Sometimes, a song whispers its way into your ear, and BAM! You realize there's something different about it. A cover song has just snuck up on you, wearing the familiar notes of an original track but with a touch that is unique to that cover artist. Or maybe you already knew that hit but never realized it was one of those songs you didn't know were covers. Here they are saying, "Hey, this song was cool, but watch how I make it cooler!"
But hang on, because we're not just about to list a bunch of tracks that had their five minutes of fame on a talent show. No siree, today we're on a quest to reveal the best covers of all time. Remember when you first heard Jimi Hendrix's reimagining of Dylan's All Along The Watchtower? Or when Whitney Houston added a new depth to Dolly Parton's I Will Always Love You? These irresistible music covers dared to step into the shadow of an original and came out shining bright. From vintage classics to modern-day hits, we're pulling back the curtains on the iconic cover versions that marked the music scene without asking anyone's permission.
The exciting part? Many of these covers are even better than the original. We'll see artists who have taken an established piece and somehow twisted it into something even more catchy, entering the Olympus of the most successful cover songs, wooing fans, winning awards, and creating a league of their own.
We're aware music is incredibly subjective. These brilliant artists, though, have reimagined some already great songs and turned them into the most well-known tunes in the world. We've got you covered (pun intended) with what people have assured are the best cover songs. Who knows, you might discover your next playlist favorite!
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#21 Natalie Imbruglia – Torn

"Natalie Imbruglia's version of Torn."
YupIzzMee replied:
"I listened to this song by Talk Talk so many years, and then it faded away. When I heard it from No Doubt I didn't even realize it was the same song!"
17points
#22 They Might Be Giants – Istanbul (Not Constantinople)

"The original is just very cheesy, and the singing sounds very flat and stilted compared to TMBG, almost like what a little kid sounds like when singing."
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17points
#23 Whitney Houston – I Will Always Love You

"I Will Always Love You — Whitney Houston. Written and originally performed by Dolly Parton. This is the best cover ever."
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17points
#25 The Fairy Godmother – I Need A Hero

"'I need a hero', the Shrek version is better."
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15points
#27 Metallica – Turn The Page

"I am not a Metallica fan but as a bartender that had to listen to the jukebox for hours at a time, I will take their version of Turn the Page over Bob Seger's."
eddmario replied:
"Even Seger loves their cover."
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14points
#28 Pet Shop Boys – Always On My Mind

"I think 'Always on my mind' by Pet Shop Boys is amazing."
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13points
#29 Rage Against The Machine – Renegades Of Funk

"Rage Against the Machine's — Renegades of Funk is far better than the original."
Consistent-Film-6926 replied:
"Everything on the album is great honestly, imagine being told in the 70s-80s that a rap rock group in the year 2000 would create a cover album of many songs released around that era in the style of their own third album and it'd actually be a great album."
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12points
#30 Nirvana – Lake Of Fire

"Kurt Cobain’s cover of the Meat Puppets' songs on Unplugged."
fd1Jeff replied:
"Also, Nirvana‘s version of the Man Who Sold the World. I am a colossal Bowie fan, but somehow their version is just a little better."
12points
#31 Deep Purple – Hush

like_bookends repleid:
"I HAD NO IDEA THIS WAS A COVER."
"I HAD NO IDEA THIS WAS A COVER."
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12points
#32 Talking Heads – Take Me To The River

"'Take Me to the River' by Talking Heads."
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11points
#33 Eddie Vedder – Hard Sun

"Eddie Vedder's cover of Hard Sun."
Mendoza8914 replied:
"The original song used to play on my local alternative hard rock station all the time, and after Eddie Vedder covered it I never heard the original again."
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10points
#34 Charles Bradley – Changes

"Changes by Black Sabbath, covered by Charles Bradley."
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10points
#35 The Interrupters – Bad Guy

CrispyChickenArms replied: "I'd say the same if the interrupters weren't so obscure. It's a shame ska isn't cool anymore."
10points
#36 Iron And Wine – Such Great Heights

"I love the original but this version was what I listened to in my friend's car during a stormy summer night. That slow calm drive with the rain hitting the roof and the soft blue light of the dashboard against the dark black night has to be one of my fondest memories."
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10points
#37 Van Halen – You Really Got Me

linesinaconversation replied: "It's not really fair to say, for example, Alien Ant Farm's "Smooth Criminal" is better than MJ's if you grew up at the height of nu-metal. Based on those parameters, this is the one my mind immediately goes to. I'd heard The Kinks' version of "You Really Got Me" plenty. Always liked it. When I heard the Van Halen version? Game. Over. I'm not even huge into them, but they rocked it."
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10points
#38 George Costanza's Answering Machine – Believe It Or Not

"Believe it or Not by George Costanza's answering machine."
Moonlitekilla replied:
"The 10,000 Maniacs version also is incredible."
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9points
#39 Fiona Apple – Across The Universe

"Fiona Apple’s version of 'Across The Universe' is so very sumptuous and so much warmer and fuller than the original."
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9points
#40 Reba McEntire – Fancy

samanthaspice replied: "The Night that the Lights Went Out in Georgia” was also originally recorded by Vicki Lawrence from “Mamas Family” and “The Carol Burnett Show”… she wasn’t really a signer but her husband had written the song and was convinced it would be a hit he just couldn’t sell it to any artists. When he felt he exhausted his options he said fine, this song is so good even my wife could sing it and make it a hit… and she did. Then Reba picked it up and now it’s one of her more well-known songs."
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9points




