New (current) songs for acoustic duo
 

I’m doing an acoustic duo with a buddy whom I’ve been playing music with for 20+ years. We pretty much did the classic rock/80’s band thing for most of that time. We have lots of music, but nothing current and to be honest, I don’t even listen to the radio so I have no idea what people are in to.

I picked out some Ed Sheeran stuff that I really like. Just looking for some ideas that the outside deck/pub scene would be into these days. I’m a bit older that the average pub-goer these days.

We’re going to keep a lot of the older stuff, but I need some new (current) material. Any and all ideas welcome based on your experience.

Thanks.

I think if you're an artist looking to cover contemporary songs, it's part of your job to stay abreast of what's popular (or at least familiar) to your audience and what fits your duo's specific style and abilities.

I could suggest all kinds of current stuff that I like (Band of Horses, Decemberists, Shakey Graves, Alabama Shakes, Albert Hammond, Jr., Spoon, etc.) but I have no idea if you or your audience would dig it.

And therein lies the key. Do you have an audience that is demanding the current stuff? We don't, so classic rock etc works fine for us.

I’m sure our repertoire is fine. I’ve been playing live for 25+ years and I know what works. I’d just like to find some current stuff to add to the mix.

Milky Chance - Stolen Dance
Rag n bone man- Human
Lightning Bolt - Jake Bugg

I do an acoustic version of Mr Brightside(Killers)
Chili Peppers can be done acoustic
Save Tonight- Eagle eyed Cherry.

I do a lot of 90s, current is tough to find good songs with staying power

I have a buddy that plays mostly top 40 stuff. It keeps him pretty busy.

If I were not already a musician, the current music would not make me want to become one. Consequently, l play what the OP says he's been playing. When there is no longer a demand for that in the venues, I'll stop playing gigs.

Dan Auerbach -- Shine on Me
Florence and the Machine -- Shake it Off
Ray Lamontagne -- generally
Gnarls Barkley-- Crazy
I like the Civil Wars a lot.
If you have Spotify, you cn listen to the COUntry Covers and Bluegrass Covers playlists and there are some interesting interpretations of current and classic rock type songs in a more acoustic vein.

Richard Thompson does a KILLER version of "Oops I did it Again."

Murder in the city, almost anything by Mumford and Sons (Little lion man and the cave especially). I personally love the acoustic version of black hole sun (Chris Cornell) except the bridge (which I am currently working on rewriting for my own cover). "Slide" is another really cool sounding one. Acoustic Layla and Simon & Garfunkel are pretty timeless imho. "Let her go" by passenger is another good one "Little talks" is really good if you have a female vocalist (or can just sing high), Avicii's "wake me up" is another I really like especially given how simple it is. Chris Cornell's "nearly forgot my broken heart" is a favorite of mine, but somebody has to arrange the melody as its played by a mandolin on the original. Also, "Babe I'm gonna leave you" is one I always got good recognition when playing. Personally I would shy away from Ed Sheeran just because everyone is playing his stuff right now and its gotten monotonous, but up to you (I'll readily admit I am not a fan of his).
Hope this helps.

Acoustic duo? Milk Carton Kids, if you can.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5YV5VZva0I

All of Me - John Legend
See You Again - Wiz Khalifa
Let Her Go - Passenger
Chasing Cars - Snow Patrol

You’ll find acoustic arrangements of all of them on YouTube

I’ve been trying to work out covers of some Jason Isbell songs, I have his (latest?) album “The Nashville Sound” and like it a lot.

Id spend a bit of time flipping through Youtube and you'll find some cool stuff. Im not really a John Mayer fan, but Ive been playing Queen of California for awhile, His acoustic solo version of that(also one called Olivia, very bluesy) are both great. Vance Joy's Riptide is a cool tune, he plays it on a uke, very nice acoustic contemp tune.

I think this is a cool pursuit, they might be a bit tough to find, but there are some nice folky things being done. Someone mentioned Milky Chance, I like to call them folk funk, and Stolen Dance is a great tune. I like Mandolin Orange a lot, folk/Bluegrass/country, but not really a contempt style that folks would recognize. Searching is the way to go. Meantime Im going backwards and playing old rootsy blues stuff, take it or leave it!:)

Jason Isbell "If we were vampires" The last of my kind" and many others.

Chris Stapleton is another

Hi Jon,

You beat me too it! Yes, this is his latest. Lot's of great tunes on that record. I like Tupelo, very simple tune, almost like the old classic country stuff. His older material is great, too, and much of it is pretty accessible for hobby players. I like Alabama Pines, Travelin' Alone, Cover Me Up (vocal is challenging if you try to copy his dynamics), Speed Trap Town, Something More than Free. Then he has a bunch of songs that are a bit more intricate that are on my "someday" list.

My sense is the OP was looking for stuff that is currently "on the (pop) charts" which is not Jason, but some of his songs will be around for a long time.