# Everyone's Getting Involved: A Tribute to Talking Heads' Stop Making Sense
**Everyone's Getting Involved: A Tribute to Talking Heads' Stop Making Sense** is a tribute album released by A24 Music on May 17, 2024, on which 16 recording artists cover the 16 tracks of the [Talking Heads](https://www.edgepedia.org/talking-heads)' 1984 concert film and live album *Stop Making Sense*[1](https://record.club/releases/albums/various-artists-everyones-getting-involved-a-tribute-to-talking-heads-stop-making-sense) • [2](https://apnews.com/article/234305bf3d56b26f228698b109add27f). It was assembled to mark the 40th anniversary of the film, which was directed by [Jonathan Demme](https://www.edgepedia.org/jonathan-demme), and to accompany A24's 4K restoration and theatrical re-release of it[3](https://uclaradio.com/album-review-everyones-getting-involved/) • [2](https://apnews.com/article/234305bf3d56b26f228698b109add27f).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Release | A24 Music, May 17, 2024; 2XLP vinyl followed on July 26, 2024 (Rough Trade, catalog A24M026LP-C2)[1](https://record.club/releases/albums/various-artists-everyones-getting-involved-a-tribute-to-talking-heads-stop-making-sense) • [4](https://www.roughtrade.com/product/various/stop-making-sense-everyones-getting-involved-a-tribute-album) |
| Format | 16 artists covering all 16 tracks of the *Stop Making Sense* soundtrack, in the film's setlist order[2](https://apnews.com/article/234305bf3d56b26f228698b109add27f) • [5](https://exclaim.ca/music/article/everyone-s-getting-involved-a-tribute-to-talking-heads-stop-making-sense-album-review) |
| Headline contributors | Miley Cyrus, Paramore, Lorde, The National, girl in red, Toro y Moi, Kevin Abstract, The Linda Lindas[2](https://apnews.com/article/234305bf3d56b26f228698b109add27f) • [6](https://www.theguardian.com/music/article/2024/may/17/everyones-getting-involved-review-tepid-all-star-talking-heads-tribute-album-review) |
| Chart performance | Debuted at the top of the Billboard Compilation Albums chart in August 2024[1](https://record.club/releases/albums/various-artists-everyones-getting-involved-a-tribute-to-talking-heads-stop-making-sense) |
| Occasion | 40th anniversary of the 1984 Jonathan Demme concert film and its live album[3](https://uclaradio.com/album-review-everyones-getting-involved/) |
| Critical reception | Mixed: praised as fun and varied by the Associated Press, called tepid karaoke by The Guardian[2](https://apnews.com/article/234305bf3d56b26f228698b109add27f) • [6](https://www.theguardian.com/music/article/2024/may/17/everyones-getting-involved-review-tepid-all-star-talking-heads-tribute-album-review) |
## Background
*Stop Making Sense* is a 1984 concert film directed by Jonathan Demme, shot over four nights at the Hollywood Pantages Theater during the Talking Heads' tour for their album *Speaking in Tongues*[3](https://uclaradio.com/album-review-everyones-getting-involved/) • [7](https://time.com/2980989/stop-making-sense-anniversary-david-byrne-jonathan-demme/). For the film's 40th anniversary, A24 acquired the distribution rights, restored the film in 4K, and re-released it theatrically; the tribute album was part of that anniversary campaign[5](https://exclaim.ca/music/article/everyone-s-getting-involved-a-tribute-to-talking-heads-stop-making-sense-album-review) • [2](https://apnews.com/article/234305bf3d56b26f228698b109add27f). The Pantages also hosted a screening of the film with a post-screening Q&A, "A Night of 'Stop Making Sense'" on June 4, 2024[3](https://uclaradio.com/album-review-everyones-getting-involved/) • [12](https://www.timeout.com/los-angeles/movies/a-night-of-stop-making-sense).
The contributors were drawn largely from a younger generation of artists, several of whom were not yet born when the film was made[3](https://uclaradio.com/album-review-everyones-getting-involved/). According to [David Byrne](https://www.edgepedia.org/david-byrne), Chris Frantz, and [Jerry Harrison](https://www.edgepedia.org/jerry-harrison), who spoke to Rolling Stone about the project, the lineup became a testament to how the band's music speaks across generations[8](https://au.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/talking-heads-tribute-album-stop-making-sense-60320/).
## The album
The track sequence follows the film's setlist, opening with [Miley Cyrus](https://www.edgepedia.org/miley-cyrus)'s version of "Psycho Killer" and closing with Money Mark's take on "Crosseyed and Painless"[5](https://exclaim.ca/music/article/everyone-s-getting-involved-a-tribute-to-talking-heads-stop-making-sense-album-review) • [9](https://wers.org/album-review-stop-making-sense-tribute/). Several reviewers observed that although the order matches the film, most covers are based on the band's studio recordings rather than the live arrangements heard in *Stop Making Sense*[5](https://exclaim.ca/music/article/everyone-s-getting-involved-a-tribute-to-talking-heads-stop-making-sense-album-review).
**Notable tracks.** Cyrus reimagines the spare "Psycho Killer" as a full-blown dance anthem and alters the lyrics, singing lines such as "I love you psycho killer / I'm-a love you forever"[2](https://apnews.com/article/234305bf3d56b26f228698b109add27f). Paramore's lead single "Burning Down the House" features what Exclaim! called a barnstorming vocal from [Hayley Williams](https://www.edgepedia.org/hayley-williams)[5](https://exclaim.ca/music/article/everyone-s-getting-involved-a-tribute-to-talking-heads-stop-making-sense-album-review). Lorde covers the [Al Green](https://www.edgepedia.org/al-green) song "Take Me to the River"; in a statement accompanying the track she explained that she first heard the song at age 12, in 2008, when her mother played her a low-quality video of the band performing it[8](https://au.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/talking-heads-tribute-album-stop-making-sense-60320/). The Associated Press contrasted David Byrne's reedy plea on the original with Lorde's commanding delivery[2](https://apnews.com/article/234305bf3d56b26f228698b109add27f). Other contributions include girl in red's "Girlfriend Is Better", The National's "Heaven", [Toro y Moi](https://www.edgepedia.org/toro-y-moi)'s "Genius of Love", Kevin Abstract's "Once in a Lifetime", and The Linda Lindas' "Found A Job"[6](https://www.theguardian.com/music/article/2024/may/17/everyones-getting-involved-review-tepid-all-star-talking-heads-tribute-album-review) • [10](https://www.bernardzuel.net/post/various-artists-everyone-s-getting-involved-review). DJ Tunez layers afrobeats over Byrne's lyrics on his track, an approach UCLA Radio's reviewer called fun and appropriate for a Talking Heads tribute[3](https://uclaradio.com/album-review-everyones-getting-involved/).
## Reception
Reviews were divided. The Associated Press found the variety of talent fitting for a band that incorporated punk, funk, global pop, and early hip-hop elements, and wrote that the tribute "should please old fans and inspire some new ones"[2](https://apnews.com/article/234305bf3d56b26f228698b109add27f). The Guardian took the opposite view, describing the album as tie-in merchandise that sounds "either like karaoke or disconnected from the source material", and grouping Toro y Moi, The National, and Paramore among acts delivering faithful run-throughs that are not particularly compelling[6](https://www.theguardian.com/music/article/2024/may/17/everyones-getting-involved-review-tepid-all-star-talking-heads-tribute-album-review).
**Common criticisms.** Exclaim! argued that the best covers embody the spirit of their predecessors rather than totally transforming the material, and found only a little of that quality on the record; its reviewer judged Cyrus's "Psycho Killer" to be all modern popstar gloss[5](https://exclaim.ca/music/article/everyone-s-getting-involved-a-tribute-to-talking-heads-stop-making-sense-album-review). Louder's review concluded that the joyous experimentation which fueled the band is only fleetingly present, calling the record well-produced karaoke[11](https://www.loudersound.com/reviews/talking-heads-tribute-everyones-getting-involved-review). Bernard Zuel, an Australian music journalist, advised readers to buy the original *Stop Making Sense* album before considering the tribute, while conceding that the record has a reasonable rate of listenable tracks and singling out [The Linda Lindas](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-linda-lindas)' "Found A Job" and girl in red's "Girlfriend Is Better" as returns[10](https://www.bernardzuel.net/post/various-artists-everyone-s-getting-involved-review). UCLA Radio's reviewer found that, apart from the cover of "This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)", many artists either failed to forge a distinctive sound or leaned too heavily into their personal style at the expense of the song[3](https://uclaradio.com/album-review-everyones-getting-involved/).
Commercially, the album debuted at the top of the Billboard Compilation Albums chart in August 2024[1](https://record.club/releases/albums/various-artists-everyones-getting-involved-a-tribute-to-talking-heads-stop-making-sense).
## References
1. [Everyone's Getting Involved: A Tribute to Talking Heads' Stop Making Sense (2024), Record Club](https://record.club/releases/albums/various-artists-everyones-getting-involved-a-tribute-to-talking-heads-stop-making-sense)
2. [Music Review: Miley Cyrus, Lorde and more team up for fun Talking Heads' 'Stop Making Sense' tribute, Associated Press](https://apnews.com/article/234305bf3d56b26f228698b109add27f)
3. [Album Review: Everyone's Getting Involved, UCLA Radio](https://uclaradio.com/album-review-everyones-getting-involved/)
4. [Stop Making Sense - Everyone's Getting Involved - A Tribute Album, Rough Trade](https://www.roughtrade.com/product/various/stop-making-sense-everyones-getting-involved-a-tribute-album)
5. [On 'Everyone's Getting Involved,' Some Should Have Sat Out, Exclaim!](https://exclaim.ca/music/article/everyone-s-getting-involved-a-tribute-to-talking-heads-stop-making-sense-album-review)
6. [Everyone's Getting Involved review – tepid all-star Talking Heads tribute, The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/music/article/2024/may/17/everyones-getting-involved-review-tepid-all-star-talking-heads-tribute-album-review)
7. [David Byrne and Jonathan Demme on The Making of Stop Making Sense, Time](https://time.com/2980989/stop-making-sense-anniversary-david-byrne-jonathan-demme/)
8. [How Lorde, Paramore & More Are Fuelling a Talking Heads Revival, Rolling Stone Australia](https://au.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/talking-heads-tribute-album-stop-making-sense-60320/)
9. [Album Review: Stop Making Sense Tribute, WERS 88.9FM](https://wers.org/album-review-stop-making-sense-tribute/)
10. [Various Artists – Everyone's Getting Involved: Review, Bernard Zuel](https://www.bernardzuel.net/post/various-artists-everyone-s-getting-involved-review)
11. [Talking Heads tribute album Everyone's Getting Involved review, Louder](https://www.loudersound.com/reviews/talking-heads-tribute-everyones-getting-involved-review)
12. [Talking Heads are hosting a Q&A at a ‘Stop Making Sense’ screening in L.A.](https://www.timeout.com/los-angeles/movies/a-night-of-stop-making-sense)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Music › Musical works and recordings › Albums and recorded releases › Tribute and cover albums*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license