What if you could make your next event absolutely unforgettable?
Nothing brings an event to life quite as much as live music. And if you want to get people singing and cheering, you get a band that will play some familiar hit songs.
To crank out awesome and familiar tunes, you need to hire a tribute band or a cover band. But what are the differences between tribute band vs cover band? Which one is best, and why?
Keep reading to discover the answers!
What Is a Cover Band?
A cover band is one that focuses on performing the songs of various other bands. Such bands may “cover” music from a variety of bands and eras or focus on a single time period.
For example, many cover bands focus on playing musical favorites from different decades. When these bands are hired to play events such as weddings, guests often appreciate hearing the familiar tunes.
In some cases, cover bands are more specialized. This includes bands that focus only on music from a certain time period (like oldies from the 1960s). Depending on the audience, these tunes may be popular because of their nostalgic value.
What Is a Tribute Band?
Unlike traditional cover bands, tribute bands focus on covering the music of only one band or artist. For the entirety of the event, tribute acts focus entirely on recreating the experience of hearing the original musician.
For example, The Fab Four is a famous tribute band that recreates the music of The Beatles. And Bohemian Queen recreates the music of (you guessed it) Queen.
Because it focuses only on one band or artist, a tribute band gives more of a niche performance. But if you know most of the crowd loves this particular artist, you can get the party started in a big way with a tribute band.
The Pros of Cover Bands
Still on the fence about whether to hire a tribute band vs cover band? To help you make a decision, let’s take a closer look at the pros and cons of each choice.
With cover bands, the biggest “pro” is audience familiarity with the music. These bands typically play “top 20”-style hits, so most of the people in the room should know the music very well.
Cover bands also “cover” a wide range of music and musical acts. So if some people in the audience don’t vibe to one song, they may go crazy for the next.
And in some cases, a cover band singer may add their own twist to a familiar song. And this can help those who enjoy a song appreciate it in a new way.
Cover bands are great when the audience may be varied in age range and in musical taste. These bands typically want to ensure the broadest appeal across a variety of musical styles and artists.
The Cons of Cover Bands
As great as cover bands can be, there are a few “cons” you should consider. The first and most obvious one is that cover band singers may not sound much like the singers they are covering. So while they can sing a variety of songs, these songs may bear little resemblance to the original.
In addition, sometimes depth is better than breadth. A cover band may recreate familiar tunes from across the decades. But if they have no musical “deep cuts,” the experience isn’t very different from listening to a “Billboard Hits” playlist on services like Youtube or Spotify.
And while it depends on the band, some cover bands like to mix in their own music with the covers. Sometimes, this music is great! But if it isn’t, then these original compositions can really bring the energy in the room down.
Oftentimes, a mediocre cover band may actually prove less interesting to your audience than a (gasp!) DJ.
The Pros of Tribute Bands
The biggest benefit of hiring a tribute band is simple. You get the fun and the “buzz” of hosting a “big name” concert while only paying a fraction of the cost of hiring the “real thing.”
Tribute bands also offer deep dives into the music of the original bands. So in addition to playing familiar tunes for general audiences, they will play rarer selections that really excite the superfans in the audience.
Finally, tribute bands tend to be of higher quality than cover bands. This includes using more accurate musical instruments and putting in more effort towards everything from lights to sound.
Let’s put it this way: some tribute bands are good enough to serve as intro acts to the original band. This is something no major cover bands can claim to have done!
The Cons of Tribute Bands
As much as we love tribute acts, they do come with some drawbacks you should consider. One such drawback is that tribute bands can be more expensive to hire than cover bands. This is because tribute bands often perform in upper scale venues and larger festivals, with audiences that rival national act size audiences.
Beyond that, the main drawback is one we touched on earlier: depth vs breadth. By definition, a tribute band is all about diving deep into one artist rather than covering songs from multiple bands.
While this approach is a hit with superfans, those who don’t like the original band are unlikely to enjoy the tribute band.
Be pretty sure that your audience will enjoy the deep cuts of a Journey tribute band or a Queen tribute band before you hire them!
Tribute Band vs Cover Band: Why Tribute Bands Are the Best
Now you know the definitions, pros, and cons of cover bands and tribute bands. That brings us to the big question.
Tribute band vs cover band, which should you hire for your next event?
At the end of the day, your best bet these days is to hire a good tribute band. These bands offer more quality for your money in terms of music and performance, and your guests will never forget the event.
There’s nothing more forgettable than a run-of-the-mill cover band.
And audiences understand tribute bands are a cut above typical live music. Someone can often experience musical covers by going to a local bar over the weekend. But a real tribute band offers an experience they won’t soon forget.
If you’re ready to throw your own unforgettable experience, the only thing left to do is hire a tribute band today from a company you can trust.
Book the Best Tribute Bands Today
Now you know everything you need to know about tribute band vs cover band. But do you know where you can hire the best tribute bands today?
Here at Pro Tribute Bands, we specialize in providing searing musical performances to amaze you and your guests. Ready to take your event to the next level? All you have to do is contact us today!
