Breaking: The Enemy

Who: Coventry, England indie punk trio the Enemy, who, in the span of a year, quickly went from forming the band to opening for the Rolling Stones to topping the British music charts.

Sounds Like: Already branded by the U.K. press as the newest reincarnation of Oasis, the Enemy combine that band's knack for Lennon/McCartney hooks with the youthful angst of the Buzzcocks and the social awareness of Joe Strummer, as evidenced by their debut album We'll Live and Die in These Towns.

Vital Stats:

• Singer/guitarist Tom Clarke doesn't feel much solidarity with other groups of his generation. "Most bands in the last ten years, particularly English bands, are just talking about complete drug-induced nonsense. In terms of actual agendas, there hasn't been anything since the Clash and the Sex Pistols," Clarke says. "I don't understand why we are in a minority of bands that are actually singing about social commentary and political issues."

• Despite their chart-topping success, Clarke measures his band's impact in another way. "I think the ongoing achievement we've strived for has changed. I think whether you can change one person's mind or minds on mass, " he says. "I think some of the most rewarding things that happens is when somebody comes up to you and says 'That song means so much to me.'"

• The band was selected to open up for the Rolling Stones at London's O2 Arena in what was the Stones last concert date of their 2007 European tour. Sold-out shows throughout England ensued, including a benefit concert to raise awareness to the problem of teen suicide.

Hear It Now: We'll Live and Die in These Towns is in stores and on digital music services now. Click above for exclusive video of the Enemy, including how the closing of a car factory inspired them and for clips from their videos for "Away From Here" and "It's Not OK."

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Song Stories

“The Pretender”

Foo Fighters | 2007

This song wasn't part of the planned track listing for 2007's Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace, and was put together in a day. "It happened after we recorded a lot of stuff," said Dave Grohl. Yet it ended up as the album opener and the lead single. Grohl called it "a stomping Foo Fighters uptempo song with a little bit of Chuck Berry in it." The singer hinted at the lyrics' political overtones: "Everyone's been f---ed over before and I think a lot of people feel f---ed over right now and they're not getting what they were promised."

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