'80s Metal Legends Just Covered Chappell Roan's 'Pink Pony Club' - The Video Is Breaking the Internet
- - '80s Metal Legends Just Covered Chappell Roan's 'Pink Pony Club' - The Video Is Breaking the Internet
Deborah CruzJanuary 15, 2026 at 11:26 PM
0
The intergalactic shock rock legends known as GWAR just did something nobody saw coming — and the internet absolutely cannot handle it.
The theatrical heavy metal band, famous for their elaborate costumes and outrageous stage antics, delivered a thrilling rendition of Chappell Roan's pop anthem "Pink Pony Club" for the A.V. Club's Undercover series. The video, recorded at Chelsea Studios in New York, features frontman Blötharthe Berserker belting out the Grammy winner's hit with surprising reverence — before the band inevitably amps everything up to signature GWAR levels.
"It smells so clean!" a bandmate yells off-camera as the self-proclaimed Scumdogs of the Universe step into the studio, and what follows is exactly the kind of beautiful chaos fans of both artists didn't know they needed.
GWAR Transforms Pop Anthem Into Heavy Metal Glory
The cover showcases GWAR's ability to honor source material while making it unmistakably their own. When Blöthar hits the chorus, the transformation becomes complete — Roan's soaring pop melody meets crushing metal instrumentation, creating something simultaneously familiar and brand new.
This isn't GWAR's first rodeo with A.V. Undercover. Back in 2015, they delivered a memorable take on Cyndi Lauper's "She Bop," and they kicked off the series' 2024 return with a cover of Ryan Gosling's "I'm Just Ken" from the Barbie movie. The band clearly understands how to pick songs that shouldn't work in heavy metal format — and then make them work spectacularly.
Why Did GWAR Choose 'Pink Pony Club'?
The band's statement about their song choice reveals surprising depth. "'Pink Pony Club' is about embracing exile from a boring, shitty world and remaking yourself into whatever you want — be who you are, be who you aren't, piss people off, we don't care!" they explained.
Related: Freddie Mercury’s Alleged Daughter Just Died at 48 - She Had His 17 Secret Journals
That philosophy aligns perfectly with GWAR's decades-long mission. Since forming in Richmond, Virginia in the late 1980s, the band has built a career on theatrical rebellion, elaborate costumes and refusing to take themselves too seriously while taking their music very seriously indeed.
Meanwhile, Roan's original track has become a cultural phenomenon. After moderate buzz during its 2020 release, the song exploded in popularity as part of her breakthrough album "The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess." She performed it at the 2025 Grammy Awards, where she won Best New Artist, and Rolling Stone named it one of the 250 Greatest Songs of the 21st Century So Far.
Photo by Douglas Mason on Getty Images
The fan response has been overwhelming. "God, what have we done?!" one YouTube commenter asked, to which another replied: "You've done everything as the prophecy foretold and demanded."
Other reactions capture the unexpected magic: "Getting covered by GWAR is the musical equivalent of the Hollywood Walk of Fame," one fan wrote. Another noted: "As a queer GWAR fan this feels like it's specifically for me."
🎬 SIGN UP for Parade’s Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬
Perhaps the best summary came from a fan who wrote: "Sometimes you don't realize what you need in life until it finds you."
GWAR covering Chappell Roan shouldn't work on paper. But watching it happen proves that great songs transcend genre — and that sometimes the most unlikely combinations create pure magic.
This story was originally published by Parade on Jan 16, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
