Watch Pharrell, Lorde, Elton John, Dave Grohl, One Direction, & Many More Cover The Beach Boys’ “God Only Knows” For BBC Music

Watch Pharrell, Lorde, Elton John, Dave Grohl, One Direction, & Many More Cover The Beach Boys’ “God Only Knows” For BBC Music

The BBC describes its new initiative BBC Music as “an ambitious wave of new programmes, innovative partnerships and ground-breaking music initiatives that amount to the BBC’s strongest commitment to music in 30 years.” To mark the launch, the media conglomerate commissioned this music video featuring an all-star lineup singing the Beach Boys’ classic “God Only Knows” alongside Brian Wilson. It feels like something out of Moulin Rouge. Among those in the video: Pharrell, Stevie Wonder, Lorde (with wings for some reason), Chris Martin, Florence Welch, Elton John, Dave Grohl, Sam Smith, One Direction, and many more. This is a sequel to an all-star cover of Lou Reed’s “Perfect Day” that the BBC commissioned in 1997, which of course also featured Elton John. Watch the new “God Only Knows” video below.

Some more details via The Guardian:

As in 1997, the BBC has succeeded in gathering together a fairly staggering array of stars. Joining Brian Wilson, the song’s writer, are Sir Elton John, One Direction, Stevie Wonder, Pharrell Williams. Jake Bugg, Lorde, Emeli Sandé, Chris Martin, Kylie Minogue, Paloma Faith, Sam Smith, Florence Welch, Chrissie Hynde, Brian May, Dave Grohl, Alison Balsom, Martin James Bartlett, Danielle de Niese, Nicola Benedetti, Eliza Carthy, Baaba Maal, Jamie Cullum, Jaz Dhami, as well as the BBC’s Zane Lowe, Lauren Laverne, Katie Derham, Gareth Malone and Jools Holland. They are joined by the Tees Valley Youth Choir and the BBC Concert Orchestra. Sir Elton John is the only survivor from Perfect Day. The song is accompanied by a lavish video filmed at the disused Alexandra Palace theatre in London, which hosted the first BBC broadcast more than 90 years ago.

Here’s the answer key:

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