The charismatic frontman of A Day to Remember, Jeremy McKinnon, advocates for the metal genre to embrace collaboration strategies inspired by hip-hop artists. He suggests that metal acts could significantly benefit from more open partnerships, which is a hallmark of the hip-hop community.

In a recent episode of the Tuna On Toast with Stryker podcast (watch it below), McKinnon shared his excitement about collaborating with talents from outside his band. He expressed, “I love working with everyone,” emphasizing the joy he finds in the creative process of writing music and drawing inspiration from various sources. He also mentioned that A Day to Remember is currently in a fortunate position where many artists are eager to collaborate with them.

“So like, why not? You know what I mean?” McKinnon elaborated. He pointed out that the metal community can sometimes come across as insular, with a mindset that limits collaboration opportunities. He remarked, “It feels so closed off sometimes, like, ‘We can’t do that because that’s a different band. Or we can’t do this because we only sound like this.’”

READ MORE: 10 Most Unexpected Rock + Metal Collaborations

McKinnon believes that instead of resisting collaboration, the metal genre should take notes from the rap community’s collaborative spirit. He noted, “I just love how the hip-hop community is so collaborative,” highlighting how artists in hip-hop frequently work with a variety of producers and guest singers on each other’s tracks. “They have massive hits together, and that vibe is just so cool. I would love to see more of that in the metal and punk communities.”

Exploring Collaborative Spirit: A Day to Remember’s Unique Approach

A Day to Remember recently unveiled their latest project, Big Ole Album Vol. 1, showcasing their commitment to collaboration through a diverse array of co-writers. Notable contributors include Oli Sykes from Bring Me the Horizon and Will Putney of Fit for an Autopsy, which reflects McKinnon’s views on the importance of collaboration in music creation.

“A Day to Remember has always been a collaboration,” McKinnon pointed out, suggesting that many fans may not realize how much collaboration occurs behind the scenes. He explained, “Some of our biggest albums and songs, the two percent idea often originated from someone else.”

McKinnon cited their 2010 hit single “Have Faith in Me” as a prime example of this collaborative process. He noted that the song was born from an old demo that didn’t initially succeed; they rewrote it to create something new and impactful. “You know what I mean? No one knows that because people just don’t look into it. But it’s not something we hold as super important. Our focus has always been on asking, ‘How can we make this interesting? How can we make people listen all the way through?’ That’s been our approach—to invite others into our creative process,” he added.

Furthermore, McKinnon emphasized that while A Day to Remember “writes every song,” it’s that additional 10-20% of creativity they seek from collaborating with others that truly sets their music apart and gives it a fresh, dynamic feel.