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

“I'm Yours”

Jason Mraz | 2008

Jason Mraz re-emerged after his disappointing second album with this lead single, a Jack Johnson-esque ditty about giving yourself fully to someone else. The success of the reggae-tinged song (it earned two Grammy nods and a spot on the Billboard singles chart for well over a year) was something the folk-pop singer never predicted when he wrote it in 15 minutes at home. "I played a happy-hippie chord progression that would probably work without 50 different Bob Marley songs," he told Rolling Stone. "I thought, 'It's too novelty. This is a nursery rhyme,'" concluding that "you can never guess what's gonna be a hit."

More Song Stories entries »

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