is hurtful without any purpose.

That said, I must confess that I am completely and irrationally upset by these covers. There is absolutely no reason for this to be the case. They clearly have James Bournes’s approval. Songs are covered all the time, and isn’t that really an honor for the songwriters? It shows that the covering group think the song is good enough to be worth performing, albeit with their own spin to it. Sometimes covers can even inspire a resurgence of interest in the originals. They are good songs that deserve to be heard, and Busted isn't around to pitch them to the States anymore, so why shouldn't the Jonas Brothers use them? I certainly can't blame the Jonas Brothers for Busted's failure to break the U.S., since that aborted attempt occurred years ago. From a musical perspective, one could quite easily appreciate the Jonas Brothers’ version of “Year 3000” more than Busted’s version; their voices blend better together—if you ever found the Busted boys’ delivery obnoxious, you might well prefer the Jonas Brothers.

Continuing the use of "Year 3000" as an example, I’d like to explain away being upset by just saying that I prefer the original and am unhappy with a less-good cover version being released. I do definitely prefer the Busted version. The way the Jonas Brothers’ voices blend together almost makes the song too bland for me. The boys in Busted didn’t exactly have smooth, pretty delivery, but I think that actually helped them. The Jonas Brothers also don’t have the Busted attitude in their voices—a bit of snottiness, a bit of teen rebellion—which I think normally helps make the song. They’ve used guitars a bit more, making the song a little less distinctive (some of the electronic noises have been replaced with guitar parts). Many Busted fans (I would categorize myself as a fan, as I like much of their music, but I'm certainly not obsessed with them) are upset with some of the lyrics changes (“Kelly Clarkson” has replaced “Michael Jackson” and your great great great granddaughter is now “doin’ fine,” not “pretty fine,” etc. etc.—essentially, making it more family-friendly). I prefer the old lyrics and it sounds odd to me, used to the Busted version, to hear different words, but I can understand their reasoning; songs talking about triple-breasted women are not going to get played on Radio Disney, which is probably where the Jonas Brothers are trying to build up their support. I used to think that, if we could change one particular line in each Busted song, they would be a lot less awkward and a lot better; the Jonas Brothers seem to have tried that, and, surprisingly, it hasn't really improved "Year 3000." Nevertheless, I think the main reason for my preference is the music, not the lyrics. Still, even if the Busted version is better (which I know some people will disagree with me about), covers are often inferior to the original; for me, they almost always are. If that’s the case, why should this cover bother me so much?

Answer: it shouldn’t. Someone, please, talk some sense into me, because I am illogically and irrationally upset about this.

Judge for yourselves:

Year 3000 (Busted—original)

Year 3000 (cover by the Jonas Brothers)

You can buy Busted’s first album, Busted, here (physical) or here (digital) and the Jonas Brothers’ first album, It’s About Time, here (physical) or here (digital; only valid for US residents).

Next up: Lee Ryan or pianos, probably.

jonas brothers busted