Look at this playlist - no, your eyes are not deceiving you. Dee Snider of metal legends Twisted Sister really does have a new album out of showtunes, Lemmy from Motorheard really is crooning with an orchestra, and, yes Virginia, there really are entire albums out there with names like "The Cocktail Tribute To Nirvana" and "Swingin' To Michael Jackson."
Some of this is done with humorous intent, e.g. Max Raabe's tongue-in-cheek Berlin cabaret remakes, and Timur and the Dime Museum's and The Scarring Party's opera/cabaret covers of Nine Inch Nails and Echo & The Bunnymen are actually pretty cool (that Timur dude sounds nuts.) But otherwise, ya gotta wonder: who (besides me and windy) are buying these albums? Like all those string quartet albums - there's millions of 'em...
Classic Schlock: a Kitsch-Ass Rock'n'Roll mix1 Cabaret - Dee Snider ["Dee Does Broadway"]
2 We Will Rock You - Max Raabe & Das Palast Orchestra
3 Rape Me - The String Quartet Tribute To Nirvana
4 Blowing In The Wind - Robin Morris ["Orchestral Rock"]
5 Pretty Vacant - London Punkharmonic Orchestra ["Symphony Of Destruction: Punk Goes Classical"]
6 Eve Of Destruction - Mike Batt & The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra feat. Lemmy Kilmister ["Philharmania - All Time Great Rock Hits Vol. 1"]
7 Come As You Are - Gringo Floyd ["The Cocktail Tribute To Nirvana"]
8 Closer - Timur and the Dime Museum ["Songs from the Operatic Underground"]
9 White Riot - London Punkharmonic Orchestra ["Symphony Of Destruction: Punk Goes Classical"]
10 I Get A Kick Out Of You - Dee Snider
11 Billie Jean - Vitamin Swing ["Swingin' To Michael Jackson: A Tribute"]
12 Killing Moon - The Scarring Party ["Woke Up With Fangs"]
13 Debaser - The String Quartet Tribute To Pixies
14 In My Life - Ozzy Osbourne ["Under Cover"]
15 Jealous Guy - Robin Morris ["Orchestral Rock"]
(Thanks to windy for the Robin Morris, and the Dee Snider tip.)